C.L. Coffey's Blog, page 2

An Overdue Catchup

It has been such a long time since I posted anything on my blog! It looks like this one will be a long one.
Angel Eclipsed released October 31st saw the release of book two in the Louisiangel Series, Angel Eclipsed.

If you haven't seen it, this is the beautiful cover, once again created by the amazingly talented Amalia Chitulescu. Most of July to October was spent doing the final edits and formatting on Angel Eclipsed. It's now out in the world in both e-book and paperback from most online retailers - you will find links to the right of the page. I really hope you like it! Book 3 Update I have started writing book 3! I'm about a third of the way through the first draft.

I won't go into details here. I will release more information at a later date, but I will reveal that the book will be called "Angel Tormented" and it will be out Summer 2016. Booklist I've just checked on my Goodreads account and I was also pretty busy with reading. I actually completed my 2015 reading challenge (which means I will be increasing my target for next year).

I found a new favourite series - The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - Cinder, Scarlett, Cress, and I'm about halfway through Winter at the moment. Wow, do I recommend these books! I gave the first three a five star rating, but if Winter carries on the way it is, I'm going to start wanting a 6 star rating system! They're all a different twist on fairy tales - Cinder is a cyborg, for example. If you haven't read them, I would definitely recommend them. Then there's the Legend Series by Marie Lu - a good dystopian trilogy. I enjoyed these much more than the Divergent Series (I didn't want to jump into the page and shake the characters), though not quite as much as the Hunger Games. Made up of Legend, Prodigy and Champion, it keeps you changing your mind as to who the 'bad guy' is. Legend was a book I had on my shelf for ages and one that I'd mentioned in a previous blog. I'm glad I read it (Though I will confess it was back in June - the others followed closely after. The other books I enjoyed were either stand alones, or part of a series that is still being written.

Two of my favourite authors released books. Jennifer L. Armentrout with Forever With You (Wait For You Series) and C. L. Stone with Accessory (The Scarab Beetle Series). Both good books and I'm impatiently waiting the next ones.

C. L. Stone actually has one out next week - book 9(!!) in the Ghost Bird Series, The Healing Power of Sugar. YA books with a twist - they're reverse-haram. I love them. I'd recommend them. BUT, they get addictive, and she's planning about 20 books in the series. Don't say I didn't warn you! 

If you want to follow me on Goodreads - head to the Contact Me tab for the link.

Book Review: A Time to Reap

A Time to Reap, Jonas Lee

Pemberton Academy is not just a school, it’s a gathering place for the children of the future that are afflicted with Temporal Displacement and Telepathy; in short, time travelers and mind readers who have been diagnosed with this “disease.” The Academy is not all as it seems after an explosion nearly takes one of its classmates, but not before Carter Gabel rescues her by using an unknown symptom related to his described illness. An unsanctioned group called the Program begins taking notice as the two classmates exhibit stronger abilities when they are together. Carter's sense of reality begins to unwind as he learns more about his estranged father's involvement with it all. 


Carter will have to overcome the past of his father leaving, the present of an unknown adversary hunting him down and a future that seems to change with each decision he makes. He will have to learn who to trust out of the people in his life if he wants to conquer the looming notion that the government may be hunting him down because of his developing abilities. ‘A Time to Reap’ is a brilliant debut novel and not only would I recommend it, I already have been.

 

Carter Gabel, the main character, is definitely the strongest part of this story – his narration as a typical teenage boy stole the show. Witty, sometimes sarcastic, and having to endure almost everyone being able to read his (not always appropriate) thoughts was a hilarious experience.

 

If you haven’t gathered from the description, ‘A Time to Heal’ is a book about time travelling and psychic abilities. Normally, this isn’t a genre/topic I stray into, and although there were parts I had to reread to understand what was happening (if I ever watch something like Dr Who, I will rewatch parts because I didn’t get what was going on), on the whole, the story was easy to follow. Plot wise, there were twists all the way – most I didn’t see coming! The frustrating part for me was that I simply didn’t have the time to sit down and read this all at once (I had to resort to reading a chapter here and there at work).

I bought this book thinking I would get a replacement for the Artemis Fowl series. I was half right. I don’t know what made me think ‘A Time to Reap’ would be anything like Artemis Fowl – the only similarity is that the main character was a male teenager! Yet, I did end up with a series I am now going to be hooked on and I can’t wait to read the next book.

The only thing I will do differently with the next books, is try to find time to read it in as few a sittings as possible so I can give it the attention deserves.

Back in the Bayou

I have the best parents in the world and I don't say this enough. And I mean this before this blog post.

What made them even more incredible was that they not only brought me to Florida with them (I got back yesterday), but they also endured a 1500 mile drive from Davenport, FL, to Baton Rouge, LA - that's two full days of driving right there!! 

While in BTR I managed to spend some (sadly) brief time with a very dear friend of mine and her family. Yes, I survived staying in a house with THREE children - although there were tears (and they were mine, not the children's - CHILDREN ARE TERRIFYING!). I also got to revisit LSU and say "hi" to Mike.

