Top Ten Tuesday–Switching Places

hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Characters I’d Switch Places With for 24 Hours

1. Dany from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. I’d like to have dragons, but mostly, I’d like to get her out of the desert and stop her from making stupid decisions. And I’d get Ser Jorah back.

2. Hermione from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I think it would be awesome to be involved in all the crazy adventures at Hogwarts.

3. Milo from The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. The world that he entered is still the coolest place in fiction to me. I’d love to hang out with Tock and rescue Rhyme and Reason to restore order!

4. Sookie from the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I would love to be in a world where vampires exist along with fairies and shifters. And I’d like to see what it’s like to read minds.

5. Anyone from the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Either Percy himself or any other of the demigod kids. How could would it be to be a demigod?

6. Tally from the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I’d like to think I’d make better choices. Or maybe I’d be Shea since I don’t like her, either. Maybe I’d be more useful to Tally.

7. Pam from the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I know I already put Sookie, but then I thought, I’d like to be a vampire, too. Who is better than Pam?!

I realize how many books I read where I would NOT want to switch places with the characters. Whether they are dystopian, post apocalyptic, or just weird (like Fight Club). And because I think my husband is way cooler than most romantic interests in books I love, I can’t fill up the rest of this list with books like that, either.

Review–Vampire Summer by Alexia Foxx (Not suitable for readers under 18)

Vampire Summer

by Alexia Foxx

Summary: Annie's been out of school for a year now and things aren't going at all how she imagined. She's stuck at a dead end job and the summer heat is wearing her thin. But a chance encounter at midnight with two very cold blooded siblings might be just what she needs to cool off. Assuming it doesn't kill her.
This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

Review:

I downloaded a copy of this book via Smashwords. This book is classified as adult erotica.

I have to admit, I pretty much suck at figuring out how small or large a book is based on word count, which is all I had to go on at Smashwords. I was surprised at how short this story was, but it was definitely enjoyable. It’s more of a scene than a book, but a very intense and well written scene.

When I finished, my first thought was Now THAT was a good scene. Take that, Fifty Shades. It was well written, descriptive, intense, and interesting.

My only criticism is that I wished it were longer and more of an in depth story than an encounter.

Check out this book for yourself at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/179657.

150 Followers Giveaway Winner!

Congrats to Freda at Freda's Voice for winning the 150 Followers Giveaway for a copy of Fated by Alyson Noel.

I hit 150 GFC Followers during the giveaway period and I’m happy to have been able to host a successful giveaway.

Thanks to all who participated and shared with friends!

Review–Inhale by Kendall Grey

Inhale (Just Breathe #1)

by Kendall Grey

Summary: Strangers in reality, inseparable in dreams…
After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.
Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.
*This book contains graphic language, sex, and some violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
**The author will donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE trilogy to programs that educate people about whales and the challenges they face.

Review:

This was an interesting book with a very creative paranormal element. There are two worlds- the Dreaming and Realis. Even though the Dreaming is just a dream for regular people – called Wyldings—the unbalanced Fyre elementals are starting to kill off unsuspecting humans in their dreams. Protecting the balance are the Sentinels, who are regular people with special gifts. Each element has a different impact on people and Gavin is mostly out of his normal Waeter and cannot seem to get it back after the death of his charge. He is assigned to protect Zoe in the Dreaming and the plot thickens from there. This whole world is very clever and relatively well executed, too.

The problem that I had with this book was getting into the story. Only certain sections would grab my attention and hold it, while I found myself trudging along trying to get through the rest. This doesn’t usually happen to me, so I couldn’t figure out why it was happening with this book. It was well written, clever, creative, and interesting, but something about it just wasn’t grabbing me.

This book also suffered from being fairly predictable. Gavin was a broken hearted shell of a person dealing with so much guilt after not being there for his partner when she died. He lost the element that made him whole and he also lost his direction. Zoe was a wonderful and smart girl working hard to get a promotion in her whale research organization and was perfectly happy, but missing something in her life. Of course, these two would somehow connect and be their own missing puzzle piece. Gavin meets her in the Dreaming and she is just a normal person, so she doesn’t think he’s real. Gavin gets close to her to some degree, while also pushing her away continuously. He’s so worried about her safety by getting close to her, especially in Realis, but he also doesn’t prepare her for the danger that the whole concept poses for her.

I started to really get into the story near the end, when the action speeds up. Without giving anything away, Zoe becomes incredibly important to the balancing of the Dreaming and Gavin is the only one who can help her. They work together to restore order.

I thought the ending left something to be desired, which is probably why this is just book 1 and it’s part of a series. Nothing was really solved besides the conflict in the Dreaming, so it left me feeling deflated. As the book neared it’s end, I felt like finally Gavin was going to stop being overrun by guilt and Zoe finally understood this entire Dreaming world. What’s left but for the two of them to explore their feelings for each other? Apparently, it takes a whole other book for this to happen and I have to admit, it was frustrating to me. The reason I avoid a lot of romantic comedy movies is that the entire conflict is based on preconceived notions that the characters have and so much of the conflict is in their own miscommunications and missed opportunities, while the viewer is fully aware that both of the characters just need to get it together. This book felt the same the way to me. I couldn’t fully enjoy all the wonderful aspects of it because of this romantic conflict.

