H. Danielle Crabtree's Blog, page 9

What's on the Bookshelf: 'Return to Eden'

Every once and awhile, I find an author that I can pick up his or her books (or open my e-reader as the case may be) and read them until the pages fall apart—literally and figuratively. It's fortunate that the Soulkeepers Series by G.P. Ching is in digital format, or I would have burned through several copies of the series already. The latest book, "Return to Eden," left me with a lot to think about.

In the third novel, Dr. Abigail Silva has waited countless years for redemption and a chance ...

Cover Reveal: Inbetween by Tara Fuller

INBETWEEN (Kissed by Death, #1) by Tara Fuller (August 7, 2012)

Image courtesy of Entangled Publishing, LLC

Since the car crash that took her father's life three years ago, Emma's life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving "accidents" has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her...

What's on the bookshelf: 'Exiled'

It's always tricky to create new worlds and realities. I've seen lots of cases where authors fail, but many more where they succeed. "Exiled" (Book One in the Immortal Essence Series) by RaShelle Workman definitely sits in the success pile. Once I found some time to read, I couldn't put it down.

Graphic designer Steven Novak gets credit for this masterpiece. The cover is one of my favorite aspects of this book. Beautiful!

Here's why:

Complex novels with great prose and multiple layers are my...

What's on the Bookshelf: 'The Green'

"Money makes the world go 'round."

"You reap what you sow."

"Life isn't fair."

After reading the latest novel by Karly Kirkpatrick, "The Green," these were the phrases that came to mind. Although they are cliché, the novel is anything but. In fact, for anyone who has faced adversity, it is easy to related to the dreams and desires of Kirkpatrick's heroine, Ari—although most wouldn't agree with how she goes about reaching her goals.

Ari Pisa is a seventeen-year-old honor student at Cambridge High ...

What's on the Bookshelf: A Good Editor

As I've mentioned before, I write with the G10 Writers, and on several occasions during the last year, we've gotten into discussions about ebooks – specifically, the quality. There is an argument out there about how independent publishing, although a wonderful thing for many authors, has led to a decline in the quality of books in the area of editing and formatting. I feel, in a lot of cases, it is a fair assessment but that's a negative take on something far more complex.

In the world of...

What's on the Bookshelf: The New Gig

Some people might think that my choice to move on from journalism was spontaneous, when in fact it was a year of careful consideration and job hunting in San Diego before I ever moved. At the end of that year, in September of 2011, I made a choice to brave the unknown of unemployment and take a chance.

Four months later, I am still job hunting. I get a lot of feed back and have a lot of great interviews, but nothing has clicked in the traditional job front as of yet. Part of the reason is...

What's on the Bookshelf: 'Clockwork Prince'

I think I've said it before when I've reviewed Cassandra Clare's work: I've always loved the emotion, the characters, the masterpiece that comes from her writing. Her poorest quality writing is still a sparkling gem against others and I've come to expect it. But I think this time around Clare has blown away even her other novels.

Not since I finished "City of Glass" — just after it was released – have I felt so much from Clare. I loved her last two novels – "Clockwork Angel" and "City of...

What's on the Bookshelf: 'The Initiate'

Books often hook me on the first words, but I have to say the last lines of Megg Jensen's "The Initiate" gave me pause.

Although I will leave them for other readers to discover, they serve as true in real life as they do for the two series this short story bridges – The Swarm Trilogy and The Cloud Prophet Trilogy.

In the story, every ten years, ten girls are sacrificed in the hopes that the gods will choose a chosen one, but no one ever survives the trial by fire. Eloh, who does not believe in ...