Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 171
March 4, 2016
Me, Out of Darkness, and Lizette in 5 Words or Less
Out of Darkness goes on sale thirty-one days from now! I can't believe my third book is already about to come out. In honor of that, I'll be doing a four-part blog series to introduce you to Out of Darkness (the first book in the Eternals Trilogy), the overall theme, a few of the characters, and a few topics important to the book. To start it all off, this week I'm going to describe myself, my book (Out of Darkness), and the main character, Lizette in five (5) words or less. Are you ready? Good, me too... mostly.
Me (in a nutshell) I am:-Insane :P-Creative-Shy-Observant-Forgetful
Out of Darkness is:-Thrilling-Romantic-Full of Secrets
Lizette is:-Brave-Strong-willed-Witty-Mischievous
Have I whet your appetite yet?
Out of Darkness is available for pre-order:AmazonSmashwordsBarnes and NobleKoboiBooksComing Tuesday April 5, 2016! (Paperback Edition will also be available on April 5th)
Me (in a nutshell) I am:-Insane :P-Creative-Shy-Observant-Forgetful
Out of Darkness is:-Thrilling-Romantic-Full of Secrets
Lizette is:-Brave-Strong-willed-Witty-Mischievous
Have I whet your appetite yet?
Out of Darkness is available for pre-order:AmazonSmashwordsBarnes and NobleKoboiBooksComing Tuesday April 5, 2016! (Paperback Edition will also be available on April 5th)
March 2, 2016
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #12
This week I've read a few different genres of books. Right now I'm diving into...
Remembrance (A Mediator Novel) by Meg Cabot
Blurb:
Fifteen years after the release of the first Mediator novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot returns with a deliciously sexy new entry to a fan-favorite series. Suze Simon—all grown up and engaged to her once-ghostly soulmate—faces a vengeful spirit and an old enemy bent on ending Suze's wedded bliss before it begins.
You can take the boy out of the darkness.
But you can’t take the darkness out of the boy.
All Susannah Simon wants is to make a good impression at her first job since graduating from college (and since becoming engaged to Dr. Jesse de Silva).
But when she’s hired as a guidance counselor at her alma mater, she stumbles across a decade-old murder, and soon ancient history isn’t all that’s coming back to haunt her. Old ghosts as well as new ones are coming out of the woodwork, some to test her, some to vex her, and it isn’t only because she’s a mediator, gifted with second sight.
From a sophomore haunted by the murderous specter of a child, to ghosts of a very different kind—including Paul Slater, Suze’s ex, who shows up to make a bargain Suze is certain must have come from the Devil himself—Suze isn’t sure she’ll make it through the semester, let alone to her wedding night.
Suze is used to striking first and asking questions later. But what happens when ghosts from her past—including one she found nearly impossible to resist—strike first?
What happens when old ghosts come back to haunt you?
If you’re a mediator, you might have to kick a little ass.
Why I Chose This Book: I love Meg Cabot's books and believe me, I've read a lot of them over the years. When I saw on her twitter account that she was signing copies of this book to be sold at an independent bookstore in Michigan that would be available to purchase online I knew I needed to order a copy. Though I've just started the book, if the first line is any indication then I know I'm going to love this book as much as I've loved the other books I've read by the author.
Here's a look at what else I've read since finishing Shiver by Kristen Middleton last Wednesday...
Low Pressure by Sandra Brown
Blurb:
Bellamy Lyston was only 12 years old when her older sister Susan was killed on a stormy Memorial Day. Bellamy's fear of storms is a legacy of the tornado that destroyed the crime scene along with her memory of what really happened during the day's most devastating moments.
Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a sensational, bestselling novel based on Susan's murder. Because the book was inspired by the tragic event that still pains her family, she published it under a pseudonym to protect them from unwanted publicity. But when an opportunistic reporter for a tabloid newspaper discovers that the book is based on fact, Bellamy's identity is exposed along with the family scandal.
Moreover, Bellamy becomes the target of an unnamed assailant who either wants the truth about Susan's murder to remain unknown or, even more threatening, is determined to get vengeance for a man wrongfully accused and punished.
In order to identify her stalker, Bellamy must confront the ghosts of her past, including Dent Carter, Susan's wayward and reckless boyfriend -- and an original suspect in the murder case. Dent, with this and other stains on his past, is intent on clearing his name, and he needs Bellamy's sealed memory to do it. But her safeguarded recollections -once unlocked-pose dangers that neither could foresee and puts both their lives in peril.
As Bellamy delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Susan's slaying, she discovers disturbing elements of the crime which call into question the people she holds most dear. Haunted by partial memories, conflicted over her feelings for Dent, but determined to learn the truth, she won't stop until she reveals Susan's killer.
That is, unless Susan's killer strikes her first...