I loved the character of Yileen. He was a pretty minor character, but he was the steady rock that both Gavin and Zoe needed. He was full of great advice and cryptic instructions on how to restore order. Also, I connected with him because I know he knew those two idiots belonged together and needed to just DO that. Sinnder was another interesting character and I wished his inner person was explored a little more. Perhaps in the next book, it will be. There was just something about him that made me think he wasn’t necessarily a bad guy, but at the same time, he was so terrible. I would have liked that angle to be played a little better.

This book was definitely interesting and well written, but it just left something to be desired. I probably will not read the rest of the series because it took so long for this book to grab me. I don’t know if I can take any more of Gavin and Zoe trying to get it together. If these sort of romantic conflicts are totally your thing, then you’ll LOVE this book. I definitely recommend it to others. I know my patience with love stories wears a lot thinner than most other people I know and I think others should give this book a chance.

Review–The Cosmic Purr (Book of Poetry)

The Cosmic Purr

by Aaron Poochigian

Summary: The Cosmic Purr is the first collection of original poetry from Aaron Poochigian, well-known for his translations of Sappho, Aeschylus, Aratus and Apollonius of Rhodes. From the mythical to everyday themes, from the landscape of North Dakota to scenes in a bar, at a marriage ceremony, before birth or before death, Poochigian's verse is enlightened by uncommonly fresh wisdom, and deployed in the delightfully masterful, elegant and naturally-flowing metrical forms his translations are known for.

Review:

There is no dispute that Aaron Poochigian is a wonderful poet. His talent is obvious in each line of each poem. The reason I gave this book 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 is that none of the poems spoke to me. I’m not a huge poetry buff, but if a poem speaks to me in a some way, then I’m sold and I love it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect or relate to these poems.

While I didn’t connect with any of the poems, I did appreciate them. They were all very well written and descriptive. On a technical level, each poem was flawless and creative.

I definitely recommend this book of poetry to anyone who enjoys great poetry. If you are like me and need to connect with a poem in order to love it, I would still give this book a chance because the poems in it may resonate with you in ways they did not with me.

TGIF–Christmas in July

hosted by: GReads

This Friday's Question:

Christmas in July: If Santa were to come down your chimney in the middle of summer, which books would you want him to leave for you under the tree?

The answer I should pick is nothing because I have way too many books on my shelf and Kindle to read right now. But I can’t help myself!

Right now, I really want to read the second book in the Lorien Legacies, The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore. I’m going to purchase it in a couple weeks, but I’d love for it to magically appear on my Kindle.

I also really want to read Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese after my grandmother recently recommended it.

I’m currently waiting on Outlander by Diana Gabaldon at my library, too.

And I’d love for the third book in the Taker trilogy by Alma Katsu to come out right this minute!!

Feature and Follow Friday–Required Reading

Hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

Featured Blogs: Concise Book Reviews by Michelle and Books are my Reality

Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

Off the top of my head, I’d have to pick The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

This is still one of my favorite books and I loved being able to discuss all the elements and the theme of this book in English class. This book is what got me back into reading a lot, I think. While I read a ton of great books in school, this was such an interesting story that was so different from the other books we read.

My next choice would be from earlier in my schooling. I can’t remember if I read these at the end of elementary school or the beginning of middle school, but The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton are some of my favorites, too.

And I cannot forget to mention 1984 by George Orwell, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

 

These three books are some of my favorites, but they aren’t my first choice for this question because I didn’t really appreciate them as much as I do now when I read them in school. These are books best read as an adult when you see the world so much differently.

If I don’t stop now, I’ll end up posting virtually every book I read in school because I loved so many of them. The shorter list would be books I hated that I was required to read. =)

Booking Through Thursday–Reading Habits

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

Two questions about your reading habits that just seem to go together.

GigiAnn asks: Do you have a favorite season of the year that you read more? (Example: during snow storms, rainy weather, or sunny and warm weather) Sorry, that was the best I could come up with.

Lisa asks: Where is your favorite place to read? On the beach? Inside/outside?

 

I don’t really have a favorite season to read. They all have their pros and cons. I think summer is perhaps my least favorite time to read because it’s entirely too hot to sit outside and read and I feel like I have more things to do in the summer for some reason.

I usually read inside somewhere, but I’ll occasionally sit on my porch and read. I don’t really have a favorite place either. I get the most reading done when I’m home by myself after I clean up the house and do whatever needs to be done that day, which means I’m usually home reading. I don’t usually drive somewhere to read. If I bring a book to the coffee shop/used book store in my area, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like because I’m chatting with friends.

WWW Wednesdays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Right now, I’m reading Inhale (Just Breathe #1) by Kendall Grey and The Cosmic Purr by Aaron Poochigian.

I just finished reading The Burning Star by Jessie Lane, but it will also be the next book I read because the author recently edited the content and I’m going to reread it with the changes to provide a better review.

Top Ten Tuesday–Worlds

hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings in Books

1. Narnia from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Who doesn’t love that place?

2. Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I love how so much is described and I feel like I am there.

3. The Seven Kingdoms from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Even though it’s a lot like the regular world, there’s elements of magic in this place that I’d love to see. The Wall and Beyond the Wall interest me the most and that’s one of the main reasons I cannot wait to see each season of the show.

4. Hell from Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri. This has to be one of the coolest books I’ve ever experienced. I remember rushing out to buy the video game when it came out a few years ago just to see how they built the world and if it was how I’d imagined. The game was only loosely based on the poem, but it’s one of those books that stay with me and I see it in my head.

