"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #29

This "WIR" I'm reading a book I'm seriously on the fence about...

A Song For Josh by Susan Rodgers

Blurb:
MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL... 


Discovered while busking on the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Jessie Wheeler – once a teen runaway from Prince Edward Island - is now a popular singer-songwriter and actor. On the day her boyfriend Charlie proposes, he kicks an estranged friend - actor Josh Sawyer - out of his Club. Jessie sees something of herself reflected in Josh’s sorrowful chocolate brown eyes – a deep loneliness and angst. When a part on Josh’s new television series Drifters becomes available, Jessie can’t resist the temptation, despite the fact that taking the part threatens her engagement to Charlie. When a past nemesis, Deuce McCall, makes a tragic appearance in the city, Jessie’s turbulent past catches up with her, threatening any chance she has at a true and sustainable love. 

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think of it so far:
I picked this book for a very strange, secretive reason. A means of picking books that I've never revealed to anyone before... I picked this book because of the title. You see, my boyfriend's name is Josh, and I've found through many past experiences that reading books with either a character with the same name as my boyfriend in it (either a minor or main character) or the setting being my boyfriend's hometown turns out really good. I usually love those books. Usually. Hell, I even decided to give A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas a chance having never read anything by the author before simply because her husband's name is Josh and she dedicated the book to him. And I love that book and its sequel. 
*Dramatic Sigh*... Anyway, on to what I think of this book so far. I honestly am contemplating dropping this book. I'm really disappointed because I've been looking forward to reading this book since I downloaded it onto my Kindle. So far the story is slow going and hard to read. There are long paragraphs and little to no dialogue. As you read this book it is as if everything you're reading has happened in the past and the narration is telling it from a later time with vague foreshadowing thrown in. That initially didn't bother me but usually, when I read a book that's written that way eventually the story snaps back to the present time and we see what's happening to the character now. My Kindle says I'm only 9% into the book but it feels like I've read hundreds of pages instead of only - yikes- 27. At this rate, the book might as well be a thousand pages long. Besides that, the formatting of the ebook is not good. There should be a hard (page) break between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next but there doesn't seem to be any breaks in this book. Everything flows together. I just don't know if I have the patience to finish this book, which really saddens me. I'm going to try to stick it out to see where "Josh" fits into this story; maybe it will get better but I'm not entirely sure. If this book makes it out of the DNF stack I'll be surprised. 

Earlier this week I read the first book in a great series...

Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

Blurb:

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories. 

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life. 

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her. 

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

My Review:

After barely surviving a home invasion attack that took the lives of her parents and her twin brother Michael, 17-year-old Maryah moves cross country to Sedona to live with a godmother she’s never met before. 

Louise and her family are more than welcoming and their home is beautiful but Maryah misses her “real” family terribly and her dreams are filled with what she believes to be her “angel of death.” Feeling the push of her cousin and best friend, Krista, Maryah decides to stay in Arizona. 

At her new school Maryah makes friends with Faith, a friend of Louise’s family, a girl named April, and April’s rock star wannabe boyfriend, River. As she settles into her new life she still wishes that her sexy angel of death would whisk her away to be with her family in the afterlife. Until she comes face to face with her angel and realizes he’s not an angel at all… but Louise’s son Nathan. 

Nathan is not a stranger to Maryah, he’s her soul mate. They’re both Elements, humans who reincarnate with paranormal gifts. But Maryah doesn’t remember anything about their past lives together because at the end of her last life cycle she chose to erase her memories instead of retaining them. Nathan and his kindrily (eternal family) are at a loss as to why Maryah would choose to forget everyone that loves her and everything they’ve been through together. Fearing the worst, Nathan believes that Maryah’s memories of their lives together can never be restored, simply wiped away with her paranormal abilities. 

But Maryah’s powers may not truly be gone. Can Nathan keep Maryah away from harm before someone realizes that her power is still intact? Will Maryah regain the memories of her past lives? Does everyone in her life have her best interests at heart?

I really loved Gasping at Eternity. It was a mix of my favorite things, romance, paranormal abilities, and great writing; not to mention the cover is awesome. Nathan’s kindrily reminds me of a cross between the Cullens in the Twilight Saga (minus the vampire part) and Daniel’s friends and loved ones in Lauren Kate’s Fallen series in the way that they all look out for each other and love each other despite not actually being related by blood. I liked the constant struggle in Nathan and Maryah’s relationship with her reluctance to like him and his fear that she could never be the same again. Despite the ending I also really liked River. I wish the ending could have worked out better for him. As for the reincarnation aspect I thought the story portrayed it in a really cool and unique way and I really liked it. Overall I thought this book was unique and really fantastic. I recommend this book to all fans of young adult paranormal romance. 

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Rebel Pirate by Donna Thorland

The Rebel Pirate by Donna Thorland

Blurb:

1775, Boston Harbor. James Sparhawk, Master and Commander in the British Navy, knows trouble when he sees it. The ship he’s boarded is carrying ammunition and gold…into a country on the knife’s edge of war. Sparhawk’s duty is clear: confiscate the cargo, impound the vessel and seize the crew. But when one of the ship’s boys turns out to be a lovely girl, with a loaded pistol and dead-shot aim, Sparhawk finds himself held hostage aboard a Rebel privateer.

