Jessica Samuelsen's Blog, page 33

Friday Feature Dane Cobain and an Exclusive Poem

Eyes Like Lighthouses When The Boats Come Home by Dane Cobain
Published by Author on June 3, 2016 Second Edition
Genres: Poetry
Pages: 170
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads
Amazon

Eyes Like Lighthouses is Dane Cobain’s first book of poetry, distilled from the sweat of a thousand memorised performances in this reality and others. It’s not for the faint-hearted.

“I’ve never seen anyone do a stream of consciousness piece as talented as that. Very impressed.” – Mark Allard-Will, author of Saskatch-A-Man and co-founder of Cuckoo’s Nest Press

“Dane’s poetry is a multi-layered spiral of the macabre, quirky humour and disjointed imagery. Not only does he make you think, he captures the small forgotten moments of everyday life.” – Nikki Dudley, co-editor of Streetcake Magazine

“…[Dane] combines concrete detail with socioeconomic concerns.” – Lorna Wood, associate editor of Gemini Magazine

Welcome to First Friday Feature. I haven’t done very many of them so let me explain. This feature is to present an Artist to you with exclusive content like a guest post, interview, or a poem written just for Writing Pearls.

Today we are featuring Dane Cobain. Today’s feature includes the poem written for Writing Pearls The Days Eat Their Tails Like a Starving snake. Then I will give a quick review of his poetry book Eyes Like Lighthouses When The Boats Come Home.

The Days Eat Their Tails Like a Starving Snake

It’s Monday,

and two cups of coffee

gets the hear going,

and there are too many days

and too many nights

and the week ahead

is a blank piece of paper

with your name on it.

It’s Tuesday,

and maybe you ought

to eat something;

there’s a fire in your eyes

and no food in your belly,

and mum says,

“You ought to get some sleep,

dear.”

It’s Wednesday,

where you hope

you can barely make it,

like shovelling snow

in a thunderstorm

to get the car off

the driveway,

and there’s something in the air

that tastes like freedom.

Holy mother of god

it’s fricken Thursday,

and my mind has gone

but the show must go on,

I should’ve booked the day

off work.

And it’s finally Friday,

and I’ve peaked my disdain

for the weekdays,

and my blood is running

low on alcohol.

It’s Saturday –

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday –

my friend,

I missed you

long time.

It’s Sunday,

and a grey rain

simply says it all,

I’m out of money

and too tired to hoover

my apartment.

It’s Monday,

and the cycle starts

all over again.

In an Oyster Shell – Today I am just going to give a couple sentence review. I feel reviewing poetry is different than fiction.  It’s so subjective more so than fiction. I found this poetry to be raw and poignant. It ultimately is not my cup of tea but some of you might enjoy it. It’s very explicit.

About Dane Cobain

Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK) is an independent poet, musician and storyteller with a passion for language and learning. When he’s not in front of a screen writing stories and poetry, he can be found working on his book review blog or developing his website.

His debut novella, No Rest for the Wicked, will be released by Booktrope in the Summer of 2015.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Feature & Follow

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

This weeks prompt – What podcasts do I follow bookish and non bookish?

Image will take you to the podcast.

What Say You Podcost by Brian Quinn and Sal Vulcano. You might recognize these guys from the reality comedy Impractical Jokers. It is them indeed. I must say this pod cast cant get extremely crass to the point I skip over things or even whole episodes crude is just not my thing. They offer more than that they have great informative discussions on many different things. My favorite part of the podcast is the stories they tell about there friendship. (I think they have been friends for like 20 years or more). So it just great insight to the already beloved jokers from Impractical Jokers.

The Readers is a podcast that was brought to my attention. It had a good review so I’m passing it on to you guys. I will check it out myself.

To be honest I’m not a huge podcast person. I listen to them very rarely. Hopefully. these will be ones you can check out and enjoy.