5. Lorien from I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. This one is fresh in my head because it’s the last book I read, but the way Henri describes Lorien, I can almost see it. What a wonderful place to live!

6. Niemela from Florence by Ciye Cho. I loved the way the author created this beautiful world of mermaids in this place. I’ve always loved coral reefs and fish tanks, so I could really picture this place.

7. Mars from anything by Ray Bradbury. He is such a descriptive author, I can see every scene in my head.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t had my morning coffee yet, but I can’t seem to think of any more awesome places.

Musing Mondays–Magazines

hosted by Should Be Reading

This week’s musing asks…

Do you read magazines? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

I’m not really a magazine person, but I do read one that I love. Last Christmas, my dad purchased a subscription to Mental Floss magazine for me and my husband. I love it! It’s an intelligent magazine that has tons of cool information for both sides of the brain, so it’s perfect for me and my husband. It’s the only one I read cover to cover.

I get Better Homes and Gardens since I bought a Better Homes and Gardens bookshelf last year, but mostly it just sits there since I’m not really much of a gardener or decorator.

My husband reads all sorts of magazines, though they are usually technical and about some hobby he’s currently into. I leave the magazine reading to him.

I definitely recommend Mental Floss magazine to anyone. It’s a great magazine! Check out their website! Like them on facebook, too, because they post tons of interesting articles frequently.

Review–I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four

By Pittacus Lore

Summary: Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books - but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t seen the movie, just the previews, and haven’t really heard anything about this story other than knowing it was a movie. I don’t even know if the movie was good, but I plan to watch it in the near future.

The concept of this book is pretty intriguing: A group of aliens sent to Earth after their planet was destroyed by a race of other aliens that consume planet resources. When I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of the movie Race to Witch Mountain where the aliens have pretty cool powers and look just like humans. I don’t read a lot of books with aliens in them as they always seem to be portrayed as horrifying creatures. I kind of like that there are these good aliens that just want to blend in long enough and go back to their own planet and fix it once they are strong enough to fight off their hunters.

I loved the backstory and I also liked the fact that John is just a normal person who wants to settle down, although he knows he can’t and shouldn’t. I think his character was well developed and much like any other teenager. It wasn’t until he got his first Legacy (gift) that he was able to truly comprehend the damage done on his home planet. “Before tonight the events were just part of another story, not all that different from the many I have read in books. But now I have seen the blood, the tears, the dead. I have seen the destruction. It’s part of who I am.” I suppose I understood John a little more when this happened because it’s such a normal part of life to not truly understand something, despite hearing and reading stories about it.

I thought the whole plot was pretty good. I figured as soon as John met Sarah, there was going to be conflict with that. I don’t really read any comic books and while I’m familiar with the stories of superheroes to some degree, I guess I didn’t really notice any cheesy parallels and when they were pointed out to me via skimming goodreads reviews, I guess I don’t think it bothers me. Even thought I knew John was going to make some bad decisions because of Sarah in regards to standing out instead of trying to blend in as much as possible, it didn’t make the book terribly predictable or unenjoyable. I kept turning the pages and enjoying every minute. I really didn’t know where this story would go or how it would end, even if some degree of the story was predictable.

The characters were all believable and likeable and well developed. The book was well written and the plot was interesting and unique to some degree. I loved it. I love science fiction and YA and I thought this book blended the two quite nicely. There was humor in it, too, which I enjoyed.

I did notice the author was mentioned in the book as being one of the Elders from the planet Lorien. Obviously, Pittacus Lore doesn’t exist in real life. After skimming through Goodreads reviews, there seems to be a little bit of controversy going on with the actual author/s but I don’t know anything about it. I am glad I don’t, because I truly enjoyed this book and I think reading a book and being oblivious to any kind of hype or controversy is the best way to read it and judge it. It’s the only way to go into a story without bias. So, if you are like me and ignorant about whatever Pittacus Lore’s real identity is and his backstory or what not, I’d just shrug it off and read this book anyway.

I’d definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to get started on the next book in the series.

Booking Through Thursday–One or Many?

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

This week’s question:

Vampira2468 asks: Series or Stand-alone?

Stand alone books.

While I love series because it means the story continues, I hate waiting for the next book to come out. If I read new books that are part of a series, I have to wait so long to read the next one and sometimes I forget about it. It’s hard to keep track of them sometimes.

Long books are not daunting to me and I actually prefer a book to be longer. I suppose that’s why I choose stand alone books because it doesn’t mean that the story has to be short. I’d prefer a much longer and intricate story line that I can immerse myself in all at once without waiting.

That being said, I think I probably read more series than stand alone books. Maybe because there’s just tons of series out that interest me. Maybe it’s because most people are put off by large books and tend to purchase smaller ones so more stories are being broken up into more than one book. I don’t know. But if you ask me which one I prefer and which one I read more of, the answers are different.

From Anti-E-books to Kindle Lover in Three Weeks

I’ve owned my Kindle Touch for exactly 3 weeks and I’ve decided it’s time to post a review about it. Spoiler alert: I love it. But here’s the evolution from anti-E-reader to Kindle lover.