Sarah Ward never set out to break the law. Before Boston became a powder keg, she was poised to escape the stigma of being a notorious pirate’s daughter by wedding Micah Wild, one of Salem’s most successful merchants. Then a Patriot mob destroyed her fortune and Wild played her false by marrying her best friend and smuggling a chest of Rebel gold aboard her family’s ship.

Now branded a pirate herself, Sarah will do what she must to secure her family’s safety and her own future. Even if that means taking part in the cat and mouse game unfolding in Boston Harbor, the desperate naval fight between British and Rebel forces for the materiel of war—and pitting herself against James Sparhawk, the one man she cannot resist.

My Review: 

The Rebel Pirate begins as Captain James Sparhawk has finally caught up to and boarded the ship he's been chasing around Boston Harbor. The year is 1775 and the Revolutionary War has not yet begun so the British Navy, which James is a member of is still in charge over the colonists.

Aboard the Charming Sally James finds a French trunk full of Spanish gold, 150 tons of musket flint, and an incompetent dead captain. After tossing the flint overboard and confiscating the gold James attempts to take a young boy into service for the British Navy. The boy next to the one he intends to take turns out to be a beautiful woman who will do anything to save her brother, even take a British Navy Captain hostage. 

Sarah Ward is the daughter of a pirate and the spurned ex-fiancee of the man who forced her family to carry the contraband on the ship in the first place. Taking a Navy Captain hostage was never part of the plan and finding him attractive is the last thing she needs.

For James the attraction is mutual and soon he'll do anything to keep Sarah from harm. But with a secret past of his own he doesn't want to allow himself to have what he desires most. Will he be able to keep Sarah safe and out of dangerous hands? 

I liked this book but I didn't find it "blow my mind" amazing. I don't usually read books set during the American Revolution but the description interested me a lot. The writing definitely takes you back to colonial Boston, when I close my eyes I can see it, smell it, taste it, so I give the author credit there. At times found the book dull and I had to skip ahead a little but I loved the relationship between James and Sarah. I saw the instant attraction. For me it was hard to keep who was on what side straight; rebels, colonists, loyalists, Americans, British, Englishmen/women. Were the colonists actually called Americans before the Revolution? Were the people called Englishmen/women loyal to the British or the colonists? It was a bit confusing at times but maybe that's just me. Anyway, this is a good read for fans of historical fiction, especially people with an interest in the Revolutionary War era.
My Rating: 3.90 of 5 Stars

10 Bookish Tattoos That Give Me Serious Tattoo Envy

                 There are few things I love more than or as much as books: my grandmother, my boyfriend, iced tea, oh... and TATTOOS! And when you combine my love for books and tattoos? That's magic my friends. Here are some bookish tattoos that give me serious tattoo envy...

1.  Watercolor Stack of Books

2. I love this play on a George R.R. Martin quote

3. This is a seriously awesome tattoo inspired by the cover of The Great Gatsby!

4. One of my favorite lines from Pride & Prejudice 

5. Wow, just wow. 

6. My favorite Alice in Wonderland Tat

7. Gotta love some Poe

8. A Book Quote Tree

Via: tattoolit.com

9. No Matter How You Feel About Twilight, this tattoo is amazing...

10. A Morganville Vampires Series-Inspired Tattoo

Disclaimer: All photos were found on Pinterest or Google. This post was created merely for my (and your) visual enjoyment of some great book-inspired ink. 

COVER REVEAL: THE GREAT PURSUIT BY WENDY HIGGINS

             It is my great honor to reveal the cover artwork for the much-anticipated sequel to The Great Hunt -- The Great Pursuit by NY Times Bestselling Author Wendy Higgins...

Blurb:

Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.

*****

THE GREAT PURSUIT is the sequel to The Great Hunt, and final book in the Eurona Duology and it will be available March 7, 2017 from HarperTeen!

Add THE GREAT PURSUIT to your Goodreads TBR List Today!

Bonus!

Book one in the Eurona Duology, THE GREAT HUNT, is currently on sale for $3.99 in eBook! Pick up your copy today and get caught up on this fantastic duology! 

Kindle

Nook

*****

About the Author:

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology The Great Hunt, and her independently published Irish fantasy, See Me. She is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and doggie Rue. 

Wendy earned a bachelor's in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University. 

Connect with Wendy Higgins online:

Like Wendy on FACEBOOK

Follow Wendy on TWITTER

Follow Wendy on INSTAGRAM         

**Blogger's note: OMG isn't that cover beautiful?!?! I love it! I can't wait to read The Great Pursuit and I hope you all will check it out too!***

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #28

                 What an interesting reading week this has been. I've worked at a Victorian-era Renaissance Fair with two girls with family issues, went back to the early 1900s and grieved alongside a woman who lost her only child then went mad, and now I'm on a rebel pirate ship outside Boston in 1775 just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War...

The Rebel Pirate by Donna Thorland

Blurb:
1775, Boston Harbor. James Sparhawk, Master and Commander in the British Navy, knows trouble when he sees it. The ship he’s boarded is carrying ammunition and gold…into a country on the knife’s edge of war. Sparhawk’s duty is clear: confiscate the cargo, impound the vessel and seize the crew. But when one of the ship’s boys turns out to be a lovely girl, with a loaded pistol and dead-shot aim, Sparhawk finds himself held hostage aboard a Rebel privateer.

