Lin Ryals's Blog, page 17
June 21, 2019
Friday Blog Hop: Girl, Wash Your Face
I realize that I’m way behind and EVERY ONE has already read this book, but here I am, reading this book. Sorry. LOL!
With wry wit and hard-earned wisdom, popular online personality and founder of TheChicSite.com founder Rachel Hollis helps readers break free from the lies keeping them from the joy-filled and exuberant life they are meant to have.
Founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Chic Media, Rachel Hollis has created an online fan base of hundreds of thousands of fans by sharing tips for living a better life while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own. Now comes her highly anticipated first book featuring her signature combination of honesty, humor, and direct, no-nonsense advice.
Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Hollis once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward.
From her temporary obsession with marrying Matt Damon to a daydream involving hypnotic iguanas to her son’s request that she buy a necklace to “be like the other moms,” Hollis holds nothing back. With unflinching faith and tenacity, Hollis spurs other women to live with passion and hustle and to awaken their slumbering goals.
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“I meant those words with every fiber of my being. I hung up on him and shut off my phone. I brushed my teeth and put on pajamas. Then I went to bed and crawled under that pink blanket and went to sleep dry-eyed and peaceful for the first time in months. I remember that night as the first time I really felt like a grown woman.”
The Friday 56 Blog Hop at Freda’s Voice.
[image error] Book Beginnings Blog Hop with Rose City Readers.
“This is the big opening letter to my book, the part where I tell you all the things I’m hoping for as you read it. This is the moment where I outline my intentions and – if you’re already game to read on – this is where I fire you up more about what to anticipate.”
Book Blogger Hop
1.Which is your favourite library (or which would you most like to visit)?
2. How often do you visit the library?
My favorite library is my local library. If I could choose anywhere and money wasn’t an issue, then I’d choose the Admont Abbey Library. It looks like the library from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. It’s absolutely gorgeous!!! We visit the library about every week. My kids are homeschooled. We HAVE to visit the library regularly.
June 20, 2019
Book Spotlight – The Coordinate
Genre: Sci-fi
Published May 24, 2019
Logan West and Emma James grew up together but are now high school seniors going in totally opposite directions after graduation. When they are assigned to work together on one last history project, they hardly expect the monotony of high school life to change. Instead, as they decode a series of unexplained clues hidden within their history project itself, Logan and Emma manage to unfold an ancient mystery that has baffled scientists and archaeologists, one that has powerful implications for the present day. As they embrace the adventure they’ve stumbled upon, and a growing romantic attraction to each other, Logan and Emma find themselves caught up in a dangerous, high-stakes race across the globe to decipher mankind’s past in order to save humanity’s future, not to mention their very own lives, with a mystery that just might reach towards the stars…
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I have always looked to the stars as a reminder of humanity’s minuscule place in the universe. I find inspiration in the science fiction genre because it feeds the imagination and keeps people believing in a greater world of possibilities. In my debut science fiction novel, THE COORDINΔTE, I explore a question that I have wondered about my entire life, one that has remained unanswered throughout the history of mankind, “Are we alone in the universe?” I live with my family and work in Los Angeles. Proving that no moment in life is to be wasted, I wrote THE COORDINΔTE while driving to and from work every day, dictating the story into my iPhone Notes App. Now, that’s making good use of time!! Thank goodness for the heavy traffic on the streets of Los Angeles. And the bad-good news is, my commute has not gotten any shorter, meaning, look out for the upcoming sequel! Lots more to come!!
June 19, 2019
Author Interview: William Dickstein
William Dickstein is the author of Ch05en: Ivy.