I think it was about five years ago that my stepmom got a Sony E-Reader. I was intrigued by this invention, but she only used hers for travel. She’s always been a fast reader, like me, so it was great for her to be able to go on trips and only take the E-reader instead of a bunch of books. Especially since she reads giant Stephen King books.

When I travel for more than a weekend, I’m usually visiting family or going on a fishing trip (which is still visiting family, I guess, since we fish in Tampa and that’s where my in-laws reside). When we do this, we always drive because we tow a boat and bring a bunch of rifles and maybe the Harley and fishing gear and sometimes it feels like we are bringing everything we own, so a bag of 5 books or so is not going to matter. Since I don’t fly or try to keep my gear to a minimum, I never “needed” an E-reader. I was perfectly okay with bringing a bag of books. It was never an inconvenience to bring books with me where I went.

Time went by and E-books were becoming this huge trend and bunch of different E-readers came out. A lot of my friends were buying E-readers and I still stayed firm on my position that I didn’t need one. Then, I started working at a used bookstore and continued buying real books and beginning to really appreciate books in physical form. I suppose you could even say I was totally anti-E-reader.

In January of this year, I started officially book blogging. My best friend and I created an online book club with a few friends and I became more involved on goodreads and all. I blogged about books because it’s what I know and love. I never had any idea that I could receive books for free from authors or publishers. I never even knew I could win free books from Goodreads or LibraryThing! After some time, I started getting author review requests and most of them were in e-book form, so I downloaded Kindle for PC and Nook for PC after realizing I hated reading in Adobe Reader. I didn’t really like reading on my computer because I was stuck at my computer desk reading. I ended up buying a laptop after my computer crashed because I hated being stuck at my computer desk for any reason and figured it was probably time for me to own a laptop and get with the times. Then I downloaded Adobe Digital Editions for NetGalleys. Then, I became aware of Kindle Freebies and started downloaded a few and reading via laptop.

I ended up reading over half the books I needed to read on my computer. I make deadlines for myself so that I read author requests in a timely manner, but I was starting to dread my own deadlines because I didn’t want to stare at a computer screen any longer than I already do for typing and facebooking. I still read and bought regular books and started to run out of space on my bookshelf and I knew I was facing a decision: another bookshelf or an E-reader. Both cost about the same amount.

I decided that I was going to look into buying an E-reader. It was a big decision to make because there are a few out there and I’ve always been a huge customer of B&N, so I leaned towards buying a nook. The glowlight nook came out and I thought I’d probably buy one of them. I was set on buying an E-reader that had an E-ink display because I hate reading on my phone and laptop because it hurts my eyes. I realized I was doing most of my e-book browsing on Amazon and most of my e-book reading on Kindle for PC. I decided on a Kindle Touch and bought it 3 weeks ago.

My original intention was to use the E-reader for author requests and freebies and E-book only formats. I thought I’d still buy books whenever possible because I love real books so much. I guess I figured that I would enjoy real books much more and was only really purchasing an E-reader as a means to enjoy E-books a little more and not dread them so much. I never thought I’d actually buy E-books over real books and not regret the decision.

I read a few author review requests on the Kindle and enjoyed it a THOUSAND times more than I did on the computer. It was soooo nice. After those, I needed to buy 2 books for 2 of my book clubs and decided to buy them in Kindle format to test how I felt about it. I think I’ll definitely buy Kindle books more often and stop overloading my bookshelf. My strategy now is to only buy real books if I get them from the used bookstore. If I need to read a book for a club or want to read a book for pleasure, I’ll buy the Kindle book. It’s nice not to have to wait for books to be shipped to my house and it’s also nice not having to pick and choose which books to buy at one time so my amount is over 25 bucks so I can get free shipping. All these algorithms I used to have to do when buying books online, but in physical form, are over. I can just buy a book and have it instantly appear on my Kindle like magic. =)

Another perk about having the Kindle is that I bought Fifty Shades of Grey. I was able to read it in public without shame. I was also able to stick it in my archives when I was done and I don’t have to walk past my bookshelf each day and see it staring back at me. If only I could have stuck Life of Pi in my Kindle archives and forget about it… instead it sits on my shelf, all orange and terrible and reminds me that I’ve read it and taunts me. It knows I can’t give it to the used bookstore because I don’t want any unsuspecting people to pick it up. (I’ve talked about this before, but I hoard bad books because I don’t want others to come upon them by chance. If they are on my shelf, I can prevent at least that one copy from being read.)

I thought I’d regret owning books in Kindle form. It turns out that I feel more regret owning a bad book in physical form.

So there it is. I love my Kindle and I’m so glad I own one. I love that it fits in my purse and I take it so many places. I can sit outside and read in direct sunlight. I can highlight quotes I like and have them saved instead of flipping through a paperback trying to find it or having to stop reading and type the quote up on Word so I have it saved to use. I no longer have to strain my wrists to read a 900 page book (and I do that entirely too often.) It is lightweight and it doesn’t matter how long the book is, my Kindle’s weight never changes. And the most important plus is that I can totally READ and EAT at the SAME time. No more awkward page turning and trying not to get goop on my page while I’m turning it. I can hold my Kindle in one hand and chow down with the other for maximum time saving. =)

There are so many wonderful perks and I’m definitely a happy customer.

I still love real books and have not changed my mind about them, but I think the Kindle offers tons of perks which makes it a great tool to own and read on.

WWW Wednesdays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Right now, I’m reading I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.