Sarah Ward never set out to break the law. Before Boston became a powder keg, she was poised to escape the stigma of being a notorious pirate’s daughter by wedding Micah Wild, one of Salem’s most successful merchants. Then a Patriot mob destroyed her fortune and Wild played her false by marrying her best friend and smuggling a chest of Rebel gold aboard her family’s ship.


Now branded a pirate herself, Sarah will do what she must to secure her family’s safety and her own future. Even if that means taking part in the cat and mouse game unfolding in Boston Harbor, the desperate naval fight between British and Rebel forces for the materiel of war—and pitting herself against James Sparhawk, the one man she cannot resist.

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think of it so far:
So there I was in the middle of the fiction section of Half Price Books searching for a copy of Leo Tolstoy's War & Peace. As I'm searching the "T"s I spot an intriguing looking spine standing out from the other books, so I knelt down and there was The Rebel Pirate. I love historical fiction, especially historical romance, so I left good old Tolstoy behind and picked up The Rebel Pirate instead. 
"The gold was Spanish, the chest was French, the ship was American, and the captain was dead."
With an opening line like that, how could you not want to keep reading? I'm immediately drawn onto the Charming Sally as if the ship were real and I was a mouse in the corner watching the first exchange between Sparhawk and Sarah. The sparks are flying and I can tell that this story has potential to be a really great read. I haven't read many books set in the Revolutionary-era but I'm really enjoying this story. I can't wait to see where it goes...

Now on to those other interesting reads since last week...

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

Blurb:
West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara's fate, she discovers that she's not the only person who's desperately looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.


What I Thought of This Book:
There is no greater love than a mother's love. A mother will do anything for their child, go to any length. And if that mother were to lose that child? She'd do anything to have that child back, even though the consequences may be deadly. That's the message I gather from The Winter People. 

Sara Harrison Shea loved her daughter more than life. After multiple miscarriages and a son dead at only a few months old, Sara finally gave birth to her miracle child, Gertie. She loved that child more than she loved anyone else, even her husband Martin. 

When Gertie follows her father into the woods on a winter day and disappears only to show up dead the next day Sara finally snaps. In her madness, she decides to awaken her daughter from the dead using the instructions her beloved Auntie (a part native American witch) left her on how to awaken sleepers. 

In doing so she begins a chain of events that will eventually end in her "death." 

More than one hundred years later 19-year-old Ruthie's mother is missing. In search for her mother, she comes across two wallets belonging to a man and a woman she's never seen before... or has she? Along with the wallets, Ruthie and her six-year-old sister Fawn find a gun and a book about Sara Harrison Shea. 

This discovery will have Ruthie learning things about herself beyond her understanding and the hunt for her mother will merge with two other women's search for the truth and for the missing pages of Sara Harrison Shea's diary. 

I really liked this book, even the parts that left me with a creepy feeling like I didn't want to turn off the lights at night. The story overall reminds me heavily of The Legend of Lucy Keys, of a mother so in love with her missing child she never stopped looking for the child until her dying breath. But unlike The Legend of Lucy Keys, Sara had her child and killed to keep her happy. This book shows the strong bond between mother and child through the many different characters, although I thought the Katherine character was a little unnecessary. Sure, Gary was her husband and he held a crucial role in solving the mystery but she was just asking for trouble. And how does that make her any better than Candace? Also, was "Auntie" really Sara's Aunt? The book mentions Sara's mother's sister Prudence coming to talk to Sara's father to get him to send Auntie away but if Auntie was Sara's mother's sister wouldn't that also be Prudence's sister? Surely she couldn't be Sara's father's sister if they were sleeping together...


This book is perfect for anyone looking for a gripping, creepy historical mystery filled with unbelievable twists and turns. Don't start this book unless you have all night to finish it because you won't want to put it down until the final page has been read.
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

as you've probably seen this week I also read...

Victorian by Jordan Elizabeth

Blurb:
Celeste struggles with finding her way from a dark past until she gets a summer volunteer gig at the local historical fair. Enter outrageous actors, dominating psychics, and ghosts stirred by a medium’s presence. 



With the help of the psychic’s son, who isn’t at all what her dream date would look like but rather endearing all the same, Celeste uncovers secrets about the village left hidden amongst the dilapidated buildings. Searching deeper will mean opening her heart, a part of her she’s locked up tight and been petrified of freeing.

What I Thought of this Book:
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Of the books I've read by this author, this is one of my favorites. I liked the idea of the Festival and the history of the village the festival is set at.

We meet the two main characters Weronika and Aeltye "Celeste" when they meet at a teen therapy group. Weronika likes to push the envelope while Celeste is kind of mousy and skittish. Both girls have dark pasts they don't want to talk about but each handles those problems differently. Weronika acts out to tick her family off while Celeste clings to her grandfather like a safety blanket and hovers over her younger brother who has "selective mutism."

As the story progresses the two girls take jobs at a Victorian-era style Renaissance Fair held on the grounds of a historic village. But the village is haunted and Celeste sees ghosts everywhere. 

