Meri Benson's Blog, page 16

Time – I know not how

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Sometimes I really don’t know how time flies in my life. I look around and the day is gone, or the week is gone. Take last week as an example. I’m not sure how, but I completely phased through last week and I’m not sure how.

Or I guess to a point maybe I do. A good chunk of the first part was spent editing Chapter 1 of my drafted novel. I’ve been wanting to get to editing it, get to plotting book 2 for the series, and get everything moving along. And I sat down last week and I worked my way through Chapter 1.

Unfortunately I got tangled up enough in my words that I missed getting a blog post out last week. But fear not! I have not forgotten you, my dear readers! This week I’ll have two posts up. Today’s update of how things are going – great, I got Chapter 1 edited! I’ll also be doing a January Wrap-Up/February TBR post on the 1st! So thankfully I’ll make up for missing the post last week.

Aside from editing, I have been video gaming, not going to lie. Microsoft and Rare have a new game coming out called Sea of Thieves (March 20 – not sponsored). It’s a pirate game where you sail the seas, hunt for treasure and glory, and defend or attack other pirates as they too hunt for treasure and glory. The Closed Beta is currently in full swing for another couple of days and my friends and I got in so we’ve all been taking advantage of being able to spend some time together on the high seas.

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To make it even more enticing, the game really is stunningly beautiful. You have to really, truly learn how to sail your ships from a one/two man boat to the beautiful galleon you can see behind my friend and I in a screenshot our third friend took.

It’s been an incredible time playing it, and I will truly be sad when the Beta closes in the next few days. This is completely and totally how I spent my weekend. Not going to lie.

I also stopped long enough to read a book, and while I have certain books on my January TBR list, I think I’m going to slip past them briefly because the one I read left off in a cliffhanger and I’m dying to know what happens next so I may skip to that book instead and slide my waiting TBR list forward to Feb. We’ll see how fast I can devour the second book. I do have a few more days left in January, after all.

Also, We’re a few days out before we finish with the first month of the new year. Can you believe it’s almost February yet? Can you believe we’ve had a whole 31 days of 2018 yet? Is the year treating you well so far? I’d say it’s treating me pretty well currently. No real complaints here.

Craziness = Life

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So, life has been a wee bit crazy this week. And apologies for this being posted a few days behind schedule.

I can’t remember if I mentioned I ended up joining a friend in a knit-along for a scarf that’s done very DnD fashion, in that you create a character and deck him or her out in awesome adventure gear, and every week a new installment of the adventure is released and you actually roll to see which chart you’ll end up doing for the different sections of the chapters. It’s been a small process for me to get everything all set up for it. Namely, I bought some nice yarn, didn’t have anything to make my life easy for winding it into a usable ball, and did it by hand. My first attempt took me two days to un-knot. -_-  Thankfully my second attempt in a different color went incredibly smoothly because I had learned. But needless to say, it’s week three of the knit-along and I have one row of the first chart of chapter one done. I’m a wee bit behind.

I will say, with great confidence, that I’ve finished two of the books on my January TBR list. So Reading wise, I have been doing well.

Writing wise, I’ve been trying to plot out a small series of novellas. That part has been slow going, but it’s getting done. I’m hoping to spend a good chunk of my weekend on it in order to hopefully start writing the first one in Feb.

I’m also getting settled in to work on the edits for the first draft of my finished novel. If all goes well, my hope is to get the first two chapters edited by the end of the month. Part of me though, feels like it’s crazy that we’re already more than halfway into our first month of 2018.

As well, I’m trying to follow along on my friend’s 2018 writing challenge. She just posted the third week of this challenge over on her blog this morning, so you should definitely check her out: Follow the clicky Link to Writing Fun! 

How is your first month of 2018 going? Let me know down in the comments!

Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott Cover Reveal & Giveaway!

Title: Twisted Fate
Series: Twisted #1
Author: Jessi Elliott
Genre: Urban Fantasy (New Adult)
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Cover Design: Okay Creations




Pre order your copy today!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | IBooks | Signed Paperback


Synopsis

Being kidnapped by the leader of the fae really puts a dent in your senior year.