I recently finished reading The Waking Dream by Jennifer Ford. Here’s my review.

I honestly have no idea what I’ll read next. I have a stack of books to read and a few author requests and I need to figure out which books have the highest priority right now.

Review & Author Interview–The Waking Dream by Jennifer Ford

The Waking Dream

by Jennifer Ford

Summary: Two Cities. A Forgotten Past. Destiny Comes To Call. Cut off from the outside world by a hostile desert full of savage secrets, the city of Illamar must fend for itself. Late one night, Dante Montero, Commander and Ruler of Illamar, is confronted on his own streets by a mysterious woman bearing an ominous message from a dangerous man known only as Rasheim. Dante and his close friend Kerran, Captian of the Guard, rush to discover the identity of Rasheim and the nature of the threat posed against their city. The closer they get to the truth, the more their worlds begin to fall apart. Both men will have to rely heavily on their friendship as they struggle to comprehend the events happening around them, their past, and even the truth about themselves. They must move quickly and choose wisely, for time is running out as Dante and Kerran discover a secret plot is already underway to destroy their city and kill every last person alive. It seems the answers they so desperately need can only be found in a sequence of dreams, but in a world where nothing is as it seems, even their dreams could turn out to be deadly.

About the Author

Jennifer Ford was born and raised in a small town in Massachusetts. She currently resides in sunny southern Florida. She lives with her cats, of which she says; "They are possessed little terrors at times, absolute darlings at others, and an endless source of entertainment.Only another cat person would understand."

For more information,visit the author's webpage.

Interview:

Why did you decide to write this book?

I am very interested in ancient history, and I spend a lot of time reading about ancient times and lost civilizations, and how climates in regions have altered over time. I have also always been a huge fan of fantasy and Sci-Fi. I started mixing elements of the two things together, and I was immediately struck with the idea of the lost civilization still being alive, just forgotten. The imagery that came to mind was so powerful, I just had to write it down. As I went further into it and discovered all the characters, it became a real world for me. And I think Dante and Kerran have a valid voice that resonates with a lot of people today.

How did you get your book published?

I knew I wanted to self-publish my book. After doing a lot of research, it seemed the easiest way, since if you are an unknown author you’re chances of getting published via a traditional publishing company get lower by the day. Plus, with self publishing I didn’t have to worry about an editor wanting to alter my story. I found that Outskirts Press was ranked among the best publishing houses to use, and the best overall for the cost, and I haven’t looked back since.

What types of readers will be interested in your book?
Obviously, anyone who enjoys the Fantasy/Science Fiction
 genre would enjoy it; but beyond that, anyone who enjoys a well-crafted story. My book does have a strong, heroic woman as one of the main characters. It is a fast moving story that quickly takes you to the heart of the action and dilemma faced by the two stars of the book- Dante Monterro and Kerran Gurtene. It has already been enjoyed by people of all ages; from young adult to mature adult. If you are a person that enjoys to read, then you will definitely enjoy my book. It follows a non-conventional path that should intrigue even the most experienced fantasy, Sci-Fi, mystery, or fiction reader.

What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?

I take what I consider to be a more classical approach to story telling. I leave a lot of the baser descriptions to the reader’s imaginings so I can focus more directly on moving the story along. This makes it appealing to more than just fantasy fans. I have had people read my book that actually do not like the fantasy genre at all, but they really enjoyed The Waking Dream. It carries a lot of focus on the characters, and how these two men discover hidden value in unexpected characters they encounter. This makes my story non-predictable yet identifiable to the reader.

Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?

I have not published any other books yet, but I certainly plan to. I have one that should be ready later this year, entitled “The Horsemen Will Ride”, which is another fantasy adventure story, in a completely separate world and setting from The Waking Dream. I also plan to publish the sequel to The Waking Dream in 2012, towards the end of the year. After that, I have plenty of characters lined to up keep me busy for years to come getting all their stories written down.

 
Review:

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and smooth. The story was interesting and complex, yet easy to follow. I thought the plot was unpredictable and amazing, but not so far fetched that it was unbelievable. A lot of times, new worlds can seem so far fetched that I’m left wondering how no one could detect anything, but I didn’t feel that way reading this book. It seemed plausible that history was forgotten. Due to the cities being in a desert, they were closed off from the rest of the world and would have never have guessed what was to come or what stories were suppressed over time.
I loved the main characters, Dante and Kerran. They were both honorable, but with faults, which made them more real. The narrative switched between both of them smoothly. They were both well developed and their friendship was obvious.

I loved the dream sequences. I thought it was clever to have both characters experience things through dreams which helped them get closer to the truth when they were awake. Both characters were able to comprehend and wrap their minds around the entire concept of the coming conflict through their dreams. It was like taking baby steps instead of suddenly becoming immersed in a new world with new truths that you have to get used to. I thought the author tackled this perfectly. I loved how both characters started with a healthy amount of skepticism instead of blindly being led into it, as with a lot of fantasy like this. I also liked how each character experienced different dreams and their meetings with the Messenger were completely different. It helped build their complexity and establish their differences as individuals. It was obvious that while both of them were key in the Prophecy, they both had clear and separate roles to fill.