Synopsis (Amazon): Ivy Roupell, fresh recruit at the academy for the Global Heroes Society, is finally ready to leave her terrible past behind her. Suffering the death of her father at a young age, growing up as a ward of the state, Ivy will have to work hard to get through the academy and get herself onto a team with other Capes. With voices in her head as the source of her mysterious powers, she’ll do whatever it takes to find her place in the world. Government employee, android, and overall no-nonsense kind of guy, Lochlan is an Agent of The Control, the branch of the World Government designed to recruit those with powers into the Global Heroes Society, effectively stifling the growth of the Freelancer population. Lochlan has his sights set on becoming leader of The Control, playing The Game as he amasses political points to achieve his goal. When Khard, a former Senior Cape turned Agent, approaches Lochlan with a way for both of them to score massive points and form a powerful alliance, Lochlan finds himself back in the field for the first time in years, heading to the city of Choudrant in Louisiana. Enter the notable people of Choudrant: The Chief of a police force that has dwindled into the double digits, and the local team of Capes, Gil, Frikshen, and O-Rell. Sent to Choudrant to uncover a mystery surrounding O-Rell, Lochlan and Khard quickly realize that the dilapidated city has many secrets, and that much of what it’s hiding is quite deadly.
Author Interview:
Thank you so much for doing this interview with me! When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think the idea really solidified for me in the 8th grade, when something creative I’d written was used as an example for the class. There were plenty of creative writing exercises before that day and lots of little things I’d written just for fun, but that particular piece and the praise it received came at a time where I wanted as much attention as I could get. I already liked writing, but when I realized that writing something interesting would get me attention, I think that made me really fall in love with the process. We’ve (mostly) moved on from that being my motivation behind my art but the day I decided I wanted writing to be part of my identity was that day in 8th grade.
That’s so awesome. What an important moment that must have been for an young 8th grader. Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I think that this answer changes depending on who is on the receiving end of the question. For the most part, I lean heavily towards a big ego helping writers. Making things that are available for criticism takes thick skin and quite a bit of courage. It’s not easy to have something you worked hard on be criticized, especially when the person telling you what you should have done better has spent 1/100th of the amount of time with your art that you have. In my opinion, a big ego helps you throughout every step of the process and, more than anything else, will keep you motivated to do it all over again. Most people never even try and a lot of the ones that do never manage to try again. Having said that, a lot of making something worth reading is collaboration. If your ego is so big you can’t take feedback from test readers or editors, or worse, can’t let someone who knows what they’re doing make changes to your ideas in general, then your ego is what will likely hold you back. So, have an ego, but be smart about it.
I absolutely agree. When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wrote my first full-length work when I was 20. It’s an Urban Fantasy novel called Double Skins about an orphan named Dave who is actually a fabled Chosen One who was mistakenly transported to our world. The kicker is that he came here hundreds of years ago and has lived for centuries without having any idea why he is immortal or why he can transform into a much cooler (and armored) version of the Jersey Devil. When Dave’s father and the Sheriff of Knottingham equivalent are transported to our world, chaos ensues. The reader gets half of the story told in the present and the other half told hundreds of years ago in alternating chapters where a war between the Shamnu (an anagram for humans) and the Du’Osteons (a word I made up to mean dual bones/skin) unfolds. Dave is, of course, the lost Du’Osteon Chosen One. The premise actually doesn’t sound too bad typing it out like that, but the writing was and is still terrible. I won’t say I’m a master of my craft now, but when I wrote that book ten years ago I was bad. I knew the only way to get better was to write, though, so that’s what I did. That was more than what you asked, but it felt nice to get it out.
Oh! That sounds like a fascinating book. I have one similar – the premise wasn’t bad, but my writing was terrible. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I like to stay active. For a long time that was lifting weights and running but for the last two years or so I’ve developed a real passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling in general. I train anywhere from 2 to 4 days a week. As someone who writes a lot of fight scenes, training MMA has given me a fresh perspective that I hope has started to shine through in my writing.
That’s great! My son and husband are both black belts in TaeKwonDo and my son started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so any time I have fight scenes, the three of us are in the living room working it out. Hopefully no one is looking through the windows at us. haha!
How many works have you written? Which is your favorite?