What I Thought of This Book: Wow... I loved this book. Low Pressure is my first Sandra Brown book but I can already tell you it won't be the last. My grandmother was gifted this book as a belated birthday present from my sister last summer. She read it and enjoyed it and recommended it to me. I'd planned to read it sooner but I had a large to-be-read stack and just now got to it. Ever since Bellamy Lyston released Low Pressure, the book that she hoped would give her clarity to the truth behind her sister Susan's murder eighteen years earlier and her true identity became known she's found an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to silence her. But who is it? Is it Susan's true killer? Someone that she painted in an ill light in her novel? Susan's boyfriend at the time of her death, Denton Carter? All she knows is that someone is after her. As her and Dent's lives become entwined and she pursues the truth from that awful day eighteen years prior she learns more and more about the family and the sister she thought she knew. And once revealed it can never be unlearned. I loved Dent and Bellamy together. I couldn't get enough. This book reminded me a lot of a couple of my other favorite authors' - Nora Roberts and Lisa Jackson - writing style which helped me to fall so easily into the storyline. It really was a thrilling read that hooked me and kept me its' captive audience until the last page. I never saw the stunning ending coming.My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young
Blurb:
Stay tonight. Stay forever.
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn’t have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.
The more Audrey learns about the new people she’s met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between in a place that is so much more than it seems…
Welcome to the Ruby.
What I Thought of the Book: I stumbled across this book one day recently when I was at Barnes and Noble. The title sounded familiar, I believe a book blog I follow featured it a month or so back, so naturally I picked it up to take a look. The description drew forth thoughts of an old Disney movie, Tower of Terror, that I'd seen when I was younger, then rented on Netflix just days before finding this book, so I bought Hotel Ruby. This book is fantastic. I really loved it. I kind of had a premonition about what the secret of Hotel Ruby was from about a quarter of the way in but it was still a gripping book that I couldn't bear to put down. I won't spoil the secret but partway through the book you begin to wonder - Is the Hotel Ruby and its' guests even real? As real as the 13th chapter? You'll have to find out for yourself. ;)My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Remembrance (A Mediator Novel) by Meg Cabot
Blurb:
Fifteen years after the release of the first Mediator novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot returns with a deliciously sexy new entry to a fan-favorite series. Suze Simon—all grown up and engaged to her once-ghostly soulmate—faces a vengeful spirit and an old enemy bent on ending Suze's wedded bliss before it begins.You can take the boy out of the darkness.
But you can’t take the darkness out of the boy.
All Susannah Simon wants is to make a good impression at her first job since graduating from college (and since becoming engaged to Dr. Jesse de Silva).
But when she’s hired as a guidance counselor at her alma mater, she stumbles across a decade-old murder, and soon ancient history isn’t all that’s coming back to haunt her. Old ghosts as well as new ones are coming out of the woodwork, some to test her, some to vex her, and it isn’t only because she’s a mediator, gifted with second sight.
From a sophomore haunted by the murderous specter of a child, to ghosts of a very different kind—including Paul Slater, Suze’s ex, who shows up to make a bargain Suze is certain must have come from the Devil himself—Suze isn’t sure she’ll make it through the semester, let alone to her wedding night.
Suze is used to striking first and asking questions later. But what happens when ghosts from her past—including one she found nearly impossible to resist—strike first?
What happens when old ghosts come back to haunt you?
If you’re a mediator, you might have to kick a little ass.
Why I Chose This Book: I love Meg Cabot's books and believe me, I've read a lot of them over the years. When I saw on her twitter account that she was signing copies of this book to be sold at an independent bookstore in Michigan that would be available to purchase online I knew I needed to order a copy. Though I've just started the book, if the first line is any indication then I know I'm going to love this book as much as I've loved the other books I've read by the author.
Here's a look at what else I've read since finishing Shiver by Kristen Middleton last Wednesday...
Low Pressure by Sandra Brown
Blurb:
Bellamy Lyston was only 12 years old when her older sister Susan was killed on a stormy Memorial Day. Bellamy's fear of storms is a legacy of the tornado that destroyed the crime scene along with her memory of what really happened during the day's most devastating moments.Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a sensational, bestselling novel based on Susan's murder. Because the book was inspired by the tragic event that still pains her family, she published it under a pseudonym to protect them from unwanted publicity. But when an opportunistic reporter for a tabloid newspaper discovers that the book is based on fact, Bellamy's identity is exposed along with the family scandal.
Moreover, Bellamy becomes the target of an unnamed assailant who either wants the truth about Susan's murder to remain unknown or, even more threatening, is determined to get vengeance for a man wrongfully accused and punished.
In order to identify her stalker, Bellamy must confront the ghosts of her past, including Dent Carter, Susan's wayward and reckless boyfriend -- and an original suspect in the murder case. Dent, with this and other stains on his past, is intent on clearing his name, and he needs Bellamy's sealed memory to do it. But her safeguarded recollections -once unlocked-pose dangers that neither could foresee and puts both their lives in peril.