Taking it upon herself Celeste decides to help the ghosts and solve the mystery of how everyone died with the help of a guy named Zander, the son of the festival's transgender "spiritual healer." 

Meanwhile, Weronika struggles with her demons and struggles to perform her duties at the festival. 

Will Celeste and Zander solve the mystery? Will working at the festival help Celeste and Weronika heal? Will they still be friends after the dark secrets they hide are revealed?

I liked this book but a lot of the chapters were in Celeste's perspective and I would have liked to see more in Weronika's perspective. Another thing I noticed was it seemed like everything was jammed in at the end; the resolve of the ghost issue, the reveal of Celeste and Weronika's pasts, and a major curve ball regarding Celeste's grandfather were all in the last few chapters. 

At the end of the book I, a romantic at heart, hope that after the story ended Zander and Celeste got together, Nate and Weronika stayed together, and Weronika either had a better home life or emancipated herself to get away from those jerkoffs masquerading as parents.


My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

BOOK REVIEW: Victorian by Jordan Elizabeth

Victorian by Jordan Elizabeth

Blurb:

Celeste struggles with finding her way from a dark past until she gets a summer volunteer gig at the local historical fair. Enter outrageous actors, dominating psychics, and ghosts stirred by a medium’s presence. 

With the help of the psychic’s son, who isn’t at all what her dream date would look like but rather endearing all the same, Celeste uncovers secrets about the village left hidden amongst the dilapidated buildings. Searching deeper will mean opening her heart, a part of her she’s locked up tight and been petrified of freeing.

My Review:

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Of the books I've read by this author this is one of my favorites. I liked the idea of the Festival and the history of the village the festival is set at.

We meet the two main characters Weronika and Aeltye "Celeste" when they meet at a teen therapy group. Weronika likes to push the envelope while Celeste is kind of mousy and skittish. Both girls have dark pasts they don't want to talk about but each handles those problems differently. Weronika acts out to tick her family off while Celeste clings to her grandfather like a safety blanket and hovers over her younger brother who has "selective mutism."

As the story progresses the two girls take jobs at a Victorian-era style Renaissance Fair held on the grounds of a historic village. But the village is haunted and Celeste sees ghosts everywhere. 

Taking it upon herself Celeste decides to help the ghosts and solve the mystery of how everyone died with the help of a guy named Zander, the son of the festival's transgender "spiritual healer." 

Meanwhile Weronika struggles with her demons and struggles to perform her duties at the festival. 

Will Celeste and Zander solve the mystery? Will working at the festival help Celeste and Weronika heal? Will they still be friends after the dark secrets they hide are revealed?

I liked this book but a lot of the chapters were in Celeste's perspective and I would have liked to see more in Weronika's perspective. Another thing I noticed was it seemed like everything was jammed in at the end; the resolve of the ghost issue, the reveal of Celeste and Weronika's pasts, and a major curve ball regarding Celeste's grandfather were all in the last few chapters. 

At the end of the book I, a romantic at heart, hope that after the story ended Zander and Celeste got together, Nate and Weronika stayed together, and Weronika either had a better home life or emancipated herself to get away from those jerkoffs masquerading as parents.

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Victorian goes on sale June 24, 2016

Barnes and Noble vs. Amazon: A Book Shopper's Dilemma

             There's a new book coming out that you really want to read. Or maybe it is a book that's been out for a while and you just now have a little extra spending money to buy books with. The question is: do you walk into the nearest Barnes and Noble store and get it or do you buy it directly from Amazon? A few factors may play into your decision-making process...

1. Barnes and Noble's Store Inventory vs. Amazon's Vast Warehouse

I don't know about you but my nearest Barnes and Noble store in Appleton, Wisconsin doesn't have a great selection. Sure, if you want the new top-of-the-New-York-Times-Bestseller-List book by authors like Stephen King, Nora Roberts, or Danielle Steel you'll probably be able to find what you are looking for. But what about if you're looking for a newer or less well-known author or a book by an author the store doesn't stock often? You might not be able to find what you're looking for. 

Recently, I decided I wanted to get the last Rosemary Beach Novel, Up In Flames, by Abbi Glines that's coming out on June 28th. This was a no-brainer decision for me on the B&N vs. Amazon front. My local Barnes and Noble has had the same copy of "When You're Gone" by Abbi Glines on its shelf for the last 8 or so months. I'm not kidding... it is the same book! And that is the only Abbi Glines book they have in the entire store, even though at least three books by that author have come out since that book's release! So yeah, I'm pretty sure they won't have Up In Flames on their shelves come June 28th. 

2. Is the book you want by an Indie Author?

Since Barnes and Noble doesn't (in most cases) shelve print books by Indie Authors in their brick-and-mortar stores your options are reduced to: a) Have them ship it to the store (at no cost to you, but what if you don't live just around the corner from the nearest store?), b) Order it from their website and have it shipped to you, or c) order directly from Amazon.

As both an Indie Author and a fan of a lot of Indie Authors, it's really disappointing to me that I can't buy books by some of my favorite authors at my local Barnes and Noble. Sometimes you luck out and an indie author's local B&N will sell copies of their books in store; but really, how often do you find that you live in the same city as your favorite indie author? 