For the most part, this book was highly unpredictable. Also, I thought the author surprised me quite a few times by tackling issues that a lot of fantasy leaves out. Many aspects of the world were explained that I didn’t expect. I’ve read fantasy that has things happen that we as readers just assume is the way things go and I’ve read fantasy that over-explains everything and I feel like I just got hit with a dose of way too much information. The author straddled this line perfectly by explaining certain things so we aren’t confused or left wondering why said event occurred but also not bombarding us with a ton of information.

It is no secret that a war was going to happen. I thought the author described the fighting quite well. I’ve read quite a few books with wars or fights or battles and I never realized how many of them describe the fighting and then it ends and the story moves on to the celebration. The Waking Dream did not do this and I was surprised. I got to experience the after effects of the battle, like the men gathering their dead and wounded, digging graves, cleaning the blood and grime off of themselves, making a list of the dead and alerting their families. It was so great to be able to see this side of war. It doesn’t just flash forward to the celebration.

I definitely recommend this book. It is a great fantasy concept that was well executed and enjoyable to read.

Pledged by Gwynneth White Cover Reveal

Release Date: September 2012

Summary:

Everyone has a soul mate. But what do you do when your soul mate would rather give his soul to the demons than be with you?

Seventeen-year-old Erin has a problem. Seth has been hers forever, but now an ancient promise is tearing him away. And Reuel, the demon to whom the promise was made, will stop at nothing to force Seth to forsake Erin and to worship him.

How can Erin win against a pledge so binding that it has damned countless others to the same fate she and Seth will face if Reuel wins – an eternity alone?

The answer lies in the past. To find it, Erin and Seth must risk all, travelling back in time to a dangerous world where love is forbidden, and life – and death – hang on a promise.

Follow Erin and Seth as they travel to ancient Shenaya to break the pledge that has plagued their families for millennia. Caught in a war between the Angelic Guardians and the Gefallen, the disembodied dead, they must fight to keep their souls in tact and their love untainted.

About the Author:

“I have spent my entire life living in a parallel universe of make-believe characters, only coming back to reality for long enough to check that no one burnt the house down in my absence. A few years ago I decided to commit some of those ‘friends’ and their stories to paper. The Soul Wars Saga is the result of those efforts. Before that I co-authored two non-fiction travel books – The Complete Guide to 4x4 Trails and The Ultimate 4x4 Guide. Both books became instant best-sellers in South Africa where I live. And before that even, I studied a degree in African History and Politics at the University of Stellenbosch. When I’m not writing, I am a wife to Andrew and a mom to Stephanie, Erin, and Kate, our teenage daughters. My family and I live in a small town outside Cape Town with two dogs, a cat, a horse, and some neglected fish. Now that you know a little about me, I would love to get to know you.”

Twitter: @GwynnethWhite

Facebook: Gwynneth White FB Page

Goodreads: Gwynneth White

Blog: http://todayinshenaya.blogspot.com

Email: gwynnethwhite@4xforum.com

Musing Mondays–Currently Reading

hosted by Should Be Reading

This week’s musing asks…

What are you currently reading? Is it any good? Would you recommend it?

Right now, I’m reading The Waking Dream by Jennifer Ford that I received from the author.

Summary: Two Cities. A Forgotten Past. Destiny Comes To Call. Cut off from the outside world by a hostile desert full of savage secrets, the city of Illamar must fend for itself. Late one night, Dante Montero, Commander and Ruler of Illamar, is confronted on his own streets by a mysterious woman bearing an ominous message from a dangerous man known only as Rasheim. Dante and his close friend Kerran, Captian of the Guard, rush to discover the identity of Rasheim and the nature of the threat posed against their city. The closer they get to the truth, the more their worlds begin to fall apart. Both men will have to rely heavily on their friendship as they struggle to comprehend the events happening around them, their past, and even the truth about themselves. They must move quickly and choose wisely, for time is running out as Dante and Kerran discover a secret plot is already underway to destroy their city and kill every last person alive. It seems the answers they so desperately need can only be found in a sequence of dreams, but in a world where nothing is as it seems, even their dreams could turn out to be deadly.

I’m liking it a lot so far. It is interesting and well written and I’m enjoying it. I would definitely recommend this book.

Reread, Review, and Challenge–Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Series 2012 Challenge is hosted at Pages of Forbidden Love

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

I haven’t read these books since 2008. I joined this challenge to reassess my feelings towards the series. I wondered if I would still feel the same and if the hype over the past few years has impacted me at all. I will be reviewing each book separately and I may review the series as a whole once I finish!

Review:

My review will only talk about what takes place in this book, not the rest of the series.

I still love this story. I’m drawn to it, much the same way I was when I first opened this book. It’s a simple love story that captivates me.

I connect with Bella in so many ways and find her to be a wonderful character. I don’t see her as weak, overly insecure, or pathetic. My first thoughts while re-reading this book were that she seems intelligent and perceptive. I don’t think she has low self-esteem. I think her insecurities are ones that are normal and relatable, such as being nervous to go to a new school and not wanting to be in the spotlight. Bella is also pretty shy and doesn’t understand why people are drawn to her at her new school and I can definitely relate to that, too. Again, I don’t really see these things as stemming from any kind of unhealthy self esteem issues. Bella seems to know that she’s an intelligent person and quick to pick up on things. I think what makes more of a loner is that she doesn’t quite fit the mold and sees herself on the fringes of the typical high school groups, not that she doesn’t think highly of herself.