The majority of my work has been in Ch05En, the dystopian superhero setting that I’ve been writing in since 2013. To date there are 12 novellas, 8 comic books, and a debut novel called Ch05En: Ivy that releases on July 25th. There’s also a new one-shot comic called Ch05En: Kris that should be out by the end of the year, fingers crossed. My favorite Ch05En work so far has been Ch05En: Ripsaw. That was the one that, for me, made me feel like I’d reached a sort of next level as a writer. I’m still very proud of that novella and even if my works that came after have been better, I still enjoy convincing people to start with Ripsaw.
Do you like to create books for adults?
I do – so far there’s only one Ch05En work specifically for kids, Ch05En: No Nose. That novella follows Devin Slon, a boy with an elephant trunk for a nose who is struggling to fit in at his new school. His personal bully is a rhino and his best friend has Death Touch, everything she puts her hands on begins to rot. Writing for kids is very fun and it’s nice to not be so subtle in my messaging while writing. I’ll definitely write at least two more novellas for children, but I prefer writing for adults.
What do you think makes a good story?
Any story that makes the reader feel something is a good piece of art. Beyond that, art is too subjective for me to think that my personal opinion counts for anything. I like stories that don’t want me to know how smart the author is, and I don’t care for stories that take too long to give you history or background. I used to love Chuck Palahniuk because he never bothers to give you even the vital information about his characters until you were already too far in to care. You can read a quarter of one of his books before you know how tall a character is, or that they have a physical deformity. It’s common advice to not overload a reader with details at the start of a story, but Palahniuk goes to the extreme and only tells you what is relevant to the plot at that point in time. I love stories that do that without feeling gimmicky.
Yes! I absolutely agree. Getting bogged down in useless details is the worst. Do you try more to be original or deliver to readers what they want?
I’m mostly writing things I think I’d like to read, or that sound cool. As I am transitioning to novels, I have started to try to make sure my work is a bit more “to market” so that I can appeal to a wider range of people. But I’m still doing weird stuff in there. In my new book, you watch a character suffer from severe radiation poisoning. The scene is very 1980’s John Carpenter and does not end the way you think it will at all.
What does literary success look like to you?
As long as more people are reading my work over time and increasingly more people have opinions about what I’ve written, I think that makes me a success. I have a day job, creative writing may never pay my bills 100%, and that would be alright. If you’re being read, you’re successful.
I think that’s a very healthy way of looking at it. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
I read all of them, sometimes more than once. Good reviews make me happy and bad reviews make me happy. None of my work is meant to be anything other than enjoyable, so I don’t take it personally if someone leaves a public review that bashes what I’ve written. I think it just means that person felt so strongly about my work they just had to let me know about it, and honestly, that’s a real win. If I’ve made you feel anything at all, that’s good with me.
Thank you so much for answering my questions!
June 18, 2019
My Top Ten Most Anticipated Books of 2019
I end up with a lot of review books, so sometimes I don’t get to my anticipated books. I hope to though. I’ll find balance eventually. 
June 17, 2019
Best Villains in Literature
Mr. Hyde
Mr. Hyde from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
I say him because he’s hidden in Dr. Jekyll. There’s a little evil in all of us. True, Dr. Jekyll’s case is a little more extreme (hopefully) than the rest of us have to deal with.
The unnamed kid
The unnamed kid from The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I love this book so much, but I also hate it. This kid just thinks of himself. The unfortunate thing about it is that he is very similar to many people. He’s a real life villain. The tree just loves him so much and enables his greed. It’s so sad. So, yes, the unnamed kid is a villain.
Vanity
Vanity in The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I know it’s not really a character, but it is the source what fuels the entire thing. When I read this, I think of selfies and social media of today. Hmmm…. it really makes one thing, doesn’t it?
The Grand Witch
The Grand Witch from Witches by Roald Dahl. If you haven’t read this, I completely recommend it. It’s even a banned book, which makes everyone want to read it more, right? No, that’s just me? Okay. I’m putting The Grand Witch on this list because she really is quite genius. She’s quoted as “the most evil woman in creation”. Her mission is to kill and murder as many children as possible. How does she do that? Well, she turns them into animals their parents want to kill. See! Genius!