As Bellamy delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Susan's slaying, she discovers disturbing elements of the crime which call into question the people she holds most dear. Haunted by partial memories, conflicted over her feelings for Dent, but determined to learn the truth, she won't stop until she reveals Susan's killer.
That is, unless Susan's killer strikes her first...
What I Thought of This Book: Wow... I loved this book. Low Pressure is my first Sandra Brown book but I can already tell you it won't be the last. My grandmother was gifted this book as a belated birthday present from my sister last summer. She read it and enjoyed it and recommended it to me. I'd planned to read it sooner but I had a large to-be-read stack and just now got to it. Ever since Bellamy Lyston released Low Pressure, the book that she hoped would give her clarity to the truth behind her sister Susan's murder eighteen years earlier and her true identity became known she's found an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to silence her. But who is it? Is it Susan's true killer? Someone that she painted in an ill light in her novel? Susan's boyfriend at the time of her death, Denton Carter? All she knows is that someone is after her. As her and Dent's lives become entwined and she pursues the truth from that awful day eighteen years prior she learns more and more about the family and the sister she thought she knew. And once revealed it can never be unlearned. I loved Dent and Bellamy together. I couldn't get enough. This book reminded me a lot of a couple of my other favorite authors' - Nora Roberts and Lisa Jackson - writing style which helped me to fall so easily into the storyline. It really was a thrilling read that hooked me and kept me its' captive audience until the last page. I never saw the stunning ending coming.My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young
Blurb:
Stay tonight. Stay forever.When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn’t have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.
The more Audrey learns about the new people she’s met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between in a place that is so much more than it seems…
Welcome to the Ruby.
What I Thought of the Book: I stumbled across this book one day recently when I was at Barnes and Noble. The title sounded familiar, I believe a book blog I follow featured it a month or so back, so naturally I picked it up to take a look. The description drew forth thoughts of an old Disney movie, Tower of Terror, that I'd seen when I was younger, then rented on Netflix just days before finding this book, so I bought Hotel Ruby. This book is fantastic. I really loved it. I kind of had a premonition about what the secret of Hotel Ruby was from about a quarter of the way in but it was still a gripping book that I couldn't bear to put down. I won't spoil the secret but partway through the book you begin to wonder - Is the Hotel Ruby and its' guests even real? As real as the 13th chapter? You'll have to find out for yourself. ;)My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
February 26, 2016
Five 4 Three 2 One
Every now and then I like to do a fun 'get-to-know-me' blog and since the next four-five weekend blogs will be devoted to Out of Darkness, here's one carefree blog coming up...
5 Items I Would Buy With A Million Dollars: 1. All the books on my wishlist. 2. A Duplex in Nashville, Tennessee, so I could live on one side and my grandmother could still be nearby in the other half of the duplex while still giving me privacy. 3. A new tattoo (or two!)4. A French Bulldog puppy.5. A trip to Ireland.Bonus Item: Give money to the ASPCA
4 Things I Love About My Favorite Book:(Fav. Book: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore)1. The Mad Monk Ghost / Legend2. Amy's sister Phin3. This line: Never trust a writer, they're paid to make up stories. 4. Amy and Ben's witty banter.
3 Books I'd Bring to a Desert Island:1. Play by Kylie Scott2. Nash by Jay Crownover3. The Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
2 Food Items I Could Never Live Without:1. Cheese2. Pasta
1 Person Who Makes My Life Better:1. My Boyfriend Josh <3
5 Items I Would Buy With A Million Dollars: 1. All the books on my wishlist. 2. A Duplex in Nashville, Tennessee, so I could live on one side and my grandmother could still be nearby in the other half of the duplex while still giving me privacy. 3. A new tattoo (or two!)4. A French Bulldog puppy.5. A trip to Ireland.Bonus Item: Give money to the ASPCA
4 Things I Love About My Favorite Book:(Fav. Book: Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore)1. The Mad Monk Ghost / Legend2. Amy's sister Phin3. This line: Never trust a writer, they're paid to make up stories. 4. Amy and Ben's witty banter.
3 Books I'd Bring to a Desert Island:1. Play by Kylie Scott2. Nash by Jay Crownover3. The Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
2 Food Items I Could Never Live Without:1. Cheese2. Pasta
1 Person Who Makes My Life Better:1. My Boyfriend Josh <3
February 24, 2016
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #11
This "What I'm Reading"-Wednesday I'm reading a book I absolutely cannot put down. Aren't those the best kind?
Shiver by Kristen Middleton Blurb:
While Nikki tries to adjust to her new home in Shore Lake and forget about the horrors of last summer, she battles with her own inner demons still craving Ethan's dark embrace.