What I saw when I re-read this book is that Bella was drawn to Edward from the first moment she saw him, but it didn’t seem to be based on his looks. I felt like she noticed the family and realized they, too, were outsiders of some sort and was curious about them all. When the incident in the biology classroom occurred and he was glaring at her, his reaction only intrigued her more and caused her to think more about him and what made him tick. Bella seems to be a curious observer and Edward is probably a very strange person to observe before the two of them actually started talking to each other.

I thought it was clear in the book that Edward was drawn to Bella for various reasons. His inability to read her mind and his vampiric reaction towards her were the first things and after that, his desire to protect her became apparent. But I also noticed that he was drawn to her complexity as a person and her intelligence. When they were partnered up for a biology lab and she seemed to know what she was doing, he had a reaction that seemed to me like relief. It was like, “Oh, thank god you are intelligent! I’m already curious about you, but now that I’m actually talking to you and finding out that you are mature and smart, I’m so relieved and would like to continue talking to you.” At least that’s how I saw it. That small bit in the book really stood out to me and mattered to me. I also think it was the same way for Bella, since Edward was mature and different and intelligent. Had Bella been stupid, I think he probably would have just attacked her at some point and had he been stupid, she would have just moved on with her life.

I liked the way the story progressed from there. I thought their connection to each other was apparent. I don’t think either of them were obsessive or unhealthy about their relationship. I tried to keep this in mind while reading because it is such a main criticism, but I still don’t see it. Falling in love and wanting to spend time with that person doesn’t seem unhealthy to me at all.

Since I haven’t read this book in years, my recollections about certain scenes were either from memory or the movie, which conflicted. Some of the scenes were so weird and awkward in the movie and I kept thinking that they didn’t seem that way to me when I read this book way back when. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my memory served me well and these scenes didn’t seem awkward in the book. The movie was just terrible. One of the scenes was the whole lion and lamb thing where Edward talks about how he’s the perfect predator. I cannot get over how awkward this seemed in the movie and how smoothly it played out in my head while reading.

One of the major problems I have with this book is the vampire rules. I’m a huge fan of vampires of all sorts. I’m typically okay with rule changes to some degree and enjoy vampires in all forms from the scary terrible vampires that are ugly and bloodthirsty to the good and noble vampires that want to help the human race. If vampires walk in the sun, as long as there’s a legitimate reason that I buy, it’s fine. If vampires aren’t affected by garlic and crosses and holy water, that’s fine, too. But I cannot get on board with the sparkling. When I first read Twilight, I ignored this. I just skipped over it and pretended like it never happened. It is much harder to ignore this now. After the movie and the fan items, sparkling is everywhere and something that stands out. I also have issues with the way vampires are turned and the fact that they have some sort of venom and lack fangs. While I applaud the author’s creativity and originality, these things are a little difficult for me to get over and I wish they weren’t considered vampires. Mostly, I can get past the lack of fangs and the venom thing because I think it could be rationalized, but the sparkling serves no purpose. Why can’t they just be sensitive to light or appear weaker or stranger in sunlight that alerts humans that something is wrong? I just don’t get it. Sparkling is just so… ugh. Fortunately, it’s really not that big of a deal in the book and again, I just pretend that it never happened and continue reading.

The brief history of vampires that is touched upon in this novel is interesting to me. I felt like I better understood the Cullen family and realized that they are not only outsiders among humans, but among their kind as well. I think this has molded them into the kind beings that they are and what shapes each of them. It also explains a lot of conflict that happens later, when the traveler’s pass through and notice the Cullens and their protection of Bella.

While some may see the rest of the book as Bella being weak or Edward being melodramatic, I don’t see it that way. When Bella walks into danger to protect her family and her own protectors, she’s being selfless and strong, and it amazes me that this strength is overlooked by so many people. Edward saves her life and she sees him as a savior, while he blames himself for being the one to put her in danger in the first place. She also wouldn’t mind becoming a vampire, while he is completely against it. I know this is the conflict that sets itself up for book 2, but I also think it’s believable. This is the one way in which Edward and Bella see the world differently. Both sides make sense to me. I don’t think Bella is so completely obsessed with him that she wants to be immortal just for him, but also sees it as an opportunity to embark on a new walk of life and not be quite a hazard. And Edward sees becoming a vampire as the end of life and the beginning of damnation, so he’s in complete disagreement. I think this is a great conflict and it isn’t one that is really talked about in many other vampire/human novels.

One thing that stood out to me this time around was how coincidental it was that James had previously known Alice and could therefore piece together the story for her. This seems a little convenient to me. I said I was reviewing only this book, but I can’t help but think this is the first “red flag” of conveniences I know the author will later spring on me.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I’m glad I reread it this year. I love this story. It isn’t the most well written piece of literature, but I think the author’s raw and rough narration worked well through a 17 year old narrator. It’s a simple love story with a supernatural element. That’s all. I liked Bella and I realize how far off the first movie was with this book. The times that Bella is keenly observing something in the book are the times Kristen Stewart stares blankly and open-mouthed, like an idiot. She’s really not an idiotic or pathetic character. The acting in that movie are the reasons she’s seen this way, I think. I’m not even going to begin to talk about Edward vs Robert Pattinson… even worse of a portrayal than Bella.