Review – Madam Tulip by David Ahern

Madam Tulip by David Ahern
on April 3rd 2016
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 308
Source: Author

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Suspense, mystery, action, a little romance and lots of laughs

Out-of-work actress Derry O'Donnell is talented, professional, just a little psychic... and broke. Spurred on by an ultimatum from her awesomely high-achieving mother, Derry embarks on a part-time career as Madame Tulip, fortune teller to the rich and famous. But at her first fortune-telling gig - a celebrity charity weekend in a luxurious castle - a famous rap artist mysteriously dies.

As Derry is drawn deeper into a seedy world of fashion, millionaires, horses and cocaine, she must race to save her best friend from jail and a supermodel from being murdered. Her efforts threaten to destroy her friends, her ex-lover, her father and herself.

Fans of humorous mystery writers Janet Evanovich and Carl Hiaasen will love Madam Tulip.

Madame Tulip is the first in a series of thrilling and hilarious Tulip adventures in which Derry O’Donnell, celebrity fortune-teller and reluctant amateur detective, plays the most exciting and perilous roles of her acting life, drinks borage tea, and fails to understand her parents.

Derry O’Donnel is in between actress jobs. Much to her mother’s dismay, she hasn’t caught her big break yet. Her mother insists that she comes to New York to make her way in the corporate world. Running out of options Derry embellishes on her sixth sense and starts telling fortunes. Lucky for her her dad is the seventh son of the seventh son which means she has the gift. Could this gift get her out of debt or into more trouble than she bargained for?

In an Oyster Shell – It was an in-depth mystery that was a little drawn out but still made for an interesting read.

The Pearls –  You can’t have a book set in Ireland and not talk about the setting. Though more descriptions could have been used you got the essence of Irish culture. Overall the book had an English/European feel to it. It was all very nice.

The characters were strong and well-developed. I was extremely impressed with the author’s talent for character voice. Each character was distinct. When I was reading it, it was almost as if I could hear each character in there given voice. I liked that very much. I enjoyed Derry/Madam Tulip very much. Best heroine I have read in a long time.

The plot was very fun and unexpected. It was elaborate yet comprehensive. I liked how the author weaved in a paranormal aspect. Yet, it was nothing more than a really strong sixth sense. Very believable and questionable at the same time. It was part of the appeal of this novel was it coincidence? Was it something more? Very fun.

The Sand –  The climax was extremely prolonged and I lost interest in it eager – for the book to be over. It had been so good up until  then.

I feel like the author could have embellished on things more things to give us a better feel of the setting.

The romance was disappointing, non-committal.

3.5 Pearls

 

About David Ahern

David Ahern grew up in a theatrical family in Ireland but ran away to Scotland to become a research psychologist and sensible person. He earned his doctorate and taught in major universities but could never explain to his granny why he didn’t own a stethoscope.

Finding the challenge of pretending to know things exhausting, David Ahern shaved off his beard and absconded once more, this time to work in television. He became a writer, director and producer, creating international documentary series. He won numerous awards but found nobody was much impressed.

For want of a better plan, David Ahern took to writing fiction. Madame Tulip isn’t his first novel, but writing it was the most fun he’s ever had with a computer. He is now writing the third in the series and enjoys pretending that this activity is actual work.

David Ahern lives in the beautiful West of Ireland with his wife, two cats and a vegetable garden of which he is inordinately proud.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Review – Wake the Hollow by Gaby Triana

Wake the Hollow by Gaby Triana
on August 2nd 2016
Genres: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Forget the ghosts, Mica. It’s real, live people you should fear.

Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.

This town will suck you in and not let go.

Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.

Find the answers.

Unless, of course, the answers find you first.

Mica has to go back to the town of Sleepy Hollow a place that she would rather forget. The unavoidable circumstance of her mother’s death brings her back. The whole town thought her mother was crazy as she claimed to be a descendant of Washington Irving. As Mica looks into the suspicious facts of her mother’s death she starts to piece together the clues that her mother left her after all. Maybe she wasn’t crazy. Mica has to find answers before the answers find her first and she ends up like her mother.