Then there was time for a whistle-stop tour of NOLA.

June Update

Technically, this should be a May update as I appeared to miss that!

I need to start with a big thank you to everyone who came to my book signing. It was my first and pretty scary but I really enjoyed it in the end, particularly because I met so many people! I just wish I'd thought to take some pictures. I will be holding another one in October - just before book 2 is released so you can pick up a copy before it officially goes on sale. 

In other news, this last month has been crazy busy. It's coming up to the end of the academic year so I've been doing a few extra DJing shifts, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy writing. 

I've made a start on book 3! (I would share the title, but I'm still trying to decide if what I have is right!) As soon as something is confirmed, I will share. I'll also confirm a release date - I'm currently working on that being April 2016.

I have finally updated one of my FanFictions (it only took me two years), and have started work on what I hope is the final chapter of another - or at least the penultimate one.

I'm going to be busy over the next couple of weeks (there will be photos) and then I'm coming back and putting my editing hat on. That October release date it looming...

Book Review: Pegasus and the Flame

A young girl, a winged horse, and a war of epic proportions make for an adventurous start to an exciting new trilogy.

When Pegasus crashes onto a Manhattan roof during a terrible storm, Emily’s life changes forever. Suddenly allied with a winged horse she’d always thought was mythical, Emily is thrust into the center of a fierce battle between the Roman gods and a terrifying race of multiarmed stone warriors called the Nirads. Emily must team up with a thief named Paelen, the goddess Diana, and a boy named Joel in order to return Pegasus to Olympus and rescue the gods from a certain death.

Along the way, Emily and her companions will fight monsters, run from a government agency that is prepared to dissect Pegasus, and even fly above the Manhattan skyline—all as part of a quest to save Olympus before time runs out. When I picked this up off the shelf, I made the mistake of thinking it was a YA book. Truth be told, if I had known it was for a younger audience, I probably wouldn't have read it. 

It had a slightly predictable storyline regarding the flame, but there were enough surprises along the way to keep my interest. Emily is sweet and I like how she bonded with Pegs (although I really can't stand him being called Pegs), and I also liked how she couldn't communicate with him unlike the Olympians. My favourite character was Paelan as he had some character growth that the others seemed to lack - hopefully that will be present in the next books.

I will be reading the next book, Pegasus and the Fight for Olympus, but my interest wasn't held enough for me to stick it to the top of the list. I did like it, and I would recommend it, but with the caveat that this is definitely aimed at the 12-15 age bracket.

Book Review: The Other Side of Envy

Sang Sorenson dreams of what life might be like for her in the Academy, but joining isn't as easy as simply writing an exam or passing an interview. She'll need to pull the team together to get them on her side in order for it to work, which is harder than it sounds. The boys will do anything to protect her, which, for some, means keeping her out.

But that’s not all that’s going on in Sang’s complicated life. After a shocking revelation, Gabriel Coleman splinters himself off from everyone, avoiding not just his Academy team, but even going so far as to avoid Sang. Desperate to bring him back and get him on her side, Sang digs deep into his past to try to discover a way to reach out to him.

His truth is riddled with tragic events, but with the help of Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Luke and North, she might be able to reach out to him before envy and despair drag him too far down to be saved. It has taken me a while to write this review. Aside from the fact I've been ridiculously busy, I've also had a bit of trouble trying to articulate how I feel about it.

I need to start by saying I love the Ghost Bird series. (And the Scarab Beetle series!) Yet, something didn't sit right with me on this one and I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous books - which is why it only goes down as a "Liked it". For me, I think there were three things that made me come to this conclusion:


1) One of the main focuses was Gabriel. I'd been looking forward to "meeting" Gabriel, but I can now say he's not my favourite character. (Sorry Meanie fans). I just didn't feel a connection with him.
2) What happened to the urgency with Volto? What happened to Volto in general? It kinda felt like this was overlooked for this story.
3) The story felt a little jarred - it was Gabriel's turn, but it felt like we were moving all over the place. I know we're getting to the point where all the characters are going to come together for the story to continue, but it just felt too hurried - not as seamless as the other stories.


Will this put me off the series? Hell no. Will I continue reading? Hell yes! And would I recommend this series to anyone and everyone? Most definitely!

Book Review: Veronica Mars - The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She's traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.
Now it's spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is not a simple missing person's case. The house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica's past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined. Fun fact #1 - I am a Marshmallow
Fun fact #2 - I am one of the many Marshmallows that helped get the film released.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I am such a big fan of Veronica Mars, I was one of the people who contributed to the kickstarter fund. The film (and the series box set) sit proudly on my shelf and as I write this, I am mid-way though watching season 1 again. Somehow I didn't know there was a book out. That one completely escaped me until a friend bought it for my birthday. It took me long enough to read it, but as soon as I opened it, I couldn't put it down. Thankfully I had chosen to start reading it on a Friday evening. The sun was coming up on the Saturday when I finally put it down.

