Diedra Drake's Blog, page 5
August 14, 2019
Publishing Process Updates
It’s been a while, about a month, since my last update on the writing and publishing process. Things have definitely improved since then. Is everything still occasionally a bit overwhelming? Sure, but that’s turning into a feeling that only hits a couple of times a day, and only for about 30 seconds before I’m back to normal. The panic stage is edging off, and I’m moving into the stage of… I just want this book done with so that I can get back to writing.
In fact, I haven’t been able to stop...
August 4, 2019
Three Star Island by Kat Caulberg
Three Star Island by Kat Caulberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely enjoyed this read and devoured it in a long afternoon. I got sucked into the wonderful dynamic between the two parties of the main love interest, Penny and Will. They play off each other so beautifully. He’s this gentleman pirate who isn’t used to having to ask for help and expects his orders followed, and she’s a modern female who is trapped in a situation in which she’s barely surviving on her own but deeply needs to ret...
August 3, 2019
Shadowless by Randall McNally
Shadowless by Randall McNally
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of the most, if not the most, unique book I’ve read this year. I could say that this story is about children of evil Gods who are hunted by evil people because they are born Shadowless. The people who hunt them are attempting to appease the Gods pre-emptively, based on some bad past experience with protecting one of the Shadowless. Why? Because when these Gods create children, some of their power gets lost and given to the chil...
July 20, 2019
Bound by Cotton by Patrick Khayler
Bound by Cotton by Patrick Khayler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Bound by Cotton is, in a word, stunning. As a bit of background, while I’m definitely an erotic romance reader, this is the first of Patrick Khayler’s books I’ve read. In addition, I’m not particularly keen on BDSM from a personal taste perspective. Which makes how much I loved this story even more surprising!
Not only does the writer paint beautiful, sensory pictures with his words, but the story itself is interesting. I do want to p...
The Perfect Culture by Brent Robins
The Perfect Culture by Brent Robins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
‘The Perfect Culture’ is an interesting romp through the travel adventures of a mid-western college-aged young man. Thomas feels disconnected from his peers, and also from his rural family roots. While he seems to have the impression that his inability to feel part of the group is due to his superior intelligence, it is apparent to the reader that his massive social awkwardness is the more likely culprit. One day he is struck by the...
July 17, 2019
On Being Overwhelmed
Overwhelmed is my word for this first half of the month.
I’m not typically the kind of person who finds themselves stressed out in a bad way, but there have been a lot of things going on all of a sudden. Some expected, some unexpected.
The short version of everything is that book one, Cursed by Furies, is turning out to be a massive learning experience on how exhausting launching a book is. I only hope that book two will be a much easier process, now that I know what to expect from this one.
...July 14, 2019
I Am The Wild (The Night Firm #1) by Karpov Kinrade
I Am The Wild by Karpov Kinrade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I Am the Wild is a fantasy romance by Karpov Kinrade. It’s the first in a series called The Night Firm, and is a reverse harem story focused around a family of vampires.
I’ll start by saying that I didn’t intend to read this book. In fact, I had no plan to finish the entire thing in one day, but that’s exactly what I did. I stumbled across it, and read the preview. I was immediately hooked, and since it was on KU, I just sent it over to...
July 13, 2019
In His Pocket: The Arcanist’s Ward (Mystic Sins of the Regency #1) by California Dawes
In His Pocket: The Arcanist’s Ward by California Dawes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an enchanting erotic romance novella, and absolutely worth the read. The setting appears to be in a traditional Regency period, but has some nice touches of alternative history elements which incorporate a version of that society with more magical elements.
In the beginning, the story appears to feel similar to many I’ve read in the historical romance category. There’s an orphaned female who is suddenly the...
July 11, 2019
The Scions of Faerie – Book 1 Review
The Scions of Faerie: The Faerie Chronicles Book 1
by J D Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an exciting, fantasy story about two young boys from Earth who go adventuring into another realm filled with magic and danger.
The boys don’t have a easy path ahead. There is a deadly enemy to locate and send to his permanent imprisonment, a Queen to save, and parents to avenge.
If you’re in the mood for a young adult fantasy world adventure, this series starter is probably exactly what you shou...
July 1, 2019
Her Legend Lives in You: The Untold Goddess Story by M.J.C.
Her Legend Lives in You: The Untold Goddess Story by M.J.C.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you are aware, going into it, that you’re basically reading a religious text, you’ll probably be fine. The top of the book says “The Goddess, the Daughter, and the Orb – A New Holy Trinity. An enchanting retelling of Creation.” Now, that may give the impression that this is a variation on the Christian myth, but since it actually refers to mankind as following religions, that’s kind of mixed together. Howev...