In an Oyster Shell  – This was a well-written book. It had a great intricately developed plot.

The Pearls – The plot was nice and developed. As I said before it was very intricate. There were so many mysteries to be solved. In the end, they were but it was very unexpected. It was a complicated plot but easy to read making this book engrossing.

The setting was intriguing. It was a small town.  So you got a feel for it with all the local venues the MC would visit.  The small town feel added to the conflict of this story. Everyone knew everyone which made the plot all that more interesting.

The characters were well developed. I especially liked how the author developed the characters of the ones you didn’t see like Mica’s deceased mother. I think it takes great talent to develop the characters of ghosts. Figuratively and literally.

The romance was good and had an unexpected conclusion.

The Sand – The pacing of this book was really slow in the beginning. Some aspects of the book were darker than I like. This is just a personal preference. The book was indeed well-written.

3.5 Pearls!

About Gaby Triana

GABY TRIANA is the award-winning author of six YA novels—Wake the Hollow (Aug. 2016, Entangled), Summer of Yesterday, Riding the Universe, The Temptress Four, Cubanita, and Backstage Pass, as well as thirteen ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors. Originally a 4th grade teacher with a Master of Science in Elementary Education and ten years teaching experience, Gaby earned Teacher of the Year in 2000, wrote her first novel, Freddie and the Biltmore Ghost, then left teaching to launch a full-time writing career. She went on to publish young adult novels with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, win an IRA Teen Choice Award, ALA Best Paperback Award, and Hispanic Magazine’s Good Reads of 2008. She spends her time obsessing about Halloween, Christmas, and Disney World, as well as hosting parties, designing mugs, making whimsical cakes, and winning costume contests. When she’s not writing, she might also be watching Jurassic Park movies with her boys, posting excessive food pics on social media, or helping run the Florida region of the SCBWI. Gaby lives in Miami with her three sons, Michael, Noah, and Murphy. She has one dog, Chloe, and two cats—Miss Daisy, and the reformed thug, shooting survivor, Bowie.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Beach Reads in August Giveaway

I was going through my recently reviewed books and realized I’ve read a lot of heavy stuff this summer. Alas! I have found one good book that would be a cozy beach read. Click the Image for Review

Enjoy a giveaway for a 15$ Amazon Giftcard.

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Sunday Post – July 31st

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

This Week In Review – Click on image for review.

Giveaway –  Jamie Quinn Mystery Set 

Question of the Week – What are your last minute summer plans? We have a couple birthdays coming up. So yeah for birthday parties!

Friday Coffee & Bookish Speaks – In the Eyes of the Reviewer

I am drinking less coffee these days. Gasp! I’m still drinking a small cup of fresh roasted coffee with cream.

What are you drinking?

I don’t know if you guys know that I took up a professional reviewing position last year with a magazine. The magazine had a policy that if you dnf’d a book than they had someone else review it to make sure. The problem is where one person sees a dud another person can see promise. I dnf’d a book and the person who read it after me gave it 5 stars!?!?! What!

I was pretty frustrated and I ended up not working for the magazine anymore (for different reasons) Than I dnf’d another book as I have made clear on my page I don’t publicize a review under a 3. So I was letting this author know that I couldn’t finish her book and why and she shot back with a copy of a reviewer that gave her 5 stars!!!!

People I’m at a loss as to how we can hold a standard that readers can depend on and authors can be held accountable by. I could drag this topic on forever, but I will try and make it short. One reason I believe the second dnf got a 5 star review because it was two authors exchanging reviews. I think that one was thinking if she gave a good review she would get a good review. Than a professional reviewer comes along and tells you this book is not good, because right now all I do is review books. The author can pop back with this 5 star review that may have had an agenda behind it.

Either way, this is a very frustrating subject matter for me.

I guess in the end there is no way to make reviews less subjective. All I can say is consider the source of the reviewer, look at other reviews, compare your own thoughts and make an educated decision. I would like to say to other reviewers be considerate of the rating that you give because it definitely determines a person’s perspective on the book.