Meanwhile, Duncan disappears in the middle of the night after being stalked by shadows, Nathan is spending more and more time with Celeste, and there is a hot new club in town, where the after-parties are to die for.
What I think of the book so far/ Why I Chose it: I loved the first book in this series and the second book is really good too. It's been a few months since I read the first book but I instantly jumped right in and it feels like returning to old friends after a short break. Nikki is still a strong main character and Ethan is still my personal choice for her. This book sucks you in, and you feel unwilling to put it down until you're done. The only problem I have with this book is that I have a paperback copy and while the front and back cover, as well as the inside correctly identify this as the second book in the series, the spine states that it is the third book. At first I thought I had purchased the wrong book. Secondly, inside the book on the copyright page the book is listed as the "Second Additon". While I haven't found any errors within the book itself, the obvious typo is a bit comical. No big deal, but the author might want to correct these small - easily fixable problems before any more paperback copies are sold. Overall it's a fantastic read and I can't wait to finish this book and the rest of the books in the series. My Early Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Here's what else I've read since last week...
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors Blurb:
Writing her own love story could drive a girl insane.
As the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life for sixteen-year-old Alice Amorous should be pretty good. But ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness, Alice has been forced to maintain a brave front - lying to her new crush, Tony; answering fan letters; forging her mother's signature; telling the publisher that all is well. Now time is running out, and so is their money. The next book is overdue and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs to deliver a new novel for her mother - and she needs to come up with one fast.
That's when she meets Errol, a strange guy claiming to be Cupid, who insists that Alice must write about his tragic romance with Psyche - the greatest love story of all time. Only, Alice doesn't believe in Cupid...
What I Thought of this book: I've read this author's other three Young Adult novels and loved 2/3. While Mad Love is not my favorite by the author parts of it (especially those about dealing with Alice's mother's publisher) are hilariously relate-able to a writer like me. As a main character, Alice was alright. I found Realm to be annoying, as I'm sure the author intended her to be and I didn't even come around to her at the end. Add in the assorted neighbors, Errol, and Alice's crush Tony, that I liked and disliked at different times throughout the reading process. I thought I would have really enjoyed this book, what with the writing aspect and the mythology stuff, which I usually gobble right up. This book was just okay in my opinion. I didn't overly like it, nor did I overly hate it. My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Shiver by Kristen Middleton Blurb:
While Nikki tries to adjust to her new home in Shore Lake and forget about the horrors of last summer, she battles with her own inner demons still craving Ethan's dark embrace.Meanwhile, Duncan disappears in the middle of the night after being stalked by shadows, Nathan is spending more and more time with Celeste, and there is a hot new club in town, where the after-parties are to die for.
What I think of the book so far/ Why I Chose it: I loved the first book in this series and the second book is really good too. It's been a few months since I read the first book but I instantly jumped right in and it feels like returning to old friends after a short break. Nikki is still a strong main character and Ethan is still my personal choice for her. This book sucks you in, and you feel unwilling to put it down until you're done. The only problem I have with this book is that I have a paperback copy and while the front and back cover, as well as the inside correctly identify this as the second book in the series, the spine states that it is the third book. At first I thought I had purchased the wrong book. Secondly, inside the book on the copyright page the book is listed as the "Second Additon". While I haven't found any errors within the book itself, the obvious typo is a bit comical. No big deal, but the author might want to correct these small - easily fixable problems before any more paperback copies are sold. Overall it's a fantastic read and I can't wait to finish this book and the rest of the books in the series. My Early Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Here's what else I've read since last week...
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors Blurb:
Writing her own love story could drive a girl insane. As the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life for sixteen-year-old Alice Amorous should be pretty good. But ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness, Alice has been forced to maintain a brave front - lying to her new crush, Tony; answering fan letters; forging her mother's signature; telling the publisher that all is well. Now time is running out, and so is their money. The next book is overdue and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs to deliver a new novel for her mother - and she needs to come up with one fast.
That's when she meets Errol, a strange guy claiming to be Cupid, who insists that Alice must write about his tragic romance with Psyche - the greatest love story of all time. Only, Alice doesn't believe in Cupid...
What I Thought of this book: I've read this author's other three Young Adult novels and loved 2/3. While Mad Love is not my favorite by the author parts of it (especially those about dealing with Alice's mother's publisher) are hilariously relate-able to a writer like me. As a main character, Alice was alright. I found Realm to be annoying, as I'm sure the author intended her to be and I didn't even come around to her at the end. Add in the assorted neighbors, Errol, and Alice's crush Tony, that I liked and disliked at different times throughout the reading process. I thought I would have really enjoyed this book, what with the writing aspect and the mythology stuff, which I usually gobble right up. This book was just okay in my opinion. I didn't overly like it, nor did I overly hate it. My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
February 19, 2016
I Don't Have Writer's Block... I'm Tired!