Dr. Frankenstein
Dr. Frankenstein from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is just a tragic story anyways, but one of my favorites. The monster Dr. Frankenstein creates is the murderer, but who created him?
Captain Hook
Captain Hook from Peter Pan by JM Barrie. He’s a bad guy that readers feel sorry for. He must be well written if he is both disliked and pitied at the same time.
Who/What do you think is the best villain in history? Mr. Wikham? Voldemort? President Snow? Alma Coin? Please share in the comments, because I am really curious. I know I missed many. There are so many wonderful villains out there.
June 16, 2019
Weekly Sunday Post Wrap-Up 6/16/19
I am writing this on Tuesday, even thought it won’t be posted until Sunday. This is because I’ll spend my weekend at my daughter’s national dance competition. She had 3 dances that qualified, so she’s going. Which means, I won’t be home to work on this blog. You’ll just have to wait until next week to find out how she does, even thought it’ll already have happened by the time you read this. LOL! Sorry. I know it’s mean, but I think I’ll be tired and won’t feel much like getting on here to fill every one in on a blog post.
June 15, 2019
Down the TBR Hole #9
Do you ever look at the TBR list on Goodreads and feel completely overwhelmed? I do!! That’s exactly why I LOVE this idea!!!
Down the TBR Hole was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story to help decrease the size of our TBRs.
HOW IT WORKS:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.Order on ascending date added.Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) booksRead the synopses of the booksDecide: keep it or should it go?
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Catcher in the Rye
The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caulfield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days. The boy himself is at once too simple and too complex for us to make any final comment about him or his story. Perhaps the safest thing we can say about Holden is that he was born in the world not just strongly attracted to beauty but, almost, hopelessly impaled on it. There are many voices in this novel: children’s voices, adult voices, underground voices-but Holden’s voice is the most eloquent of all. Transcending his own vernacular, yet remaining marvelously faithful to it, he issues a perfectly articulated cry of mixed pain and pleasure. However, like most lovers and clowns and poets of the higher orders, he keeps most of the pain to, and for, himself. The pleasure he gives away, or sets aside, with all his heart. It is there for the reader who can handle it to keep.
I have never had a desire to read this. I just thought I should because somehow I made it through high school and college without ever reading it.
Final verdict: GO
I, Robot
The three laws of Robotics:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future–a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.
Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world–all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asimov’s trademark.
It’s Isaac Asimov. YES!!! I want to read this!
Final Verdict: KEEP
Lady Susan
Beautiful, flirtatious, and recently widowed, Lady Susan Vernon seeks an advantageous second marriage for herself, while attempting to push her daughter into a dismal match. A magnificently crafted novel of Regency manners and mores that will delight Austen enthusiasts with its wit and elegant expression.
I’m pretty sure I read this. Oh well, if I didn’t, I have it and can reread it.
Final Verdict: Keep
Mansfield Park
Adopted into the household of her uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram, Fanny Price grows up a meek outsider among her cousins in the unaccustomed elegance of Mansfield Park. Soon after Sir Thomas absents himself on estate business in Antigua (the family’s investment in slavery and sugar is considered in the Introduction in a new, post-colonial light), Mary Crawford and her brother Henry arrive at Mansfield, bringing with them London glamour, and the seductive taste for flirtation and theatre that precipitates a crisis. While Mansfield Park appears in some ways to continue where Pride and Prejudice left off, it is, as Kathryn Sutherland shows in her illuminating Introduction, a much darker work, which challenges ‘the very values (of tradition, stability, retirement and faithfulness) it appears to endorse’. This new edition provides an accurate text based, for the first time since its original publication, on the first edition of 1814.
I’ve seen this move, but haven’t read it. However, Austen — yes!