Aurora Marshall is sharp, witty, and always has a plan. Ready to finish her business degree and graduate, her life is going smoothly—until the night she meets Tristan Westbrook.

Tristan, the overbearing, gorgeous fae leader, and an admired businessman in the human world, is all kinds of dangerous. While he finds Aurora intriguing, her refusal to bend to his will keeps them locked in a constant power struggle.

Entering into a deal is the only way to escape Tristan’s clutches, which only plunges Aurora deeper into the fae world. With her future at stake, she is forced to handle his arrogance and extraordinary fae abilities as she fights to stay grounded in her mundane life.

Not to mention her struggle to ignore the growing attraction she knows she shouldn’t feel for the man who kidnapped her.

When people said college would be the most exciting time of her life, Aurora never thought this is what they meant.

 

About The Author



Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube

Jessi Elliott is a newly graduated law clerk and debut author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog Living Within Fiction.

She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her family and two adorable cats.

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When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.

You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.

Giveaway

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I think the cover is absolutely Stunning! Let me know what you think of the cover in the comments below! Will you pre-order the book? Enter the giveaway?

Starting Right – January TBR

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So I wasn’t kidding when I said that I wanted to read more, and make sure to keep the reviews coming on my blog. I said in my resolutions that I wanted to read a minimum of two books a month, for a grand total of 24 for the year. That’s my minimum.

Last year I started the year late with the Good Reads Reading Challenge, so I set myself up for 15 books. Jumping it to 24 isn’t a large increase, in the grand scheme of things. But, I think it’s a good building block. And in 2019, we’ll see how well I did this year and adjust from there again. But I have started a good momentum for reading again and I want to grow it slowly, so I don’t lose sight of the other tasks on my list, or get overwhelmed with one thing on its own.

That being said, my January TBR (To Be Read) list is pretty hefty.

What am I hoping to read this month?

I’m looking to finish a couple books I started in 2017, to start with:

Message of the Crow by Ellen Dugan
Shattered Circle by Cassandra Larsen

I’m fairly early on in Message of the Crow, but I’m almost 80% done with Shattered Circle, so I think that finishing both will be doable.

I’m also looking to read the following:

Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott (ARC – Watch for the Review in early Feb! And Cover Release tomorrow!)
Resurrection by Tucker Malarkey
Paper Princess by Erin Watt
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Now, if you’re keeping up, that’s 5 books to finish in January. That’s a ton considering I was only originally thinking of doing 2 a month. I had been hoping to finish Shattered Circle before the new year, but life, ya know. But I will finish it soon. Very soon.

Over all, I’m pretty excited for my January TBR.

Do you have a TBR for January? Is it one book or multiple? Let me know down below!

Book Review: Esme Novella Trilogy by Lizzy Ford

Author: Lizzy Ford [image error]

Publisher: Lizzy Ford

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Rating: 3 Stars

Esme is a half angel living in a tiny town with her full angel mother and a zoo. Her home life is warm, loving, and she loves it. However, she’s bullied and alone at school. Everything shifts for her when two strangers come to town and start renting a couple rooms from her mother in their house.

This review is for all three Novellas as a whole, because honestly while the author calls them novellas, they read more like a serial trilogy than three separate novellas. The plot doesn’t resolve itself at any point during the first two, Halloween and Thanksgiving, instead everything builds and builds until the final installment, Christmas. As well, both Halloween and Thanksgiving both end in serious cliffhanger reveals, which push you to pick up the next one. While not a bad way to lead someone to buy and read the next installment, is a little frustrating when called a Novella. I expect some resolution at the end of a novella, even if it’s part of a trilogy for an over arching storyline.

Over all, it did take me a little bit to get into Halloween but I was curious enough that I persisted. About half way in, Halloween hooked me and I consumed the rest of it, and the other two, in record time. The three are fairly quick reads at only roughly 100 pages a piece, so it is easy to pick them up and finish them in a short sitting. The plot is interesting, and I was very curious how it would wrap itself up.