I missed a deadline. It's a sick feeling of letting people down. I'm usually on top of things so missing the date of something I assigned for myself to do feels like a huge failure.
No... I'm not talking about anything related to Out of Darkness's publication schedule. If anything, I'm about a month and a half ahead of schedule, which is a relief. Instead, I'm talking about the short story I promised everyone for Valentine's Day.
It's been said that writer's block stems from the author being afraid that someone won't like something they've written -
Well, that's not true for me. It has never been true for me. Some days I just lack direction or ideas. I literally have no idea where to go with the story next.
Moreover - sometimes I am just dog-tired. Seriously. As was the case of the missed Valentine's Day deadline. It's so great that some writers can carve out time each and every day to write. But that time for me is usually late at night. Mostly between 10 pm and midnight. And sometimes, at these late hours, I'm just exhausted. Sure I have excuses... it's been a tiring day, I took in too much fresh air, I'm drained from reading a book for hours, etc. And excuses they may be. But if I'm not in the mood to write, I just can't do it. So I don't have writer's block... I'm just tired!
Some things just work better for some writers. It really all depends on what your schedule is like. Some days I don't write at all other than in a journal I keep to record the happenings of my days. It doesn't mean that I'm lacking ideas for my creative writing. I have all sorts of ideas that strike me at different times. I even have ideas for that half-finished chapter I haven't gotten to working on or the short story I still haven't finished.
So I merely store my ideas on notes - on post-its I keep by my bed, notebooks strewn around my room, and Evernote on my phone/Nook/laptop and wait for myself to get a little ambition. Sometimes I go so long without writing that when I do it again it sort of pours out of me, which I consider a good thing. Everything has been brewing thought-wise, waiting for the perfect time to be written down.
I don't worry too much if I miss a deadline I set for myself anymore unless it's a series of deadlines I miss. After all, deadlines are an imaginary thing thought up by people just looking to add more stress to their lives. Sooner or later you burn out and need a little time for relaxation.
Late night writing can be so exhausting after all...
No... I'm not talking about anything related to Out of Darkness's publication schedule. If anything, I'm about a month and a half ahead of schedule, which is a relief. Instead, I'm talking about the short story I promised everyone for Valentine's Day.
It's been said that writer's block stems from the author being afraid that someone won't like something they've written -
Well, that's not true for me. It has never been true for me. Some days I just lack direction or ideas. I literally have no idea where to go with the story next.
Moreover - sometimes I am just dog-tired. Seriously. As was the case of the missed Valentine's Day deadline. It's so great that some writers can carve out time each and every day to write. But that time for me is usually late at night. Mostly between 10 pm and midnight. And sometimes, at these late hours, I'm just exhausted. Sure I have excuses... it's been a tiring day, I took in too much fresh air, I'm drained from reading a book for hours, etc. And excuses they may be. But if I'm not in the mood to write, I just can't do it. So I don't have writer's block... I'm just tired!
Some things just work better for some writers. It really all depends on what your schedule is like. Some days I don't write at all other than in a journal I keep to record the happenings of my days. It doesn't mean that I'm lacking ideas for my creative writing. I have all sorts of ideas that strike me at different times. I even have ideas for that half-finished chapter I haven't gotten to working on or the short story I still haven't finished.
So I merely store my ideas on notes - on post-its I keep by my bed, notebooks strewn around my room, and Evernote on my phone/Nook/laptop and wait for myself to get a little ambition. Sometimes I go so long without writing that when I do it again it sort of pours out of me, which I consider a good thing. Everything has been brewing thought-wise, waiting for the perfect time to be written down.
I don't worry too much if I miss a deadline I set for myself anymore unless it's a series of deadlines I miss. After all, deadlines are an imaginary thing thought up by people just looking to add more stress to their lives. Sooner or later you burn out and need a little time for relaxation.
Late night writing can be so exhausting after all...
February 17, 2016
What I'm Reading" Wednesday #10
This week for "WIR"-Wednesday I'm starting a new book. A mysterious new book...
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Blurb:
"Ten..."Ten strangers are lured to an isolated mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen."
"Nine..."At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.
"Eight..."Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one... one by one they begin to die.
"Seven..." Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?
Why I Chose This Book I wanted to read this book after seeing a preview for the upcoming Lifetime movie (airing as a two part movie starting on March 13th). Its always better to read the book first after all. The description and the movie preview remind me of my favourite gory horror tv show, Harper's Island, in which guests at a wedding on an island with a dark past begin disappearing and dying one by one... So you can see my geek out reaction and desire to read "And Then There Were None". I love a good murder mystery.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Blurb:
"Ten..."Ten strangers are lured to an isolated mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen.""Nine..."At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.
"Eight..."Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one... one by one they begin to die.
"Seven..." Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?
