New Blog!

[Shaunna McLaren]

I've just started up a blog this week where I will be posting book reviews.

I read mostly YA, romance, paranormal and chick-lit - although I also broaden out towards classics and several other genres during the months of September - May as I am studying English Literature at University.

I'm happy to read most things within these genres, and may branch out a little - just provide me a synopsis and I can let you know if I'm interested!

I would prefer books in the .mobi format for my Kindle, though I will still accept other formats and print copies.

I hope there are people that are interested and have a bit of faith in me, even though I'm a bit of a newbie!


Blog: http://sfmscarletletters.blogspot.com/
Email: shaunnamclaren@hotmail.com

[J.A.]

Hey Shaunna -
always good for a review copy if you like the look of On Dark Shores! Cover link:

Have a nosey, and give me a shout if it appeals... Ebook and self-pubbed though, in case you have issues with either of those.

And welcome to the madhouse! In about 2 weeks you'll have a booklist as long as your arm, if other people's experience is anything to go by!
JAC

[Shaunna McLaren]

Hi there,

I'd definitely love a copy if you wouldn't mind, sounds really interesting - and I have no problem with either of those!

Oh dear, just as well I'm having a boring summer and looking for things to do, then! At least I can get my teeth straight into reviewing if that's the case!

Thanks for your reply!
Shaunna

[J.A.]

Cool, will message you the code. You enjoying the course? What texts have they got you studying?
JAC

[Cambria]

Hi Shaunna! Welcome to the blogging world!
Your blog is awesome and I tried to follow but I think your followers button might be down. Happens a lot on blogger. I will check back again and follow ASAP! I look forward to seeing you around in the group!

[Shaunna McLaren]

Thank you.

I've been enjoying it so far! I start my Honours years in September though, so the hard work will begin then! I've chosen Victorian Literature, Romance: Gawain to Le Guin, Romantic Literature and Literary Theory, so will be reading a mixture of texts in those periods/genres!

Should be interesting/terrifying! Haha!

Shaunna

[Shaunna McLaren]

Cambria wrote: "Hi Shaunna! Welcome to the blogging world!
Your blog is awesome and I tried to follow but I think your followers button might be down. Happens a lot on blogger. I will check back again and follow..."

Thank you so much, Cambria - I really appreciate the support!

I see you're one step ahead of me in the Becca Fitzpatrick line-up - I better get reading! Haha. :)

[Cambria]

Hahaha. Well, I know it says that I am reading Crescendo but I haven't started it. I actually read the first couple pages and got sidelined with the review books I was set to read and then I had to take Crescendo back to the library! LOL.
I have read Hush Hush though and I love it. I can't wait to get back to Crescendo!
Let me know how you like Hush Hush

[J.A.]

Ha, nice! If they touch on horror / madness / women in Victorian fiction, check out "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - tremendously creepy and fab short story!

I loved my Eng Lit, and my tutors used to grumble (but in a pleased kind of way) that I could never go for the obvious essay, but always came up with something off-kilter! But that's half the fun - and besides, one of them told me afterwards that they all liked to be kept on their toes, heheheh....
JAC

[Shaunna McLaren]

Haha oh dear, you sound busy, Cambria! I've probably let myself in for a shock here! I'll let you know about Hush, Hush!

J.A - I imagine they will touch on those topics; they always seem to go for marginally disturbing topics! Haha. You sound like my friend - she always writes these really strange essays, and picks out weird subjects, but she always gets really good marks because the tutors think her ideas are very unique!

[J.A.]

Well it's not a bad way to do it, so long as you have a valid argument to make. We did the Epics - Homer, Virgil, Milton et al and for one of the essays I found a question right at the bottom of the second page saying basically "Find a modern epic; compare and contrast" so I wrote about Homer, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars (the original 3 at the time)!

I did get a good mark - the tutor said that after reading 35 badly-researched maunderings on the subject of his pet classic authors, to have something else was such a change he really enjoyed it. He did add that if I wrote anything of the sort in the actual exam he might well fail me, but for a bit of mid-term light relief, it kept him amused and though tangential, was not without a cogent argument.