What do you think about the different ratings among reviewers?

Feature & Follow Friday – What is your take on DNF books?

My take on DNF books is I don’t review them. If I was under agreement with an author or publisher to do a review for a copy (as is common in the blogging world). I share my concerns in private. There is one time this didn’t work out so well. I was super tempted to shout this author’s bad book from the rooftops along with her unprofessional behavior. I stuck to my policy. In the end, I think DNF books ultimately just need a revamp something is not complete. I would rather the author take the critique in private and better than embarrass them with a DNF review. No matter how unprofessional they might be. I am in this industry to help people not hurt people.

What is your take on DNF book?

You can choose one or the other! Thank you!

Review – The Killing Jar by R. S. McCoy

The Killing Jar by R.S. McCoy
Series: The Extraction Files
Published by RS McCoy on June 28th 2016
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 400
Source: Author

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Goodreads
Amazon

Earth is dying, circling the drain on life support. The future of the human race depends on space exploration, but they’re running out of time. Parasitic insects are systematically killing the best scientific minds but no one knows why.

Mable Wilkinson is the last hope to figure it out, she just doesn’t know it yet. For years, her resourcefulness, intelligence, and penchant for problem-solving have put her at the top of a very short list of researchers, only she doesn’t want to be part of it.

Cast out at sixteen, Mable wrote off the problems of the world long ago. Now, her focus is on Hadley, her adopted little sister, and teaching her to survive in the cut-throat underground. Instead, both Mable and Hadley fall into the hands of the program’s recruiter, Silas Arrenstein, and he’s determined to have one of them. Mable can join up with the man and program who killed her brother, or she can leave Hadley to the same fate.

A new sci-fi romance from RS McCoy, author of The Sparks Saga and The Luminary Chronicles.

Book One of The Extraction Files.

Earth is dying. Due to a war many years ago the world is hardly sustaining it inhabitants. There is a lunar team that is looking for another inhabitable planet. This book follows several people in a phenomenon that some of Earths greatest minds are mysteriously dying. CPI knows what is going on and is recruiting a team of misfits to battle this unseen force. Mable is key to CPI’s success. Silas is counting on her to help extract bugs and get to the bottom of why they seem to be sabotaging earth’s success.

In an Oyster Shell – This was a really complicated read in that it had several POV’s to follow. This book presents a challenge with that many POV’s.  It’s the most I’ve been challenged by reading in awhile so I would recommend it to a select few.

The Pearls – I am really torn on the POV there where a lot of them I didn’t count how many more than five I didn’t really count. I am going to count this as a plus and a minus so bear with me. I thought it was really gutsy of the author to attempt so many POV’s. In the end, it really worked out. Though some POV’s have yet to reveal their fu significance  in the story, there is another book coming.

The romances were interesting. This book covers the gammet of relationships. From platonic relationships to full blown romances. This book encompasses the complexity of human interaction on many different levels.

The plot was complicated in a good way. Especially from all the different perspectives at first everything seems very random. As you get through the book, you come to find that everything and everyone has a purpose. It displayed a high level of craft and intelligence.

Overall I would say this book is really complex. I don’t know the last time I stepped away from a book feeling victorious because it was a challenge to read. I am not challenged by books often, and I find it refreshing.

The Sand – As promised I think the multiple POV’s was a huge risk and had it’s downfalls. It’s harder to get into a story when you are jumping perspectives all the time. Though, as I pointed out in the pearls this ends up working out in this story.

There were some scenes that I would deem unnecessary.

4 Pearls!


About R.S. McCoy

Rachel McCoy is a Texan living in New Jersey. Between binge watching MTV reality shows and baking gluten free treats, she writes paranormal fantasy and science fiction novels. She is the self-published author of the Sparks Saga trilogy as well as numerous short stories, some of which now reside in anthologies. Back when she lived in the real world, Rachel earned a degree in marine biology, which contributed to her die-hard love of manta rays. 