This is the point where I say, if you haven't seen the film, there will be spoilers. If you haven't read the book yet, I will do my best to keep the spoilers out, but I can't make any promises!

The story takes place a few weeks after the film. It's Spring Break. Keith Mars has been released from hospital although not yet back at work. Veronica has passed on the fancy job in New York (well, they may have passed on her after her film escapades) and she is back in Neptune looking after Mars Investigations while Keith gets back on his feet (longer, if she has her way). With the help of old pal Mac, now working at Mars Investigations with her, Veronica is busy looking for two missing girls.

In true Rob Thomas style, the story flows just like an episode of Veronica Mars. Living up to the reputation, the quality of plot is there too. The investigation takes centre stage, but keeping close company is the family dynamics. Spoiler alert Lianne is back. All the favourites are there - Wallace, Mac, Weevil, and even Dick make an appearance. For me, there was only one thing lacking. At the end of the film, Logan has left for the US Navy. During this story, the only interaction we see are through very brief Skype calls. That's probably my biggest gripe with the book. I love LoVe, and frankly, there wasn't enough of it. It's not just them being an adorable couple, it's the quips. Hell, I just missed Logan.

The characters, like the audience have aged. Ten years have passed since it aired, and Veronica has aged to match. One thing this allows the story to benefit from is a slightly more realistic dialogue. We have swearing, we have topics that are certainly older than PG-13, and for me it works. But as the storyline is maturing, so is Veronica.

I've always thought Veronica to be a great role model. She's sassy and she's brave. She tries to do the right thing, and she always tries her best. That's why it's interesting to see Veronica in this story. She nearly landed on her feet in New York, but choosing to stay has consequences - how are the bills going to be paid? While she's struggling with this, she's also struggling to find her feet in the PI business again. She's been out of it for a while, and even though old habits die hard, it's not as easy as it used to be. Then you have to add in the equation that she's now doing this by herself with no real backup. When you're a kid, you can get away with a lot more, and even in her toughest episodes, she was never really alone. Keith, Logan and Weevil have all but gone, and even Backup. This probably rings home the most when she goes undercover at a party hosted by Gutierrez, wearing little more than a bikini. I think the following scenes in the hospital with Wallace are a true show of how vulnerable she really is.


All in all, I really enjoyed this story, and the few flaws there were (lack of Logan, for one), were almost forgotten about by the end. Would I recommend it? Most definitely. (You would probably enjoy it if you weren't a Marshmallow too. Personally, I'd recommend you watch the series as well, but there you go.) I've already bought Mr. Kiss and Tell.

This is Logan reminding you: if you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask which seat, just get on. Sheryl Sandberg said that. So don’t leave a message. Go get on that rocket ship. Or, leave a message. Your call. Your decision will tell me a lot about you.

April update

I haven't updated for a while here, but thankfully, with good reason.

I've been busy writing book 2 - Angel and the Darkness, and I can happily report that it is finished. Well, in the sense that I've finished writing and sent it out to my wonderful beta readers. It won't actually be finished finished until the summer as it will still need editing. Either way, it's out of my hands for a while now.

So what am I doing now? Well, in the background, I'm plotting book 3 (title to be announced). I will be getting in touch with Amalia again for the next cover, and I will also be doing a book signing! Details of which are in the Events tab. Oh yes, I've been updating the website again - There's an Events section, and there's now an extras page for AiT.

There are two books awaiting reviews - one from the list below, and one not (darn you Jennifer L. Armentrout for releasing another book!). Oh, and I'm part way through two other books. Book reviews will be up over the next couple of weeks.

Wow, that's my news in one short blog post.

Book review: The Ruby Circle

The ruby circle (book 6 in the bloodlines series), richelle mead Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world. I was the person who loved the Vampire Academy. Since that release, the Vampire Academy series, and the spin-off series, Bloodlines, have been pre-ordered as soon as they were available.

Too many books, not enough time

My "to read" list is enormous. This is probably to do with the fact that I may have a book buying problem: 

Next book in the series? Pre-ordered.

Intriguing blurb? Ordered.

Pretty cover? Guilty - ordered.

Favourite author has a new book out / book I somehow missed? More money spent.

I also have the added problem of trying to write the next book, while working a day job and a few nights a week in a nightclub. I'm trying to fit a book in around it all.  And don't get me started on some of the releases this year.

So here's what's on my to read list. The first two have already been decided, but if you have any recommendations on what to prioritise after, I'd love the help on narrowing it down.

Richelle Mead's The Ruby Circle is currently being read. I loved the Bloodlines series, and this book is the final one.

Next up will be The Thousand Dollar Tan Line. I was one of the people who donated to the Veronica Mars Movie Kickstarter fund. I was bought this book in December. It's now February, and somehow I still haven't read it.
After that, I'm all ears.

(These are ordered alphabetically by title - nothing to do with preference!)