Then he told me about an essay some years ago where the student had got the wrong end of the stick rather... Homer uses certain stock phrases to refer to stuff because as an oral rhyme it was easier to fill the syllables correctly that way; so the sea is always "the wine-dark sea", Athena is always "white-armed Athena" and the Achaians (one of the terms he uses for the Greeks) are always "the well-greaved Achaians" - ie they have very well-made shin armour. (I guess it loses in the translation!)

Anyway, this one kid wrote a whole essay on how the Achaians were really cross when Paris stole Helen and took her to Troy, and you could tell as all the way through, Homer kept pointing out that the Achaians were well-grieved.....!

Dunno who that kid was, but I never hear of Homer without thinking of the Achaians all standing around on a street corner looking *really* fed-up!
JAC

[Jennifer]

Hey I think my short story "Rain Plays Barefoot" might be up your alley. I also have an Advanced Reader's Copy of "A Little Push" women's fic. They are both short stories, being sold as individual pieces by e-publishers.

Synopsis for "Rain":

It's seventh grade. Uncomfortable at thirteen, Rain watches as her friends morph into 'hair-flinging gossip mines' and the pressure mounts to get 'girlie' using curling irons and make-up. Utterly sick of the table talk revolving around 'boys, boys...freaking boys everywhere...,' she privately wishes that men didn't make up half of the population, so maybe her friends would talk about something else. The only girl percussionist in her Middle School's history, she finds she's surprisingly good at something she shouldn't be, and overwhelmingly flawed at everything else. Then she's cornered with a crush that threatens to turn her into a 'boy-crazy priss' and chip her status as 'one of the guys.' At the climax, she overhears a conversation, back behind the soda machines, that seriously challenges her standards. In short, she learns who she is, what she wants, and that she doesn't like to dance.

Synopsis for "A Little Push":

To Jess, it's a Friday morning like any other. The weather is freaking cold, Katie's nose junk is freezing to her face, and the boys are trying to kill each other. You know…typical stuff. After speeding her kids into their only vehicle she flips the key - the car won't start. Unfortunately, this is the least of her problems. Today isn't a normal Friday. Next, she finds out that her husband might loose his job. It's more than just a job though. It connects to everything. The bills, the furniture, her dreams. This dream, the one she's been saving for isn't about a vacation, or a new dress. She wants to visit her dying father for the last time. She's faced with a choice, one that no one should have to make. She has to choose between supporting her distraught parents, or securing that meager savings for her now unemployed family. How will she find the strength to do the right thing? Maybe it will come from the last place she expects. Maybe she just needs a little push.

Let me know if either of these interest you.

[Michelle]

Hi Shaunna! I like your blog, and am now following it. Whatever that means. I'm pretty new at this stuff, but there you go! Anyway, just wanted to say hello! :)

[Krisi]

Hi Shaunna,

I would love for you to review one or both of my books, if you'd be interested. I think they might be ones you would like because of your interest in Victorian and Romantic Lit. They are both a cross of paranormal and speculative fiction, written in a Romantic era style. The first book takes place in modern times, while the second is a "prequel" of sorts - Volume I of II - which takes place during the Middle Ages. Both are part of a planned four book series, but can be read independently of one another. If you are interested, you can message me with your e-mail and I can send one or both as a Kindle gift.

For more info on both books, you can read the book descriptions at these links:



Thanks so much!

Krisi Keley

[Mysti]

Hiya Shaunna, I'm always looking for reviews for my fantasy romance, A Ranger's Tale. If you're interested, I have a free .pdf available!

Mysti

[J.A.]

BTW, I never said, but thank you so much - great review!
JAC

[Catherine]

Hi Shaunna,

I'd be thrilled if you'd like to review my book, 'Elizabeth Clansham'. It's women's fiction / contemporary romance, and the main character is an English Literature teacher, so it might tie in with your studies!

You can download it for free from Smashwords, using the coupon code YF63F.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

There is a short synopsis on the SW site too.

Best wishes,
Catherine