Barnes and Noble's website brings me to my next point...

3. Ordering from BarnesandNoble.com vs. Amazon.com

I've ordered books from Barnes and Noble's website for years. I've come to find that most of the time books sold online are priced lower than the in-store price, and that's on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble's website. But then you have to figure how quickly you'll get the book you want...

I have a Barnes and Noble member card so I'm entitled to free 1-3 day shipping. Amazon offers the same thing with Amazon Prime, but I don't have a Prime subscription. What I've noticed however is that I can order something from Barnes and Noble with my "free shipping" option which is supposed to arrive in 1-3 days after it is shipped out and still be waiting 7 days after my book has shipped. Amazon, on the other hand, gives you a longer timeline if you don't have the free shipping option but I've still gotten my order 2 or 3 days after I ordered! Why would you use the Express Shipping from Barnes and Noble when the Standard Shipping from Amazon gets it there quicker?!?!

4. Barnes and Noble Coupons can't be used on Online Preorder Orders

Yeah, I didn't realize that until recently either. Let's say you got a 20% off coupon in the mail for being a Barnes and Noble Member Card holder. There are restrictions on the back that exclude certain items in the store or online, one of which being preorders. 

Meanwhile, on Amazon, you may not get coupons for money off but they have a price guarantee when you preorder something that if the price lowers on or before the release date you'll get the item at the lowest price! 

I know some people feel strongly about Amazon or Barnes and Noble, either you love them or hate them. I've shopped at both over the years but I'm just finding that I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for sometimes when I go into an actual Barnes and Noble store which has driven up my online shopping on Amazon. I mean why drive 40 miles to the nearest Barnes and Noble looking for one specific book that you find out they don't have in stock after you've driven that distance? Isn't it just easier to save time and money and just order the book you want on Amazon and get it in a couple days? With the money you save you can always go over to your nearest Half Price Books and buy a bunch of older books you've been looking for at a lower price! It's a win-win!

What about you? Do you have a preference to shopping at Barnes and Noble stores or using Amazon's website? Let me know in the comments!

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #27

                This "WIR" Wednesday I'm reading S.L. Beaumont's latest novel from the Carlswick Mystery Series...

The Carlswick Conspiracy by S.L. Beaumont

Blurb:

Stephanie Cooper joins her rock guitarist boyfriend James Knox in New York for the final week of his band’s tour. But The Fury's success has attracted unwanted attention and Stephanie’s research project at a New York museum puts her on a collision course with an old adversary. From the glitzy modern-day bars and clubs of Manhattan to the gritty Lower East Side tenements of the 1940s, Stephanie tries to keep one step ahead of an increasingly desperate faceless blackmailer as she traces the final legacy of wartime Nazi art liberator, Karl Hoffman. As events spiral out of control Stephanie becomes the unwitting accomplice in a major deception and she and James are forced into a fight for their lives.

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think Of It So Far:

I picked this book because I really liked the first book and at the time of purchase I hadn't read the second book yet. I love the history that's always woven into these stories because I find that really interesting. And I love the relationship between Stephanie and James. For some reason though the last book seemed to drag for me. I'm hoping this book will be different, especially now that I'm done with my latest novel and have more time to devote to reading. So we'll wait and see...

My Writing Process

                  One of my grandmother's favorite things to ask as she's proofing one of my manuscripts is, "Where do you come up with these ideas?" Naturally I shrug and say, "I don't know." My thought process is probably like a lot of other writers... something like this...

A story always starts with An Idea.

When I get an idea for a story, whether it's a basic plan for a story or just an opening line I have to get it written down immediately.  When this happens don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't interrupt me to make you a sandwich! I am in the writing zone and in that moment, I feel like a genius so if I'm scribbling on a napkin or post-it note or frantically typing a note on my phone the best suggestion is to let me be until I'm ready to resume normal life. 

Next Comes The Who, The How, and The Why.

Not necessarily right away, but when I'm ready to begin writing the story idea I've come up with I begin doing some preliminary outlining. Character names, setting, and time period  usually get chosen at this time, although names have been known to change throughout the course of the story. In Out of Darkness mean girl Julie was originally named Keira before I decided it resembled Arianthe's boyfriend Keiran's name too much. Thus, a name change occurred. 

After the first basic details get sorted out I start the fun/torturous part: WRITING.

In the beginning, everything is great. My fingers fly over the keyboard or in the alternative if I'm writing my story by hand then typing it, my pen flies over the paper and page after page gets filled with words. 

Sometimes after the initial idea begins to fade I hit a rut and this happens...

This is known as "Writer's Block", the most horrible of afflictions known to writers. When a writer feels...

When I hit a block I usually try to list out what I want to happen in the next section of my work-in-progress (WIP).

A lot of Note-Taking also goes into my writing process. I can't always have my WIP with me (especially if it's a word doc.) and so when an idea strikes I'll scribble a note on anything I have handy. Whether it's readable is another matter.

Finally after the writer's block ends I'm back to writing like a maniac. Then, after many, many months or even years and many repetitions of the writer's block/unblock process and days filled with sore fingers and ink stained hands the first draft is finished! 

After that comes the sucky part: Revisions.