You’re probably asking, but Meri if you liked the plot and enjoyed the books as a whole, why is it only three stars? Well, unfortunately, there were some grammatical errors littered throughout the first two that for me (maybe because I’m a writer myself) pulled me out of the story as my brain paused to fix the error before continuing the story. And while the auto-fixes for my brain were fairly quick it happened enough times that it made it noticeable to me. It’s something that a little more time editing them would have fixed.

As well, there were times that I was incredibly frustrated at the lack of details given. An example, in Thanksgiving Esme wears a dress to the Thanksgiving event at the Community Center of their small town. We’re told that this is something she never does. We’re told that she’s going to wear her boots with it anyway. And we’re told her mother bought the dress for her. But we are never told what the dress looks like, on a hanger or on her. Not the color, not the cut. Is it floor length or tea length? Is it blue or pink? is the neckline sweetheart cut or scoop neck? Does it have a pattern on it?

This may sound like something trivial in the grand scheme, but it wasn’t just the dress that wasn’t described. After reading all three, I still honestly can’t tell you exactly what Esme looks like. I know she mentioned she doesn’t look like her mother, the blonde angel, but that still doesn’t tell me what Esme looks like. And when I’m trying to envision this story playing out in my mind, these details that were missed or skipped over leave shadowed patches in my head and it disconnects me from the book some. Which does make it less enjoyable as a whole.

Would I recommend these books as a read? If you’re looking for a quick, cute, HEA ending read? Completely. They are a good read, and the plot is engaging enough to be worth it.

New Year, New Adventures

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So the above phone is from my phone. That’s the weather right now when I get up. It wasn’t terrible to get up at that coldness when I could roll over, burrow into my blankets and do planning from bed or catch up on some of my shows. But now that it’s back to work in the am, it’s really hard to want to leave my bed.

I had hoped to get this post up on Monday, but, well. Family came first. My family always gets together New Years Day to be together, and kind of ring in the new year together. So that’s where I was most of yesterday. It was a good day over all too. I enjoy spending the time together. Unfortunately, it meant that I didn’t get much of anything else done yesterday.

I’ve been keeping a fairly decent momentum here on this blog, which I’m looking to keep going with for 2018. I want to keep posting once a week, on Mondays. (Holidays may cause posting day to be set back a day like this post) But I’m also hoping to potentially draft and schedule my posts for Monday in the future so even Holidays will have the post. =) Goals, ya’ll.

A lot of people make New Year Resolutions at the beginning of the year. I did too. Posting every Monday is one of them. What are the rest? Well.

Finish Editing Into the Faerietale
Finish Summer Starlight Festival
Write/plot 3 times a week
Read more
Post a Book Review on blog twice a month

Over all, I think it’s a doable list. It’s just planning out time, and making sure I sit down at work. Something that too is doable.

Do you have any resolutions? What is the one you’re planning to work really hard at? Leave it below in the comments!

Happy Holidays!

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I hope that you’re having a happy and wonderful Holiday! No matter what you celebrate, this season is a time for family. Make sure to stop for a while and spend the time to enjoy some time with those you love, be they family by blood or family by marriage or chosen family.

This week’s blog is a little light, due to the Holidays. I’ve been celebrating with friends and family since Saturday. Yule, my annual Holiday lunch with my Aunt and Cousin, and Christmas with the family in town.

This week I do have off work, but I’m also taking some time to reflect on how this year went, and what goals I want to have for 2018. Which, honestly, will probably be next week’s blog post, at least some of it. (There’s also massive cleaning that needs to be done when not reflecting and planning)

Keep posted for my plans for 2018! They’re bound to be exciting!

Book Review: Silent Circle by Cassandra Larsen

Author: Cassandra Larsen [image error]

Publisher: Cassandra Larsen

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Rating:  5 Stars

Waking up on her seventeenth birthday, Emerson wakes up to discover that her life is changing more than she expected. Her not so simple, but fairly normal life is being turned on its head and she suddenly finds her self in a world where magic exists and being alone in it can be life threatening and dangerous. Luckily for her, Caiden, a boy from her school comes forward to help her navigate this new world and helps her to learn her powers and the fact that she’s not as alone as she thinks she is, and that there are witches everywhere and she never knew it.

