Zara Hoffman's Blog: Zara Hoffman's Goodreads Author Blog, page 14

Book Review: Enshrine by Kay Bennson

My ReviewI'm going to start off and say that I really enjoyed this book. I was immediately pulled into the world and couldn't put it down once I started (I had to a few times because I was sneaking in reading it while I was at work, but I just couldn't wait until the end of the day to finish reading). I will admit, that despite loving the plot I did skim a bit in the woods over Sage's training.

I'm going to jump into the characters. All of whom were well written and compelling.I liked Sage. I don't think there was anything particularly special about her, but I liked her and her strong commitment to her family.Jonty was awesome. He's super skilled, is the boy next door and the mysterious, brooding stranger. It's a win-win situation.I really liked Nev and Martin. I'm still sad about what happens to them.Jonty's father is awful. I was kind of hoping the other elders would expel or banish him and ask Jonty to take his place.I'm going to get a bit into Dayton, because while he was well-written, I still have a lot of questions. First thing's first: What affected Dayton? Why do his eyes turned black—was he really talking to his parents? The characterization of Dayton also confused me a bit: he’s introduced as a cruel king, but then he’s kind to her once he realizes she’s his “chosen one”—so why does he torture her at his castle when his eyes aren't black. I thought he would treat everyone but her horribly. Even before reaching the castle, him chaining her up never made enough sense to me, especially since he seemed sorry about it every morning. I honestly thought it was a bit of a Beauty and Beast situation where Dayton would only be bad when he had black eyes, and would eventually redeem himself, even if Sage would eventually run off with Jonty.I also want to note that it kind of reminds me of Phantom of the Opera (especially Dayton's obsession with Sage, and him hunting Jonty for taking him). I didn't make the connection, though, until after I'd finished reading. It's so uniquely engaging that its resemblance to one of my favorite musicals is not a sign of copying, but might explain why I found it so compelling.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. About halfway through reading, I recognized the sequel potential, but it doesn't say on Goodreads that it's the first in a series. Despite the end of the book clearly makes it seem like there'll be a sequel. So, maybe the author hasn't decided yet on continuing the series, but I hope a sequel comes out soon. About the BookTitle: Enshrine
Author: Kay Bennson
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Publication Date: June 4, 2017

When Sage Wolfe is accidentally mistaken for a peace offering, her world turns upside down. Dayton, the young, handsome, and insane King of Rosementh whisks her away to his castle to be his bride with the promise that he can give her the world and anything she desires. These offers becoming tainted as Dayton’s true colors show themselves; he is cruel and violent and Sage vows to run away or die trying.

Just when Sage thinks she is hitting rock bottom, a hooded stranger named Jonathan Kreider comes to the castle. He doesn’t say much but his actions speak for themselves. Not only can he wield a sword or shoot an arrow better than most of Dayton’s men, but he always seems to be a step behind Sage, and though it should terrify her, for the first time Sage finds herself filling with hope.

Sage is faced with a choice. Should she run away from the wicked king who took her away from her family? Or should she stay to learn more about the man who lurks in the shadows, the man that makes her heart race and almost makes suffering Dayton’s wrath worthwhile? Sage is about to discover that nothing is as it seems and everyone has secrets; Dayton, the man that calls himself Jonathan Kreider, and even herself.
About the Author Kay Bennson is from Northwestern Connecticut where she lives with her husband. She doesn't remember a time where she wasn't writing stories (in fact, some of her best ideas were forged in high school classes and at part time jobs). When she isn't writing, she is a competitive Irish Dancer. Enshrine is her first novel.

The Belgrave Legacy is Back in Print

If you've been waiting to get your paperback copy of The Belgrave Legacy ever since I announced its brief unavailability, I have good news for you: it's available for purchase again.Title: The Belgrave Legacy
Author: Zara Hoffman
Genre: Upper YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: ZH Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2016
eBook ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-4-7
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-1-6

A Reluctant Heroine. A Snarky Angel. A Big Mess.

Fawn doesn't believe in magic. But it is very real, and has made her a vulnerable target.

Caleb is sick of Hell. When the Devil offers him a way out, he immediately says yes.

Can this young witch trust the dark angel assigned to romance and seduce her? Or will his betrayal tear them apart forever?

The Belgrave Legacy is an upper-young adult paranormal romance. Filled with magic, witches, angels, and demons, this story will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Buy the book now, and discover a world hiding in our own.

#TheBelgraveLegacy paperback is back! Get your copy at bit.ly/TheBelgraveLegacy by clicking on the Amazon logo above the book description. #amreading #paranormalromance #ireadya

A post shared by Zara Hoffman (@zarahoffman) on Aug 22, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

August 22nd, 2017

If you've been waiting to get your paperback copy of The Belgrave Legacy ever since I announced its brief unavailability, I have good news for you: it's available for purchase again.Title: The Belgrave Legacy
Author: Zara Hoffman
Genre: Upper YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: ZH Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2016
eBook ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-4-7
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-1-6

A Reluctant Heroine. A Snarky Angel. A Big Mess.