Hopefully, some of my favorite parts won't get cut in the process. Usually, for me revisions just mean adding things to sections that came as afterthoughts or clearing up thoughts that are a bit undefined. Trust me, you'll bleed as if you've been injured when you have to cut much-loved passages. 

After several rounds of revisions, proofreading, and editing (both self-editing and having someone else edit your manuscript) then viola! My manuscript is ready to go into the publishing process! 

BOOK REVIEW: The Requiem Red by Brynn Chapman

I spent all Wednesday evening finishing my "WIR"-Wednesday book, The Requiem Red by Brynn Chapman. Here's the review I posted on Amazon and Goodreads:

The Requiem Red by Brynn Chapman

Blurb:

Life for patient 29 is full of medicated daydreams of a life outside the walls of Soothing Hills Asylum. But fantasies are not all that consume her. A monster roams the halls of the sanitarium she reluctantly calls home and three girls have been found dead. The dead girls share one common thread . . . each was 29's cell mate. As the investigation gets under way, she retreats into her mind, listening to the voices that call to her. She is endowed with the cursed gift of perception. Through it, she hears messages carried upon the notes of music, discerns words hidden among the strokes of paintings, and minds pleadings for help from the corn field outside. Could the key to the murders lie within 29's broken mind? Mason, an orderly, does not see 29 as a lunatic and as his belief in her grows so does her self-confidence. The possibility of one day leaving the asylum seems less and less like a fantasy. But the monster has other plans for her. Leaving will not be so easy, at least not while she is alive.

My Review:

A Page-Turning Must Read

The blurb of this book, as well as the beautiful cover, is what drew me to this book. I love books set in asylums, especially those set in times when humanity still performed horrifying acts, such as lobotomies, on people who had nobody to speak for them or defend them from such atrocities.

19-year-old Jane (Patient 29) has no hope for a life outside of the Soothing Hills Asylum. As a life-long resident, the asylum is all she knows as doctors have deemed her insane for the music she hears in her head. The cruel Dr. Frost subjects her to his cruel punishments and experiments and rules over the asylum with an iron fist while kind, compassionate Dr. Grayjoy encourages her music and artwork. Her only friend is Patient Twenty, Kate, who was dumped in the asylum when her husband decided to trade her in for a younger woman. Then Jane meets Mason, an orderly that sees her and not her supposed illness and for the first time, Jane believes there is life outside the asylum. But is Mason her salvation? Or does he have ulterior motives for being at the asylum?

On the outside, 19-year-old Jules Frost lives as just as much of a prisoner as Jane. Her father, the cruel Dr. Frost, dictates every aspect of her life, how she dresses, when she practices her music, and even who she is to marry. She soon is defying her father's orders and helping out at the asylum where she sees the unfortunate side of life where people are sent when the people that are supposed to love them get tired of them. At the asylum, Jules meets the handsome Dr. Grayjoy and she's immediately drawn to him. But could he ever love her?

Dr. Jonathan Grayjoy sees the cruel way that his colleague Dr. Frost treats the patients of the Soothing Hills Sanatorium, especially patient 29, whom Dr. Grayjoy is infatuated with. The closer he gets to Jane's case the more volatile Dr. Frost gets which makes Grayjoy determined to unravel the mystery of Jane's past and the real reason she was sent away to Soothing Hills.

There is a monster roaming the halls of Soothing Hills Sanatorium. Patients have gone missing, never to be seen again, and three were Jane's roommate. Can anyone solve the mystery and stop the disappearances?

The Requiem Red is an amazing novel, I was drawn in from the first page and found myself unable to put the book down. I had to know what would happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that grips you from the first page and keeps you going until the very end.

My only question is: is this book going to have a sequel? The ending seems to lead the way to a next installment. Either way, it was an excellent read!

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #26

This "WIR" Wednesday I'm reading a great book that I won from a blog tour on Good Choice Reading's website...

The Requiem Red by Brynn Chapman

Blurb:

Life for patient 29 is full of medicated daydreams of a life outside the walls of Soothing Hills Asylum. But fantasies are not all that consume her. A monster roams the halls of the sanitarium she reluctantly calls home and three girls have been found dead. The dead girls share one common thread . . . each was 29's cell mate. As the investigation gets under way, she retreats into her mind, listening to the voices that call to her. She is endowed with the cursed gift of perception. Through it, she hears messages carried upon the notes of music, discerns words hidden among the strokes of paintings, and minds pleadings for help from the corn field outside. Could the key to the murders lie within 29's broken mind? Mason, an orderly, does not see 29 as a lunatic and as his belief in her grows so does her self-confidence. The possibility of one day leaving the asylum seems less and less like a fantasy. But the monster has other plans for her. Leaving will not be so easy, at least not while she is alive.

Why I Chose This Book / What I Think So Far:

The blurb and the beautiful cover drew me to this book. I was lucky enough to be one of the five winners to receive an ebook copy of this book from the Good Choice Reading leg of the blog tour for this book. I finally got my hands on my copy about a week ago and I couldn't wait to begin reading. This story immediately drew me in and I wanted to keep reading. With each page, you want to know what Jane's (Patient 29's) fate will be. Will she ever be able to leave the Soothing Hills Asylum? Will she and Mason get together? What about Jules? Will she ever be free of her father? Who or what is killing people in the asylum? I have a few strong hunches about the ending and a twist I see unfolding I just haven't puzzled out the why or the how yet. I can't wait to get back to reading this book, it's definitely an addicting page-turner that I highly recommend! 

