Kelsey Kingsley's Blog, page 5
June 12, 2017
Another Piece to the Puzzle
I’m desperate to take a break from the final stages of editing, so here I go, writing a short-but-sweet entry.
Today, June 12th, marks my first official day as a Goodreads Author. Author. Author.
Holy freakin’ Hell, there is something so deliciously official about that, isn’t there? I mean, look, I know that anybody can be a Goodreads Author if they’ve written anything that’s been published, self- or otherwise. But damn, that’s my profile with that icon attached to it. Mine! And soon, I’ll have a book to attach to it.
You can check out my Goodreads profile at the link below. No pressure or anything. I’m just pretty psyched.
https://www.goodreads.com/kelseykingsley
June 8, 2017
When Life Happened: A Book Review
When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am a writer. I am a daydreamer. I spend a lot of time doing both, and soon I will have a published book to show for all of those tireless hours I’ve spent putting my daydreams down onto paper.
Because I am a writer and a dreamer, I am also in turn a reader. I read a lot. Perhaps not as much as I’d like, but I do what I can. I call it “research.” I call it a “learning experience.” I call it a lot of things but when it comes down to it, I just love the beauty of falling into another world and falling in love with the pictures and people in my head.
Because I read a lot, and because I am a writer, I occasionally come across a book that makes me wish that I was the one to write it. That I was the one to have the honor of plastering my name behind the book title, to call it my own. This doesn’t happen all that often, to be totally honest, but when it does, it is a magical fucking thing that leaves me with that ever-delicious “book hangover.”
I think about that book for hours on end, wishing I could suck that author’s talent into my own soul like a goddamn Dementor. These books, and the authors that write them, are my teachers, and the ones I’m most grateful for having found them.
This book is one of those.
To say that I am floored by this novel would be an understatement. To say that I am enthralled with this novel would also be an understatement. But I’m going to have to settle on that, because this book has left me grasping for words to describe just how much I am absolutely head over heels in love with it.
I mean, I am not an outwardly emotional person, okay? I am not a person who typically sheds tears over a book, or a person who gasps because a part in a book legitimately shocked the breath out of me. I am not the type of person who laughs out loud when reading a book. The most you’ll get out of me is a little chuckle, a little smile, but a double-over belly laugh? One that leaves me clutching my gut and gasping for air? No, my friends. Shit like that doesn’t happen to me, because I have control over myself. Too much control, even. But this book…
This book made me lose that control. I laughed – hard. I cried actual tears. I gasped. I clutched at my chest and verbally scolded the characters, and cheered them on. I fell in love with them the way I fall in love with my own, and I was unabashedly saddened to my core when it was over.
I cannot praise the writing ability of Jewel E. Ann enough. The pacing was absolute perfection. A longer book, yes, but I cannot recall a single moment that left me wishing it would speed up. Her talent of bringing these quirky characters to life was amazing. The sexual tension she was able to put down on the proverbial page was, in a word, startling. And…
Well, Christ, I really don’t know what else to say, other than…
In my psuedo-career as an author, if I can write one story that comes at all close to the emotional perfection that is this book, I will consider myself blessed. But until then, I urge anybody reading this review to READ. THIS. BOOK.
June 7, 2017
Thanks For The Memories
So, I thought I’d share a little something with y’all.
When I was twelve, a lifetime ago, I was a huge Hanson fan. Like, HUGE. My room was quite literally wallpapered in their posters. My art projects in school were focused entirely around their blonde heads. My thoughts and dreams were encompassed by Isaac, Taylor, and Zac, as though I needed them to survive through those torturous years of hormonal hell.
I guess, in some ways, they did.
Anyway, I was told by, uh, pretty much everybody that it would fade. My love for them. That obsession. They said it would all disappear when I “grew up.” And, well, I guess in some ways, it did. My room is no longer wallpapered. My projects no longer possess any inkling that I ever dreamed of being married to any of them. My thoughts are no longer consumed by their blonde heads.
Like, at all. They’re not even blonde anymore, for crying out loud.