Fawn doesn't believe in magic. But it is very real, and has made her a vulnerable target.

Caleb is sick of Hell. When the Devil offers him a way out, he immediately says yes.

Can this young witch trust the dark angel assigned to romance and seduce her? Or will his betrayal tear them apart forever?

The Belgrave Legacy is an upper-young adult paranormal romance. Filled with magic, witches, angels, and demons, this story will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Buy the book now, and discover a world hiding in our own.

#TheBelgraveLegacy paperback is back! Get your copy at bit.ly/TheBelgraveLegacy by clicking on the Amazon logo above the book description. #amreading #paranormalromance #ireadya

A post shared by Zara Hoffman (@zarahoffman) on Aug 22, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

Back to School Charity Raffle Blog Hop

​Hello, blog hoppers! Welcome to our Back To School Charity Raffle and Blog Hop! We’ll be hopping this week to support a generous cause! Indie Authors Care and Amanda’s Book Nook For All Audiences is sponsoring this Charity event, and all proceeds will be going directly to The Internation Rescue Committee, specifically the education department!

We’ll be raffling off an 8” Kindle Fire HD, a $50 Amazon gift card, and an ebook library filled with over thirty books! Raffle winners will be drawn September 6th at 3 PM EST.

For a chance to win any of these prizes, all you have to do is purchase at least one raffle ticket. Of
course, your odds of winning do go up exponentially with each ticket you purchase!

Good news for you, raffle tickets are being sold at a discount all week long during the blog hop! During the blog hop, tickets will be $1 each. After the blog hop, tickets will increase to $3 each. We also have some bulk discounts.

During the blog hop, you may pay $10 and get 11 tickets, $20 and get 22 tickets, or $50 and get 60
tickets. After the blog hop, you may pay $15 and get 6 tickets, $30 and get 12 tickets, or $60 and get 25 tickets.

What are we hoping to do with these donations? We are hoping to raise at least $800. There are many ways we can spend this money. Option one is to spend it to purchase school supplies for 40 children. Option 2 is to use the money to send 14 kids to school for a year. Option 3 is to use it for one donation package each which would amount to sending 3 kids to school for a year, one school supply kit, one teddy bear and creativity kit, pay for one new classroom, pay for school clothes for a child, teaching supplies, and a safe environment.

So, you see, we can change the world together and ensure that these students around the world have all the tools they need to get a quality education in a safe environment with qualified teachers. Tickets will be sold FROM a Google Form to keep accurate records of all transactions. No purchase necessary to participate, though odds of winning are greater when multiple tickets are purchased. If you would like to submit one free entry, please email info@fiction-atlas.com with the subject "Raffle Mail Entry." Buy Tickets

Release Day Blitz: The Soul Mate by Kendall Ryan

Title: The Soul Mate
Series: Roommates, 4
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 14, 2017

From New York Times Bestseller Kendall Ryan comes a sexy new stand-alone novel in her Roommates series.

The smoking-hot one-night stand I was never supposed to see again?

Yeah, well, I might be pregnant, and he’s my OB-GYN.
​Get ready to fall head over heels madly in love with the hottest OBGYN doctor you have ever met! This full-length standalone contains the most hilariously awkward lady-doctor visit, lots of playful banter and some good ol' fashioned baby-makin'!About the Author A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world.

Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

Visit her website for the latest book news and fun extras.

PSA regarding The Belgrave Legacy paperback

If you're trying to buy a print copy of The Belgrave Legacy this weekend, I am sorry to say that the physical book will not be available until late August-early September. Last night I reformatted the book so that the headers and footers would be more equal on the page, and that in turn changed the page count of the book from 284 to 270. My cover artist is getting the revised cover to me on Monday, which I will then submit and order a proof copy to make sure everything is good. Thank you for your understanding.

Early August 2017 Update

You may remember me talking about how I was finally getting back to writing, but how in the process I was making more than a few mistakes that would need some serious fixing in the future. Well, my mom had a bad accident and that completely upended our lives starting Wednesday and it wasn't until two days ago that we reached our new, temporary "normal." This is all to say that my writing more of The Matchmakers came to a grinding halt. It took too much brain power that I didn't have at the time. But I did start cutting things out, which is why the sidebar went from: 36376/50000 (72.7%)to this: 34156/50000 (68.3%)Not only did the word count decrease, but chapters got condensed. I was in the middle of writing Chapter 17, but after all the edits I made, it is now Chapter 14—something that will probably change again since I know I need to go back and insert something important in a previous chapter.

So, that's my writing update. In the meantime, you can get The Belgrave Legacy in eBook and Paperback, as well as tarot cards, bookmarks, signed paperbacks (US only) and signed bookplates (US and international).