Why I Chose This Book I wanted to read this book after seeing a preview for the upcoming Lifetime movie (airing as a two part movie starting on March 13th). Its always better to read the book first after all. The description and the movie preview remind me of my favourite gory horror tv show, Harper's Island, in which guests at a wedding on an island with a dark past begin disappearing and dying one by one... So you can see my geek out reaction and desire to read "And Then There Were None". I love a good murder mystery.
February 10, 2016
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #9
This week I'm diving back into the world of Gena Showalter's Original Heartbreakers trilogy...
The Harder You Fall by Gena Showalter
Blurb:
Millionaire video-game creator Lincoln West has a dark and tragic past. The sought-after bachelor lives by a rigid schedule and a single rule - one relationship per year, lasting no more than two months - until a brash beauty dredges up long-buried emotions.
A reformed party girl, Jessie Kay Dillon is determined to walk the straight and narrow. But her love-hate sizzle with West is just too irresistible. They can't be near each other without tearing off their clothes, but the last thing she needs is to be his next two-month dump. Will she become the one exception? Because as any former girl-gone-wild knows: rules are made to be broken.
Why I chose this book: I loved the first two books and I can't wait to see how West and Jessie Kay's story plays out.
Here's what else I read since last week...
The Closer You Come by Gena Showalter
Blurb:
Tortured by a violent past, ex-con Jase Hollister is looking to start over in a small town. The rugged bachelor suffering from PTSD longs for peace and quiet, always keeping his women at a distance—and his heart encased in stone.
Brook Lynn Dillon is a down on her luck waitress determined to avoid the man every woman in town wants—including her sister. The last thing she needs is his kind of trouble. But his every glance makes her burn…and her resistance is melting fast.
The two agree to a one-time fling, not expecting to be forever branded. Now, no matter how hard they try, they can't keep their hands off each other. But when a secret from Jase's past comes to light, they'll have to face a cold, hard truth: it's more than Jase's freedom on the line, it's their hearts.
What I Thought Of This Book: I thought nothing could be better than Harlow and Beck's story in The Hotter You Burn, but each book I read in this trilogy is equally great. Jase and Brook Lynn are perfect and I love how the author includes recipes at the back of the book. I'll have to try the cheesy chicken spaghetti. I could not put this book down.My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
The Harder You Fall by Gena Showalter
Blurb:
Millionaire video-game creator Lincoln West has a dark and tragic past. The sought-after bachelor lives by a rigid schedule and a single rule - one relationship per year, lasting no more than two months - until a brash beauty dredges up long-buried emotions.A reformed party girl, Jessie Kay Dillon is determined to walk the straight and narrow. But her love-hate sizzle with West is just too irresistible. They can't be near each other without tearing off their clothes, but the last thing she needs is to be his next two-month dump. Will she become the one exception? Because as any former girl-gone-wild knows: rules are made to be broken.
Why I chose this book: I loved the first two books and I can't wait to see how West and Jessie Kay's story plays out.
Here's what else I read since last week...
The Closer You Come by Gena Showalter
Blurb:
Tortured by a violent past, ex-con Jase Hollister is looking to start over in a small town. The rugged bachelor suffering from PTSD longs for peace and quiet, always keeping his women at a distance—and his heart encased in stone.
Brook Lynn Dillon is a down on her luck waitress determined to avoid the man every woman in town wants—including her sister. The last thing she needs is his kind of trouble. But his every glance makes her burn…and her resistance is melting fast.
The two agree to a one-time fling, not expecting to be forever branded. Now, no matter how hard they try, they can't keep their hands off each other. But when a secret from Jase's past comes to light, they'll have to face a cold, hard truth: it's more than Jase's freedom on the line, it's their hearts.
What I Thought Of This Book: I thought nothing could be better than Harlow and Beck's story in The Hotter You Burn, but each book I read in this trilogy is equally great. Jase and Brook Lynn are perfect and I love how the author includes recipes at the back of the book. I'll have to try the cheesy chicken spaghetti. I could not put this book down.My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
February 7, 2016
Update: Out of Darkness is now available for Pre-Order!
Out of Darkness is coming April 5, 2016 and is available for Pre-Order in the following outlets:
Amazon Kindle (US)
Amazon Kindle (UK)
Amazon Kindle (Canada)
Amazon Kindle (Australia)
(All other Amazon Kindle Marketplaces)
Kobo
Smashwords
iBooks
Barnes & Noble Nook (coming for pre-order 2/8-2/12)
Add to Goodreads
Blurb:
Enter the clearing and your life will change forever…
Seventeen-year-old Lizette Weatherly’s life is about to change forever.
Lizette is a girl who really can’t catch a break. Her parents are overprotective of her and her peers are afraid of her.
Two centuries ago Lizette's ancestor Jacob and his family disappeared without a trace. All that were found were bloody clothes and mysterious symbols etched into the ground in a clearing near their old house.