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Blitz – Confessions Of A Wedding Planner

Confessions of a Wedding Planner

Michelle Jo Quinn

(Bliss #1)

Publication date: July 26th 2016

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He may be the best man, but he’s the worst man for her…

Wedding planner, Veronica Soto-Stewart believes everyone deserves a fairy tale–even her ex-boyfriend. Unable to refuse his request, and with the help of Bliss Events motley crew, she finds herself creating the most magical event for the perfect couple.

But nothing is ever perfect…

And not all happy ever afters can be planned…

Levi Laurent can’t believe his luck. Thanks to his best friend’s wedding, he finally has a shot at the woman he’s always wanted–Veronica. From San Francisco to Paris, and back, he pulls out all the stops, so she knows where she really belongs–with him. But Veronica wants nothing to do with the rich, sexy, irresistible playboy.

Can Levi convince Veronica that her perfect happily ever after is closer than she ever realized?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

—

EXCERPT:

I couldn’t make myself comfortable. As I continued to shrug, he clasped my shoulders tighter. If I leaned against my car, his hips would press against me. I sagged in defeat and avoided direct contact with his eyes. This was worse than him thinking we could be friends.

“Since you’re big, bad boss of this whole operation, what’s going on with the bachelor party?” The man wriggled his eyebrows at me when I looked up. It was such a laughable action.

Levi was the ultimate bachelor…and rebel. He kept his hair long, rarely shaved, and often dressed in button up shirts with the first three buttons undone and sleeves rolled up, showing off his constant tan. He exuded bad-to-the-bone. And he loved it.

No doubt he had particular ideas on what Jake’s bachelor party should be like. I had more than enough of a fight to deal with, why would I add a few more in the way of silicon-filled strippers?

“What bachelor party? I’m not in charge of that. I’ve never planned one, and don’t intend to start. It’s your job as the best man to figure it out.” I poked my finger at his chest. Hard, warm chest, with a steady fluttering from his heart.

“Is it?” He took my hand in his and flattened my palm on his chest, halting my ministrations. I stared at my fingertips touching his exposed skin. “Maybe you and I can get together soon, just us, and you can give me ideas.” A number of salacious scenes flashed in my mind. I gulped, realizing my mistake, but the heat had ebbed up my neck and cheeks.

Drawing back my hand, I replied, “If you need help, you can call Chase.” I spun around to the back of my car, reached in and took out a card from my purse, ignoring the blush on my cheeks and hoping he would, too. The hand that was squeezing my shoulder smoothed its way down to the small of my back when I faced him again. I tried not to focus on the sudden, pleasant warmth in my belly. This was Levi, Casanova of the Bay area…and beyond!

He took the proffered card. “She’s the expert on all things…naughty.” Chase would kill me if she found out I gave him her number. “I have to go.”

He removed his hand from my back and held my door open for me. As I settled in my seat, he stuck his head in my car and surprised me with a swift kiss on my cheek, rendering me speechless with how pleasant it felt. Levi had never been this close to me before. I’d never allowed it.

After shutting the door closed for me, he leaned his arms over the opened window and cocked his head to one side. Playfulness washed over his face. “Veronica, you may not like me, but whether you like it or not, I will be around whenever Jake asks me to be there. So you’ll have to get used to us being together…a lot.” It felt like he was trying to say more, but I simply nodded my head, and started the car. I waited for him to back away, before I sped off. I was flustered enough to accidentally run over the guy.

 

Author Bio:

Michelle’s love for writing blossomed when her father gave her a diary, but instead of recounting her daily life, she wrote stories of fictional people. Like most of her characters, she believes in Happily Ever After. Naturally, she finds harmony in writing romance. She enjoys creating stories that make readers laugh, cry and fall in love.

An unabashed, self-proclaimed foodie, Michelle loves to try new food whenever she travels. She once had triple crème Brie and duck rillette for lunch on top of Grouse Mountain.

She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, two kids and a pup named Scarlet.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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