The only suggestion that I can give is at certain points the story changes from different character perspectives and while some sections are clearly marked others aren't labeled as to who's perspective the section is in so you have to kind of guess until you find a clear indicator as to if it is in Jules's, Jane's or Grayson's perspective. 

Early Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!

9 Summer Beach Reads You'll Want to Add to You TBR List NOW!

                June is finally here and I know you're as anxious to pack up your beach bags and head to the beach as I am. But wait -- what will you read while you're sitting on the beach getting tan? 
               I've compiled this list of new and upcoming summer reads to help you (and me) get through the summer! 

9 Summer Beach Reads You'll Want to Add to Your TBR List Today!

1. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Blurb:

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Who This Book Is For:

Fantasy Lovers, you will love this sequel to Sarah J. Maas's highly addictive book, A Court of Thorns and Roses. I loved this book and I didn't want to put it down. This book will have you gripping your beach towel and rapidly flipping pages to see what will happen next. 

Release Date: May 3, 2016 

Find on Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Get a SIGNED COPY HERE (Deadline 6/6/2016)

2. The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Blurb:
For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory "Mouse" Dodge, it's a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. 
Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone--spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she's imagined, there's one she never dreamed of--that she'd run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn't seen since childhood, on her very first day. 

It doesn't take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she's not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider's life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out--for the people she loves, the life she wants and the truths that need to be heard.

Who This Book Is For:
Fans of contemporary YA fiction. The blurb for this book really captivates me and I look forward to reading this book when I get tired of reading Fantasy and Paranormal Romance this summer. I love Jennifer L. Armentrout's books so I'm sure I'll love this one too.
Release Date: May 17, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

3. The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

Blurb:
Eleven years ago, six kindergartners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.


Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are . . . fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max--the only one who hasn't come back. Which leaves Max's sister, Avery, wanting answers. She wants to find her brother--dead or alive--and isn't buying this whole memory-loss story. But as details of the disappearance begin to unfold, no one is prepared for the truth.

Who This Book Is For:
Anyone that wants to uncover a mystery. - Wow this book sounds great. I'm eager to find out what happened when the six children went away. Where have they been all this time? It sounds like a promising read. I read one book by this author previously and I really enjoyed it but it was in a different genre than this one; regardless this sounds like a great book to throw into my beach bag and read this summer. 
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

4. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Blurb:
The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.


Like that could go wrong

Who This Book Is For:
Fans of Historical Fiction - With a twist. I love historical fiction but sometimes it needs to be livened up a little. This books sounds like it does just that! 
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

5. Escape from Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Blurb:
In this terrifying prequel novel to the New York Times bestselling Asylum series, a teen is wrongfully committed to the Brookline psychiatric hospital and must find a way out—before he becomes the next victim of the evil warden’s experiments.

The nightmare is just beginning.

Ricky Desmond has been through this all before. If he could just get through to his mother, he could convince her that he doesn’t belong at Brookline. From the man who thinks he can fly to the woman who killed her husband, the other patients are nothing like him; all he did was lose his temper just a little bit, just the once. But when Ricky is selected by the sinister Warden Crawford for a very special program—a program that the warden claims will not cure him but perfect him—Ricky realizes that he may not be able to wait for his mom a second longer. With the help of a sympathetic nurse and a fellow patient, Ricky needs to escape now.


Set long before Dan, Abby, and Jordan ever walked the hallways of the Brookline asylum—back when it was still a functioning psych ward and not a dorm—Escape from Asylum is a mind-bending and scary installment in the Asylum series that can stand on its own for new readers or provide missing puzzle pieces for series fans.

Who This Book Is For:
YA Horror Readers and Fans of the Asylum Series.  As you know, I selected Catacomb (Asylum #3) for my upcoming books fall 2015 so you know that I love these books. I can't wait to read the prequel.
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

6. Up In Flames by Abbi Glines

Blurb:
Spoiled. Selfish. Rich girl. Villain. Slut.

As the Prada-clad bad girl of Rosemary Beach, Nan Dillon has been called every vile name under the hot summer sun. Some of her reputation is deserved—she’s never had to worry about anything but maintaining her perfect figure and splitting Daddy’s private jet with her brother, Rush. 

But Nan is far from happy. Rush has another kid on the way and doesn’t have time to catch up with his sister. Grant, the last guy she truly cared about, chose to be with her half-sister, Harlow, instead of her. And Harlow, who has never gotten over the way Nan treated her when she first moved to town, remains distant.

So when Major asks her out, she jumps at the chance to date the gorgeous charmer. Though she doesn’t know much about the sweet-talking Texan, and though it’s clear he doesn’t want to be exclusive, dating him beats hanging out with vapid socialites or watching Netflix alone at home.

For a while, Nan deals with Major’s playboy ways, but after he burns her one too many times, she takes off for an impromptu wild weekend in Vegas. There, she meets Gannon, a darkly seductive and oh-so-dangerous businessman who knows exactly how to handle her.