Final Verdict: Keep
Northanger Abbey
Jane Austen’s first novel—published posthumously in 1818—tells the story of Catherine Morland and her dangerously sweet nature, innocence, and sometime self-delusion. Though Austen’s fallible heroine is repeatedly drawn into scrapes while vacationing at Bath and during her subsequent visit to Northanger Abbey, Catherine eventually triumphs, blossoming into a discerning woman who learns truths about love, life, and the heady power of literature. The satirical novel pokes fun at the gothic novel while earnestly emphasizing caution to the female sex.
Many people have told me there is a reason Jane Austen never published this novel. However, it’s still Jane Austen. Can one be a true Austen fan and not read all her published books, whether she wanted them published or not?
Final Verdict: Keep
So, I didn’t get rid of many books this week. Y’all! I can’t help it. I want to read all the books! LOL! I have 637 books in my TBR list. It was 639 last week, so I must have read something.
June 14, 2019
Friday Blog Hops: The Coordinate
Publishing Info: May 24, 2019
Synopsis (Goodreads): Logan West and Emma James grew up together but are now high school seniors going in totally opposite directions after graduation. When they are assigned to work together on one last history project, they hardly expect the monotony of high school life to change. Instead, as they decode a series of unexplained clues hidden within their history project itself, Logan and Emma manage to unfold an ancient mystery that has baffled scientists and archeologists, one that has powerful implications for the present day. As they embrace the adventure they’ve stumbled upon, and a growing romantic attraction to each other, Logan and Emma find themselves caught up in a dangerous, high-stakes race across the globe to decipher mankind’s past in order to save humanity’s future, not to mention their very own lives, with a mystery that just might reach towards the stars…
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“What, you don’t trust me? What kind of person do you think I am?!?” shouted Bailey, offended that Viktor would question her integrity. “Standby for transmission of all coordinates, mission information, flight and travel details, and pictures of the Americans.” She paused, waiting for the secure message to clear her outbox. “Okay, the files have been sent.”
The Friday 56 Blog Hop at Freda’s Voice.
[image error] Book Beginnings Blog Hop with Rose City Readers.
Leaning on one knee halfway up the steps of the Copan Temple, Dr. Jonas Arenot squinted at the Mayan hieroglyphs as if doing so might pull more information out of them that years of study by previous scholars failed to extract.
Book Blogger Hop
Have you ever been called a “book nerd?” If so, how did you react?
Something like this – every single time!
June 13, 2019
Author Interview: Clawson Smith
At the ripe, young age of 23, Clawson Smith is an author hailing from the steep, frigid deserts of Utah. When he’s not writing his own languages with wonderful cursewords, studying ancient history, or reading other series, he can usually be found mountaineering, or free climbing in the pine forests above Salt Lake City, a striking resemblance to the Ninguland Mountains.
Stay in touch with him and his work through social media. Clawson is working on multiple projects, the first being the Saga of Aelorad Series. Currently he is working on Book 2, and will not share any spoilers!
Interview:
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Not until my 3rd semester as a fine art student, when a great professor of mine jokingly commented that I seemed to enjoy writing my first draft that I had sent him more than the design and artwork for his class. It was actually quite crazy that I had never considered it before age 21, despite my avid (if not maddeningly obsessive) passion for reading as a child. I read the first three Harry Potter books and up to the Two Towers in LOTR by the third grade, and everybody always told me I’d be a writer but I didn’t even think to consider it! Life sometimes just reveals secrets about yourself you’ve never even thought about!
That’s amazing that you were reading those by third grade!! Not all readers become writers, so I understand your confusion. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Old Sword & Sorcery novels and tabletop games I’ve run/been a part of in the past. They’re very, very narrative driven with experienced players that prefer story sometimes over sword-swinging. Some of my more recent projects stem from a game called Microscope, where you ‘focus in’ on parts of worldbuilding, be it a small band of nomadic families or an entire continent. We’ll all grab food, beers and hash out scenes on the dining table of battles, create new cultures or creatures to fill our worlds in. It’s sometimes more fun than playing!