So, I guess they were right.
Yet… They, those “grown-up naysayers,” were also wrong. My love for them is still strong. I still flail my arms around when I hear a new song from them, and my heart still sings when I hear an oldie-but-a-goody. It never really stopped, not even when I ringed my eyes with the blackest of black eyeliners and my pants had chains hanging from them. Not even when the majority of my CD collection consisted of bands that screamed more than they sang.
I sort of look at it as though we all grew up together, you know? I sort of see them as these friends that I’ve never met face-to-face, but we’ve still attended parties together. Concerts. Stayed up for hours, swinging on a swing set and talking until the sun came up. Vacations. We’ve shared all of these things together, whether they know it or not, because they were always there, playing through a set of speakers or a pair of headphones, singing the soundtrack of my life.
Throughout every chapter, every twist and turn, they’ve been there, and this one is no different. As I turn the page to what I hope will be a very fulfilling career in the only thing that has ever made any sense to me, this song has been played on repeat. It is speaking to me in a way that could only make sense for this moment, this time in my life, and I will remember that forever.
So, to my homeboys who have never known my name or my face, thanks. You know, for not being a phase.
June 6, 2017
First Chapters of Holly Freakin’ Hughes REVEALED
With the release of Holly Freakin’ Hughes, my debut novel about finding happiness in your own crappy situation, rapidly approaching, I thought it was time to treat you all to a little somethin’ in the form of the FIRST. TWO. CHAPTERS. of Holly Freakin’ Hughes.
I’m pumped, guys. I am so freakin’ pumped for this to land into the hands, hearts, and Kindles of whoever is willing to give it a read. This book… This book is as close to being my baby as anything has come before (well, aside from my cats, but you know). This book has brought me happiness, tears, frustration, anxiety, and an overdose of pride. I hope that you will share in that with me, and enjoy this little sneak peak.
Stay tuned to this blog (you can even subscribe, if you haven’t already) for upcoming news about Holly Freakin’ Hughes, such as a…RELEASE DATE. (Oh, my God.)
To read the FIRST TWO CHAPTERS of Holly Freakin’ Hughes, CLICK HERE.
Dear Addiction: A Dear Agony Review
Dear Agony by Georgia Cates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Allow me to begin by saying that it has been one incredibly hot minute since I last stayed awake to read a book. Let that sink in for a bit, and then you might understand just how much I enjoyed this story.
This one was a rollercoaster ride for me. Initially, I was intrigued. Intrigue quickly turned to love. Love turned to agitation. Agitation then became satisfaction, and it stayed there until the very end. I was happy with the way it ended. Without spoiling anything, I was worried it would end predictably (as I found most of the book to be, honestly – and I don’t say this as a bad thing), but it caught me with a pleasant surprise.
Two minor complaints, though.
One, that bit of agitation I talked about? Yeah. I find it very tiresome when a book is playing a constant game of ping-pong.
Two, the large gaps of time that were regularly skipped. I’m flexible to a degree when it comes to this sort of thing, but when it happens regularly, I just feel starved for the story that I’m missing out on.
Minor miffs, but I fancy myself honest, so there they are.
Overall, this was another wonderful read from Ms. Cates. She’s a talented writer, and I’d highly recommend giving her a shot.
June 5, 2017
Short & Sweet: A Sweet Torment Review
Sweet Torment by Georgia Cates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So, let me be honest for a second. I was torn between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. Truthfully I would have preferred to give it 3.5 but you know, Goodreads isn’t about that half-mark life.
Obviously I did eventually go with four stars, and I’m here to tell you why.
Overall, the story is well-written, well-edited, and it’s, well, it’s pretty hot. One of the more tantelizing books I’ve read as of recently (and I read quite a bit of this kinda stuff), and isn’t that what we’re looking for when buying something with a cover that looks like this?
There ARE things that I wasn’t thrilled about. The speed of the story, the rush of the relationship between the two main characters (which wouldn’t normally be a problem for me, but…), and some of the dialogue grated on me at times. Still, I liked it a lot and I plan on reading more from this author.