With Major asking for a second chance and Gannon haunting her dreams, Nan has to decide who to give her heart to. But what she doesn’t realize is that these players are involved in a much bigger game—and they’re already two moves ahead of her.

Who This Book Is For:
Anyone looking for a breezy summer read. I have mixed emotions about this book. On one hand the Rosemary Beach Series is (finally!) ending but on the other hand it is ending with Nan (ugh!). The main reason I want to read this book? To see if uber bitch Nan can be redeemed. Let's see what you can do Abbi...
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

7. A Girl Called Dust by V.B. Marlowe

Blurb:
Arden Moss doesn't know how to be the normal girl her mother wants her to be. She does know that she has an insatiable craving for meat and that she howls and scratches at her bedroom floor at night. Arden has something living inside of her that isn't human. 


When she meets Fletcher Whitelock, she learns things about herself that she can't believe. As if these new discoveries aren't enough, a vicious creature is terrorizing the town of Everson Woods. Fletcher thinks Arden may be responsible for the gruesome deaths, but Arden knows that can't be true. She and Fletcher must find the beast responsible for the killings before Arden takes the fall. Will they find the culprit in time, or will Arden have to pay the ultimate price for crimes she hasn't committed?

Who This Book Is For:
Fantasy and Mythology Readers. I voted for this book for Kindle Scout and was happy to find out that despite it not being picked for Kindle Scout, the author is releasing it at the end of the month in Kindle Format. The blurb really grabbed me and I can't wait to read this book, plus the cover is gorgeous! 
Release Date: June 30, 2016
Find it on: Amazon

8. Victorian by Jordan Elizabeth

Blurb:
Celeste struggles with finding her way from a dark past until she gets a summer volunteer gig at the local historical fair. Enter outrageous actors, dominating psychics, and ghosts stirred by a medium’s presence. 


With the help of the psychic’s son, who isn’t at all what her dream date would look like but rather endearing all the same, Celeste uncovers secrets about the village left hidden amongst the dilapidated buildings. Searching deeper will mean opening her heart, a part of her she’s locked up tight and been petrified of freeing.

Who This Book Is For:
Paranormal and Fantasy Fans. I love Jordan Elizabeth's books and this one sounds really good. 
Release Date: June 24, 2016
Add it to your TBR List on: Goodreads

9. Unknown by Wendy Higgins

Blurb:
Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.


When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technological communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have. 

Who This Book Is For:
YA, NA, Sci-fi, and Dystopian Fans. Wendy Higgins is one of my favorite authors so I'm eager to give Unknown a chance! 
Release Date: August 16, 2016
Add it to your TBR List on Goodreads

Bonus...
Don't forget to check out my latest release for a great summer beach read!

10. Out of Darkness by Taylor Fenner (that's me!)

Blurb:
Enter the clearing and your life will change forever… 

Seventeen-year-old Lizette Weatherly’s life is about to change forever. 

Lizette is a girl who really can’t catch a break. Her parents are overprotective of her and her peers are afraid of her. 

Two centuries ago Lizette's ancestor Jacob and his family disappeared without a trace. All that were found were bloody clothes and mysterious symbols etched into the ground in a clearing near their old house. 

Lizette’s family have been ostracized by the people in the nearby city of Marquette, Michigan ever since. Lizette spends most of her time alone with her old set of tarot cards in her house back in the woods where the sun never shines; until one night when she wanders off into the woods and stumbles upon a group of hooded figures standing around a bonfire. 

Lizette soon learns that everything she knew is a lie. She and her family are really descended from a long line of creatures called Eternals, possessing paranormal powers, and she may be the most powerful Eternal alive. For the first time in her life, Lizette has friends and potentially a boyfriend in shifter Thierry. But Bryan, the leader of her generation of the Eternals, is power hungry and he will do anything to absorb Lizette’s power. 


A battle is brewing and Lizette will have to join together with the other Eternals to overpower Bryan. But when a mysterious prophecy is revealed and her fate becomes entwined with shy, brooding, secretive Luke, Lizette begins to question: who can she really trust and who really has her heart? What will happen when it’s time to step out of the darkness? 

Who This Book Is For:
YA Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Readers. 

What readers are saying about Out of Darkness:

"Get ready to become addicted to the next big young adult trilogy. Out of Darkness is a perfect blend of romance, paranormal creatures, and magic." - Goodreads 5-Star Review

"This book was a highly entertaining read and I recommend it to everyone that likes a good paranormal/fantasy novel. It has everything, including a little romance and the main character is refreshingly different!" - Reviews by Alice @ Goodreads 5-Star Review

"I loved this book, it's my favorite by Taylor Fenner so far. It has a lot of depth and it keeps you engrossed in the storyline." - Goodreads 5-Star Review

Release Date: April 5, 2016
Find it here:
Kindle US: http://amzn.com/B01BGDETG0
Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BGDETG0
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-darkness-taylor-fenner/1123382993?ean=2940152610543
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/OutOfD
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/612853
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/out-of-darkness/id1082039074?mt=11
Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1523900334
Createspace Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5985720

Lulu Hardcover: http://www.lulu.com/shop/taylor-fenner/out-of-darkness/hardcover/product-22635242.html

Happy Reading This Summer!