To say I liked the book is probably an understatement. I couldn’t put the book down – and that’s not a cliched embellishment on my part. I started reading this book at like 1pm, and didn’t stop reading until 11:30pm when I finished it. The pacing is good, the characters and their relationships are believable. And the witch aspect is so deeply rooted in actual Wicca that it’s a refreshing change from other witch books where it’s all fantasy spells and waving a magic wand. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with those books either, I have more than a couple on my shelves. But having it based in Wicca is a nice change.

This may be a shorter review than normal, but that’s mostly because I am looking to dive into the next book in the series. A definite suggestion if you’re interested in a witchy YA urban fantasy!

Nearly 2018. Nearly

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This picture above? That’s pretty much been my life the last week. Me trying to do something, and some obstacle making it harder. The obstacle in this picture is my cat, PT, trying to chew on my pen while I write a letter to my friend – because we are keeping communication old school by writing letters to each other and snail mailing them back and forth. It’s actually been really fun.

Work has been increasingly hectic for me, but it always is during the Holiday season. I’m actually excited for it to be Thursday because all the interviews, visiting interviewees, and parties will be over. Most of the students and faculty will be gone, the halls will be quiet, and my brain can actually settle back down while I get started on the PhD applications for my department – something that’s not too demanding when I have actual time to organize it. And all next week, beautiful vacation. I mean, the house needs to be cleaned, and Christmas is a week from today. A WEEK! And a week after that? WE START A NEW YEAR!

Can you believe that 2018 is almost upon us?

It was two years ago that I said I was going to kick myself in the pants and get this blog back in shape. Due to… well life, it’s taken a little bit to get there, but I think I’m finally on my way to. I’ve been doing good at updating regularly and I’m planning to continue to do so. I’m looking to get a WIP page going so it lists all my current WIP. Keeps me accountable, and hopefully moving on them. And I’ve been reading and because I’m reading I’ve been able to post reviews of the books I finish. All and all this last half of the year has been incredibly productive for this side of my life.

I’m looking to also set up a schedule to work on my Etsy shop and get that profitable this coming year. A little extra income is always a good thing, I think.

As well, I’ve signed up for OwlCrate. My first one should be arriving today, actually, and I’m pretty excited to get it. I’ve been watching my friend get them for a bit now and they’re always amazing. So I figured, why not! I’m thinking of dedicating a post to unboxing it after it arrives too, which I think will be fun.

Anything you’re trying to get finished in the last two weeks of 2017? Do you already know what your new year resolutions will be for 2018? Let me know down in the comments!

Book Review: Book of Lies by Teri Terry

Author: Teri Terry [image error]

Publisher: Clarion Books

Genre: Thriller Suspense

Rating:  4 Stars

Book of Lies is a first person narrated book that switches points of view every chapter between two twin sisters, who had been separated at birth and find each other seventeen years later. Piper is a practiced liar, and a girl used to getting what she wants. Quinn has been taught to never lie, and punished if she ever did. The death of their mother brings them together and sets them on a quest to find out just why their mother separated them and never told the other they had a sister.

I have to say, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover and title. It was sitting on a shelf at Barnes and Noble, facing out so you saw this stark firey red hair to catch your attention. And Book of Lies. Who wouldn’t be interested in what that might contain.

The chapters switching between the twins I thought might be a little jarring, I don’t normally read books with switching points of view. Not because I don’t like them, but I just don’t come across many books that use that technique over all. It wasn’t as jarring as I thought it would be. Truthfully, I liked being in the head of both girl, to see how they thought, what they weren’t actually saying. It worked and flowed extremely well between the two.

The book kept me guessing on what was going on through most of it, until the big reveal at the end, though based on personalities and how the girls worked I had some suspicions as I read. What those suspicions were, and if they were right or not, well, you’ll have to read it and form your own.

I would definitely recommend this book as a read if you like mystery and suspense. It will leave you not wanting to put it down.