Lizette’s family have been ostracized by the people in the nearby city of Marquette, Michigan ever since. Lizette spends most of her time alone with her old set of tarot cards in her house back in the woods where the sun never shines; until one night when she wanders off into the woods and stumbles upon a group of hooded figures standing around a bonfire.
Lizette soon learns that everything she knew is a lie. She and her family are really descended from a long line of creatures called Eternals, possessing paranormal powers, and she may be the most powerful Eternal alive. For the first time in her life, Lizette has friends and potentially a boyfriend in shifter Thierry. But Bryan, the leader of her generation of the Eternals, is power hungry and he will do anything to absorb Lizette’s power.
A battle is brewing and Lizette will have to join together with the other Eternals to overpower Bryan. But when a mysterious prophecy is revealed and her fate becomes entwined with shy, brooding, secretive Luke, Lizette begins to question: who can she really trust and who really has her heart? What will happen when it’s time to step out of the darkness?
February 5, 2016
Out of Darkness Cover Reveal Party!
You've seen it on social media... today is the cover reveal of my upcoming novel, Out of Darkness! In honor of that, I'm holding a cover reveal party on Facebook tonight from 4-6 pm!
I will be revealing the release date, and there will be an Author Q&A, the official blurb, the official book trailer and of course, the cover reveal!
To join the fun visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/991668264216371/
I'll see you in a less than two hours!
I will be revealing the release date, and there will be an Author Q&A, the official blurb, the official book trailer and of course, the cover reveal!
To join the fun visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/991668264216371/
I'll see you in a less than two hours!
February 3, 2016
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #8
This WIR-Wednesday I've decided to use my free Amazon Prime trial to borrow a Kindle book..
The Carlswick Affair by SL Beaumont
Blurb:
Who do you trust when everyone around you has secrets?
Stephanie Cooper is visiting her English grandmother in the village of Carlswick before starting her university studies at Oxford in this romantic suspense novel - the first book in The Carlswick Mysteries, a young adult mystery series.
Her fateful meeting with James Knox, guitarist for indie band The Fury, sets off a chain of events. A family feud dating back to World War II threatens to keep them apart and the return of Stephanie's erstwhile boyfriend Sam only adds fuel to the mix.
As Stephanie delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her great-aunt's death, she uncovers the secrets and deceptions of a previous generation. But someone does not want her to discover the truth about either family's past and that someone may kill to stop her.
However great the danger, Stephanie knows that she must uncover the secrets that lie beneath the ancient roof of Knox Manor.
Why I Chose This Book / What I Think So Far: This was another book I had seen on Ripley's Booklist. The synopsis really interested me and I'm really looking forward to diving into this book. It seems like a perfect book to read while I'm stuck inside thanks to yesterday/today's continued snow storm. I'm really liking this book so far and I can't wait to find out the origin of the feud between Stephanie and James's families. James is swoonworthy and Stephanie is a great main character.
Update: I finished this book this afternoon; here are my thoughts: This book has it all: mystery, romance, sexy musicians, historical backstories, and a shady art dealer. This book grips you from the beginning and keeps you turning pages. The reason of the feud between James and Stephanie's families is only the tip of the iceberg and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the ending. A really great read.
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Here's what else I read since last week...
Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth
Blurb:
When fifteen-year-old Edna Mather tears an expensive and unfamiliar pocket watch off her little brother’s neck, he crumbles into a pile of cogs right before her eyes. Horrified, Edna flees for help, but encounters Ike, a thief who attempts to steal the watch before he realizes what it is: a device to power Coglings—clockwork changelings left in place of stolen children who have been forced to work in factories.
Desperate to rescue her brother, Edna sets off across the kingdom to the hags’ swamp, with Ike in tow. There, they learn Coglings are also replacing nobility so the hags can stage a rebellion and rule over humanity. Edna and Ike must stop the revolt, but the populace believes hags are helpful godmothers and healers. No one wants to believe a lowly servant and a thief, especially when Ike has secrets that label them both as traitors.
Together, Edna and Ike must make the kingdom trust them or stop the hags themselves, even if Ike is forced to embrace his dark heritage and Edna must surrender her family.
What I Thought of This Book: I received a free copy of Cogling in exchange for an honest review.
After a hag takes fifteen-year-old Edna’s brother in the middle of the night and replaces him with a “cogling”, a sort-of clone version of the child made up of cogs and held together by a watch; Edna knows there’s something wrong with her brother the next morning. He is not acting like himself at all.
It isn’t until the butler of their employer spots a fancy watch around Harrison’s neck and Edna is forced to take Harrison home where she pulls the watch from his neck and he disintegrates into a pile of cogs that she learns the horrible truth.