The Matchmakers July 2017 Update

It's been a while since I talked about writing  The Matchmakers  (which was probably more recent than the last time I actually wrote anything for that story... until this past week). I'm proud to say that starting this past Saturday, I've been writing Rosemary's story for at least 20 minutes a day. I have to say Chris Fox's 5KWPH app is awesome (if you're a fellow writer, you should use it, but read his book  5,000 Words Per Hour: Write Faster, Write Smarter  first).

Finally #amwriting again! Hallelujah! #TheMatchmakers

— Zara Hoffman□□‍□ (@AuthZH) July 16, 2017

Shit just hit the fan in #TheMatchmakers #amwriting (yay!) #yalit #dystopianliterature

A post shared by Zara Hoffman (@zarahoffman) on Jul 16, 2017 at 7:12am PDT

​You can see in the sidebar that I'm past 70% to my word count goal, but that doesn't mean I'm anywhere near done with the draft. And even when I am done with it, I know that I will probably need to do an overhaul for pacing and continuity before revising for nuances and then finally editing and proofreading. So... I can't even begin to think about when this book will actually be published, but please know that I am back to writing it! In the meantime, why don't you grab yourself a paperback copy of  The Belgrave Legacy  if you haven't already?

Does Your Heroine Have to be a Badass? A Guest Post by Temple West

You may or may not know how much I adore Temple West. She wrote Velvet and Cashmere , has an awesome style, and is so adorably quirky, how could I not love her? Today, I am sharing a guest post written by her about the recent (tired) trend of the "strong female character."​​This is a question I’ve struggled with long before I knew or understood the word “feminism.” When I was a kid, the overused trope was the damsel in distress. Now it seems like the overused trope is the “strong female character.” But what, exactly, does strong mean?
 
Most of the time, it seems that it means she literally kicks ass. She does hand-to-hand combat, or has crazy powerful magic, or both.
 
And I’m all for that. Give me a spell-casting, physically skilled lady leader any day.
 
But...what about the women who...y’know, aren’t that? If you can’t sniper bad guys from a mile away, can you still be a heroine? What does “strong” mean if it doesn’t mean “physically or magically powerful?”I like to think that “strong female character” has more to do with character than it has to do with six-pack abs or military training. What does the character believe? Is she passionate about those beliefs? Is she convicted? Does she stick to her guns (whether literal or metaphorical)? Does she have a purpose, a plan, a sense of direction? I would much rather read a story about an extremely zealous cupcake baker than a story about a sort of ambiguously powerful and murkily-motivated assassin.
 
At the end of the day, it’s about creating dynamic, fully-fleshed, complicated women characters. They can be knights or single moms, or both (or neither).
 
So does your heroine have to be a badass to be a “strong female character?” Yes. But you determine what kind of badass she gets to be.Thanks, Temple! I happen to agree, even though I do sometimes use the trope in my own stories. I also used "The Chosen One" trope in The Belgrave Legacy , so trope doesn't automatically mean bad. I think the important part is understanding it's a trope, trying to make it interesting, or better yet, finding a way to write without using it. What do you think? Sound off below! About Temple WestPhoto by Max HsuThe debut author of the YA paranormal romance  Velvet  is as nerdy in real life as she is on the Twitter. Armed with a very shiny English degree, she spent four months in Oxford holed up at the Radcliffe Camera amongst the hush of ancient books and the rich musk of academia. Returning to Los Angeles, she acquired a concurrent degree in film, mostly as an excuse to write essays about The Princess Bride and Hook. She can sew (poorly), drive stick (please fasten your seatbelt), and mostly lift her feet off the ground while stuttering into first gear on a very small motorcycle. She currently lives in Seattle and works at an agency doing motion graphics and design.
Check out her social media below. Or you can order her book, if you're into ordering AWESOME THINGS.←I highly recommend it.

The Belgrave Legacy Paperback is Here!

It may have been a long time coming (almost 8 months), but The Belgrave Legacy is finally available in print! You can buy it from Amazon (just click that icon below), or you can get a signed copy from me! I'm also running a giveaway from today ending July 6th, so don't forget to enter that!a Rafflecopter giveaway Title: The Belgrave Legacy
Author: Zara Hoffman
Genre: Upper YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: ZH Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2016
eBook ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-4-7
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-9864279-1-6
Book Length: Paperback, 284 pages

A Reluctant Heroine. A Snarky Angel. A Big Mess.

Fawn doesn't believe in magic. But it is very real, and has made her a vulnerable target.

Caleb is sick of Hell. When the Devil offers him a way out, he immediately says yes.

Can this young witch trust the dark angel assigned to romance and seduce her? Or will his betrayal tear them apart forever?

The Belgrave Legacy is an upper-young adult paranormal romance. Filled with magic, witches, angels, and demons, this story will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Buy the book now, and discover a world hiding in our own.