June 3, 2017
Delivering Dante: A Book Review
Delivering Dante by Lucy Lennox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is one of those books that started off really solid. Great writing, great characters, great storyline, and then it just…shifted somewhere in the middle.
It was around that midway mark that the story became so ridiculous to the point where I found myself wanting to skim over certain parts. The back-and-forth romance between the two main characters was a bit much at times as well. I found myself mildly annoyed with the childish “does he like me” behavior from both of them.
That being said, it ended on a high note. The story wrapped up nicely, and although there were some annoying parts, the characters never lost their charm.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read and I’m glad it ended on an upslope. I would have hated to give it a negative review when the writing was so solid.
May 29, 2017
Watch Out, Steve: A Booth Review
Booth by Jason Pellegrini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh boy, where do I begin?
I didn’t know what to expect when I ventured into this book. The synopsis intrigued me to the point of buying it, but how often are we intrigued by the description and are left wanting more?
I’m pleased to say that wasn’t the case with this one.
From the very beginning of the story, I found myself hooked by the tragic background and journey of Joseph Bateman. I was left thinking about him even after closing the book (er, the cover of my Kindle), and I found myself mildly tormented by the horrific happenings that he was made to suffer throughout his short life. I found myself often thinking that this story was on par with the likes of Stephen King – a compliment I would never take lightly – and I commend Jason Pellegrini on accomplishing such a feat.
Overall, this was an excellent story that did a wonderful job at crossing through a variety of genres. Some might find it a “bit much” or “tough to take,” but the sensitivities one suffers from does not make a book bad. I, for one, have found myself thoroughly impressed and would recommend this story to just about anybody.
May 18, 2017
Wash Away The Rain
As someone who finds pieces of their soul in the lyrics and melody of songs, I am often slammed with the obsessive need to listen to a song over and over again until I memorize every inflection, every riff, every breath. Every piece that makes that song what it is until it becomes a part of me. Then I move on to the next, because on every playlist, there is always a next.
But the thing about these “obsession songs” is that, like I said, they become a part of me, and so that love never dies, even after I’m twenty songs down the list.
This song is one of those. This song brought me comfort on many anxiety stricken nights in my late teens and early twenties when all I could do was listen to music to keep myself from fallen into a full-fledged panic. This song played on the radio through memories I cherish, and memories I once wished to forget. This song inspired poems, journal entries, and my fleeting crush on Chris Cornell’s eyes and arms. This song…
These singers, they give me something when they inadvertently give me these songs, and in turn, I give them a piece of me. I give them my loyalty, my time, my affection. I give them a piece of my heart, no matter how big or small. It doesn’t matter; a piece is a piece.
I learned with the passing of Scott Weiland in 2015 that when they die, they take that piece with them.
The hole is pretty big with this one.
May 8, 2017
Finding Failure: A Finding Fraser Review
Finding Fraser by K.C. Dyer
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.
Unlike some readers here, I am no stranger to the rom-com/chick lit genre, and I knew what I was getting into when I wasted money on bought this book. I’m a big fan of “boy meets girl” predictability as a light, feel-good read, and I’ve read a lot of good books that fall under that category, but you know, I’ve read a lot of bad ones too. I’ve read some real stinking pieces of horse poop, but I could still find a silver lining in them, because that’s what I do. Because, as a writer myself, I think that every work of literature is, if nothing else, a learning experience. And do you know what I’ve learned from this book?
I’ve learned: DON’T DO THIS.
So, where do I begin? Truthfully, I don’t know. My mind is completely boggled by the sheer fact that I allowed myself to waste hours of my life reading this piece of tripe, and this bit o’ shock is managing to bog down all of my other thoughts. But let’s give it a try, shall we?
I. Hated. This. Character. Good grief. Emma is as stupid as stupid gets, and she doesn’t even have a redeeming personality to soften the blow.