But how could this happen? Nobody believes what Edna is trying to tell them, not her neighbor, nor the man at the theater where her mother works, and especially not the police. Then she encounters Ike, a thief out to rob her of the watch she holds… as the whole awful story spills out of her she finally finds not only someone to believe her, but someone who knows what is happening.
Ike tells Edna that children are being kidnapped by hags and are being forced to work in their factories. Coglings are left in these kidnapped children’s places. The police and the King seem either oblivious or unwilling to do anything. Ike agrees to take her to the hag’s factory in the swamps so Edna can save her brother… for a price.
As Edna and Ike set off on their journey they travel into the seedier side of the world. Will Edna be able to save Harrison? And is Ike someone she can really trust? Especially when Edna learns the huge secret that Ike is keeping about his true identity and his real motivation to help her?
I liked this book. Ike was my favorite character by far. The story was interesting overall and it’s not the type of book I usually read, so it was a nice change. If you’re a fan of steampunk you’ll gobble this book up!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Carlswick Affair by SL Beaumont
Blurb:
Who do you trust when everyone around you has secrets?Stephanie Cooper is visiting her English grandmother in the village of Carlswick before starting her university studies at Oxford in this romantic suspense novel - the first book in The Carlswick Mysteries, a young adult mystery series.
Her fateful meeting with James Knox, guitarist for indie band The Fury, sets off a chain of events. A family feud dating back to World War II threatens to keep them apart and the return of Stephanie's erstwhile boyfriend Sam only adds fuel to the mix.
As Stephanie delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her great-aunt's death, she uncovers the secrets and deceptions of a previous generation. But someone does not want her to discover the truth about either family's past and that someone may kill to stop her.
However great the danger, Stephanie knows that she must uncover the secrets that lie beneath the ancient roof of Knox Manor.
Why I Chose This Book / What I Think So Far: This was another book I had seen on Ripley's Booklist. The synopsis really interested me and I'm really looking forward to diving into this book. It seems like a perfect book to read while I'm stuck inside thanks to yesterday/today's continued snow storm. I'm really liking this book so far and I can't wait to find out the origin of the feud between Stephanie and James's families. James is swoonworthy and Stephanie is a great main character.
Update: I finished this book this afternoon; here are my thoughts: This book has it all: mystery, romance, sexy musicians, historical backstories, and a shady art dealer. This book grips you from the beginning and keeps you turning pages. The reason of the feud between James and Stephanie's families is only the tip of the iceberg and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the ending. A really great read.
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Here's what else I read since last week...
Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth
Blurb:
When fifteen-year-old Edna Mather tears an expensive and unfamiliar pocket watch off her little brother’s neck, he crumbles into a pile of cogs right before her eyes. Horrified, Edna flees for help, but encounters Ike, a thief who attempts to steal the watch before he realizes what it is: a device to power Coglings—clockwork changelings left in place of stolen children who have been forced to work in factories. Desperate to rescue her brother, Edna sets off across the kingdom to the hags’ swamp, with Ike in tow. There, they learn Coglings are also replacing nobility so the hags can stage a rebellion and rule over humanity. Edna and Ike must stop the revolt, but the populace believes hags are helpful godmothers and healers. No one wants to believe a lowly servant and a thief, especially when Ike has secrets that label them both as traitors.
Together, Edna and Ike must make the kingdom trust them or stop the hags themselves, even if Ike is forced to embrace his dark heritage and Edna must surrender her family.
What I Thought of This Book: I received a free copy of Cogling in exchange for an honest review.
After a hag takes fifteen-year-old Edna’s brother in the middle of the night and replaces him with a “cogling”, a sort-of clone version of the child made up of cogs and held together by a watch; Edna knows there’s something wrong with her brother the next morning. He is not acting like himself at all.
It isn’t until the butler of their employer spots a fancy watch around Harrison’s neck and Edna is forced to take Harrison home where she pulls the watch from his neck and he disintegrates into a pile of cogs that she learns the horrible truth.
But how could this happen? Nobody believes what Edna is trying to tell them, not her neighbor, nor the man at the theater where her mother works, and especially not the police. Then she encounters Ike, a thief out to rob her of the watch she holds… as the whole awful story spills out of her she finally finds not only someone to believe her, but someone who knows what is happening.
Ike tells Edna that children are being kidnapped by hags and are being forced to work in their factories. Coglings are left in these kidnapped children’s places. The police and the King seem either oblivious or unwilling to do anything. Ike agrees to take her to the hag’s factory in the swamps so Edna can save her brother… for a price.
As Edna and Ike set off on their journey they travel into the seedier side of the world. Will Edna be able to save Harrison? And is Ike someone she can really trust? Especially when Edna learns the huge secret that Ike is keeping about his true identity and his real motivation to help her?
I liked this book. Ike was my favorite character by far. The story was interesting overall and it’s not the type of book I usually read, so it was a nice change. If you’re a fan of steampunk you’ll gobble this book up!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