Those sound really interesting. I may need to check them out. I’m a homeschool mom and I’m always looking for educational fun. When did you write your first book and how old were you?
21 in college. Fueled by the frustrations of failed Tinder dates and a car’s load of Tyson Buffalo Wings. I would write entire chapters until the wee hours of dawn, playing the entire soundtrack discography of Jeremy Soule or Kingdom of Heaven. Those were the times.
I felt the need to throw in some music so you could reminisce. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Other than being a masochist? Fitness, mountaineering and exploring the wild is what I would consider my other life. I’m usually out there bushcrafting, building primitive shelters, trying out a new trail to an old summit or backpacking with my group and our dogs, bringing along steak, whiskey and good company. I am every bit a real life version of the ranger character I played as in my novels, I’d like to think, minus the longsword and eyepatch.
A real life adventurer! That sounds awesome. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Published one, the second is in the final revision and editing phase. Total books however? I’ve written close to ten perhaps, although half are novella or short novel length. Most of them aren’t even fiction or fantasy! Due to goals and my own mule-ish nature, I won’t get around to publishing ‘Spiritual Enlightenment at Buffalo Wild Wings’ or ‘Doom Metal Saved My Life and It Can For You’ books for a few years.
Those titles have me very curious though – especially the Buffalo Wild Wings part. Did you base your characters on real people?
Yes, but also no. Although my first book was based off the events of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign and the characters who portrayed them were (obviously) fake, the people who played them were larger than life. In many ways, the characters embodied their core personalities, such as one player who was an only child and therefore a selfish and highly individualistic, which made him into a very difficult person but vivid character in that regard. Many of the conversations and events happened due to personal strife between characters, creating very organic conflicts that I think people can see in the books, as well as each arc that reflected personal growth in the player who portrays them.
My son plays D&D! I guess I should be optimistic he may turn them into an epic fantasy novel one day. What did you edit out of this book?
Only the absolute goofiest of details. Translating and condensing a story from a Dungeons and Dragons game into a more dramatic media such as a book required me to polish some of the less…consistent elements of the game. Giant Vegan Ogre Bards raised by cows that play bone flutes to seduce their victims didn’t make the cut for obvious reasons. The difficulty you run into stories based off of tabletop games is that it’s not always super serious 100% of the time. People will tend to get quite creative with their characters or interactions, which can lead to some laughter-induced comas, but not always the material that would make your reader want to turn the page. Sometimes, what happens at the dice table, stays at the dice table.
Oh! I love that you had Giant Vegan Ogre Bards raised by cows. Seriously! That’s one of the best things I’ve ever had from that question! What’s your favorite underappreciated novel?
This is going to come completely out of the blue as a fantasy writer…but probably Triple Zero by Karen Traviss, her second installation in the Star Wars Republic Commando series. I was always a fan of the video game, of the nuanced and pulpy perspective of a shadowy commando, and she really poured some life into that series as a war drama. It turned a faceless army into relatable beings with the capability of some very human emotion and livelihood that made you rethink the Star Wars prequel timeline entirely. I read my paperback versions of that book (yes, I have had multiple) into oblivion. Despite the fan-craze for Star Wars material, it didn’t seem to be overly popular among SFF, which was a damn shame.
I think a lot of fantasy fans are also sci-fi fans. It totally makes sense to me. I haven’t read that book, but I may have to check it out. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Oh a Lich undoubtedly. Don’t even have to ask me twice. Heroic? Nah, that’s boring, give me a bad guy! An undead sorcerer-king who resurrects himself to wreak havoc on the land, shooting eldritch lightning from his fingertips, spinning Machiavellian conspiracies in the form of a badass, bony, tattered-robe-wearing, cackling madman? My favorite villain from Adventure Time was the green-flame-eyed lich without question.
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I truly have no idea what to say in response to that. Again, a very original answer. I love it! Okay, finally, share one little known fact about yourself.