First, she buys a plane ticket for two months, and sells everything she owns? Quits her job? Why the hell would she do this if she didn’t originally have the intent of relocating? Darling, you’re going on an extended vacation. You don’t rid yourself of your belongings because you’re going on a freakin’ trip.
Second, for someone so obsessed with Scotland that she’s willing to sell all of her belongings to travel there for a couple months, how the hell did she find herself unable to differentiate between a Scottish and an English accent? This right here boggled my mind. They sound absolutely nothing alike!
Third, she’s in such a horrible place in her own life and boasts herself as being such a nice person, and yet she’s awfully judgmental of…pretty much everybody. She’s better than every other Outlander fan (yet had no problem scribbling in Sharpie in the book “Herself” signed? What?). She’s better than everybody that she comes in contact with. She even spent paragraphs insulting the only constant person commenting on her blog. But! The one person she DOESN’T judge horribly is the one person she meets right away and trusts with, uh, ALL OF HER MONEY only to have it all stolen? Who does this?!
Fourth, for someone so into Outlander, she certainly misunderstood what makes Jamie so appealing outside of his appearance. Everything to her was about finding a guy that looked like a fictional character. She briefly mentions how manly Jamie is, how he’s willing to go through hell for his woman, etc. Yet, when she’s actually looking for “the man of her dreams,” she focuses entirely on the physical aspects, even to go so far as to complain about the guy she’s sort-of-with because he doesn’t look exactly like Jamie. Then she had the nerve to complain that Hamish (not Jamie, as we’re so often reminded) wants her to change her appearance. Right.
I was editing more than I was reading. I’ll be fair and say that, you know what, this might be the writer in me talking. But this is also my review. I had a very difficult time moving beyond the constant errors throughout this book. There was tons of misplaced punctuation that irked me and misplaced character names that made me cringe, but I’m talking about the far more irritating errors that made me put down the book just to keep myself from tossing it in the garbage (that Kindle was a gift, and I’d rather not destroy it).
She spelled Bob Seger’s name wrong, which was pretty horrendous to me (and also basically called him a has-been – the man is one of rock & roll’s most famed artists and still plays massive arenas like Madison Square Garden. Don’t reference an artist you clearly know zilch about, okay?), but worse than that… SHE REFERENCED A PART IN THE OUTLANDER SERIES, AND CLAIMED IT CAME FROM THE WRONG BOOK. To be more specific, she claims that the print shop scene comes from Dragonfly In Amber, when it doesn’t. It’s in Voyager. Now, if you are Joe Shmoe, this doesn’t matter, but considering this book sells itself on being homage to Outlander fans, this is a big red flag to me. Which brings me to…
I feel like I’ve been taken advantage of. Okay, perhaps this is a trifle dramatic, but hear me out. This book is geared towards Outlander fans, yes? Right. Diana Gabaldon herself has pushed this book, yes? Right. But after reading this book in its entirety, I can honestly say that I feel as though this book is below the likes of fan-fiction, because fan-fiction is at least written by someone who is clearly a fan. This, however, doesn’t strike me as being that. This struck me as a story contrived with the intentions of taking advantage of a massive fan base. This author clearly didn’t care enough about making this a solid book, because why would she? Why should she when hoards of women would buy it regardless and give it five star reviews simply for boasting the Outlander name? No, from the point of view of someone trying to make a quick buck, this was a genius plan and one that didn’t even need to be executed well to succeed. What bothers me more is that Gabaldon would be okay with signing off on something like this, or worse, slapping her name on the cover. This tells me that either she didn’t even take a second to read the darn thing, or she also doesn’t particularly care, and either way, it’s pretty F’ed up.
And even besides all this, the story just isn’t that good. I have seen some say, “Just take it for what it is,” as though that is some sort of redeeming phrase, but no. I will not be a fan girl that jumps on a bandwagon simply because it flaunts the name of something I like. What it truly is is a poorly written story in which every ridiculous and predictable thing that could possibly go wrong or right happens, and it does none of it well. The only thing it has done right is use the loyalty of an enormous fan base to make a buck.