I was an impudent and know-it-all monster as a child who was too clever for his own good. Almost purely out of spite, I would make my mother buy ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’ as the screaming little demon I was, because I wanted to be difficult. Sometimes I enjoyed just seeing my families’ disgusted faces. I had it with every meal, even just spraying it on some Craft Mac & Cheese without the powder, or directly into my mouth. It was disgusting and I’m quite ashamed of it.
Thank you so much for answering my questions!
I know everyone is interested in Clawson Smith’s book now, so here’s a quick spotlight. Be sure to check it out on Amazon!
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The most powerful sorcerer, Bariel, was thought lost to time after disappearing mysteriously thousands of years ago, until now. Davlin, a mage by blood but a swordsman by trade is sought out by Riffolk, a strange old man who claims to know of Bariel’s whereabouts: a vault locked by keys scattered across the known world. Together with the help of a ragtag group comprised of thieves, knights, deserters and rangers they embark on the deadliest and darkest quest the world has seen. In a race against time and enemies that cling to the shadows, the band known as the Fortunate Adventurers must find the keys to the sorcerer’s tomb… before it is too late.
The Seekers of Fortune is an epic fantasy adventure.
Be sure to check out the website here.
June 12, 2019
Book Tour: Hook and Crown
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Publishing Information: June 11, 2019 by The Parliament House
Synopsis (Goodreads):
You’ve heard of Neverland and its inhabitants… Fairies, pirates, mermaids and a boy who didn’t want to grow up. But you can’t always believe the stories.
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can’t explain, she begins to wonder if she has lost her mind.
Until the night a strange girl appears in her room, claiming to be a fairy from Neverland, come to take her to the fantasy world at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses. But the following night, a young man with strange green eyes appears, and though she tries to resist his charms, something about him draws her in and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows, to a world she always thought was make believe.
But when she arrives in Neverland, it is nothing like the stories and Elena realizes that she must figure out for herself who the true heroes and villains are.
Plot (2 stars): I was so excited to read ANOTHER Peter Pan retelling. This is actually the second one I’ve read this year and I have another one on my schedule for later. So exciting. Unfortunately, I had a hard time with a few things. It’s so hard to say and I hate giving the plot 2 stars. It was difficult though. Elena is one of those girls who has to have a guy in her life all the time. I imagine it’s because she pretty much has no family in her life or something, I’m sure the author figured out some psychological reason for this. However, it irritated me. She ended up in London because she was angry at her boyfriend (for good reason) who cheated on her. She meets a second guy and flies off to Neverland with him. She meets a third guy and has sex with him. She meets a fourth guy and goes on a date with him. This book spans about the length of a week or so. That’s a lot of guys!
There was great potential. I loved the start of the story and where it was going. It just veered off track a bit for me and I no longer found it enjoyable. It was an interesting dark twist on the classic Peter Pan tale though.
Characters (2 stars): The characters were a bit flat for me. I had trouble identifying with them.
Writing (3 stars): The writing was okay. There weren’t a lot of complaints. There were a few repetitions. For example, it was as if a lot of the guys in Elena’s life could read her mind. That line was used multiple times.
Also, the book is written from first person POV with third person blurbs from other people. However, the third person blurbs were explaining the same thing from a different person. They were unnecessary.
Overall: This book wasn’t for me. If you’re a fan of insta-love then this may be more your style than mine. It just wasn’t for me. I hate giving two star reviews, and I stewed over this for a while, but I keep coming up with the same thing.
I received this book from The Parliament House in exchange for an honest review.
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[image error]Be sure to check out the giveaway today. Check it out on my INSTAGRAM page!
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Nicole Knapp is originally from California, currently living in Oklahoma. She loves to read and write Young Adult Romance, fantasy, and the classics. The Missing Piece is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle version. Hook & Crown, a dark and twisted retelling of Peter Pan, is set to release in Autumn 2019 from Parliament House Publishing.
Click here to purchase your own copy of Hook and Crown.
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