After rereading, I can safely say that I’m still a fan, but a small one- the same kind of fan I was before. I will never understand how this book skyrocketed into popularity the way that it did. While it opened the door for more paranormal YA novels, I don’t know that it deserves to the be poster child of YA romance. It’s one of those books I love, but in a way that reminds of me an underdog. If this book sat quietly on the shelves and didn’t explode into a phenomenon, I would have been more comfortable. Or maybe if it just didn’t have a movie and everyone ignored the sparkling.

It’s really not a terrible book. I’d read much worse. I can understand bad reviews because of the raw writing, the sparkling, or being disappointing to people expecting more from the hype. I can see that side. What I cannot understand is how this book displays a terrible message to young girls or glamourizes an abusive relationship. I’m not really going to get into that, either, or I’ll write a 10 page essay on why I think this book is fine in that regard.

Book 1 Challenge Questions:

1. For those of you who have read this book before, how did you rate the book this time vs when you first read it months/years ago for the first time?

I rated it 4 stars back when I first read it. This time, I’d probably rate it between 3 and 4 stars, but would end up rounding up to 4 to make it easier. So I suppose it’s much the same.

2. For those of you who read it for the first time this year please share how you thought it was, did it live up to the hype?

3. Do you still love the characters, even though Edward and Bella were ruined in the movies? Many people say all Edward does is sparkle and that Bella is a whiny pathetic character, do you agree?

I still love the characters. I don’t think all Edward does is sparkle, though it is a trait that I’m not fond of. And Bella isn’t pathetic to me at all. I definitely agree that the movie made them look terrible.

4. Vampires, can we still live with them?

I’ve always loved vampires and probably always will. However, my biggest issue with this book is the vampire rules and that has not changed.

5. Ultimately, was it worth reading/ would you recommend?

I think it was definitely worth reading again, especially to reassess how I feel about it. I don’t know that I’d recommend this book to anyone anymore because of the stigma attached to it. I’m glad that I read this before the hype and was able to get my recommendations out before.

Booking Through Thursday–Guilty Pleasures

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

This week’s question:

SammyDee asks: What book(s) have you read that you’re secretly ashamed to admit?

I love and hate this question. I love it because no matter how many good books you read, everyone enjoys a little bit of fluff. I hate it because I don’t think it is right to judge people based off the books they read. I don’t understand why people do this, since we usually don’t judge people based off of what television shows they watch!

I suppose the most obvious answer is the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I was devastated when the craze happened because I loved Twilight, but was embarrassed at the hype. Suddenly, the bashing started to happen. Most of my friends know I’m a huge bookworm and come to me for book recommendations and suddenly, I was so ashamed to be a fan of these books. Instead of people thinking, “Well, it can’t be that bad if Megan liked it.” it was “I cannot BELIEVE you actually like this series!” And the movie certainly didn’t help me out since it wasn’t very good and that’s the only thing the bashers had to go on, since they didn’t read the books themselves. I’m actually rereading the book right now and plan to write a review once I’m finished and talk about these points.

I’ve also enjoyed plenty of paranormal romances, such as The Black Dagger Brotherhood novels by J.R. Ward and the Carpathian series by Christine Feehan. I don’t read much of that genre anymore, but those books were my favorites. I usually don’t admit this because they are romance novels and they have a lot of sex scenes and totally loved them.

Those are pretty much the only books I’m a little ashamed to admit I liked. I suppose I should just get over it because people aren’t defined by the books they read. There are good books out there in every genre. People can be so rude about what they consider terrible works of literature, but as I said above, we aren’t quite so judgmental about television shows (and I consider a bad or trashy TV show worse than a bad or trashy book because at least with reading, you are reading and using your brain a bit more).

WWW Wednesdays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Right now, I’m in between books, but I think I’ll probably start on The Waking Dream by Jennifer Ford.

I recently finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. My review is here.

Next, I’ll read I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.

Review–Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E.L. James

Summary: When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.
The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.
Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Review:

This review, as well as the book, contains mature themes.

I usually avoid books that are all the rage, but one of the book clubs I am in picked this book for the month, so I figured I’d read it. It was a good excuse to see what all the fuss is about. I struggled with giving this book 3 stars, but decided that 2 was much more appropriate. I didn’t hate this book, but I also didn’t love it. I really don’t understand why people hate this book and I also don’t understand why people love it. I can’t imagine this book invoking any other reaction other than nonchalance. It is a bit intriguing and I sped through it, but I also found it lacking in many areas. Even though part of me enjoyed it, there were too many flaws for me. I don’t know if knowing it was originally Twilight fanfiction ruined it for me or helped it. I don’t know if I would have thought the similarities were as obvious and I’m not sure if I was more or less able to let them go. This book makes me feel kind of conflicted, but I also think this book is a terrible piece of literature. I hate to say that, though, because maybe that’s harsh. After all, I loved the Twilight Saga, despite it being considered terrible literature by many people. I don’t want to “hate’ on this book like that.

While romance is not my typical genre of choice, I have read and enjoyed plenty of romance novels with racy scenes. I went into this book with an open mind in that regard.

I suppose I’ll start with the positive things.

I was afraid that this book would be absolutely horrible, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

I liked Ana’s character quite a bit. I thought she was believable. I went into this book thinking that as soon as she discovered the “Red Room of Pain” and the things Grey was into, she jumped into it eagerly and naively. This is not the case at all. I thought she weighed the pros and cons efficiently and asked tons of questions before she even considered doing anything. Ana is also not a doormat, which made me happy. I don’t know what reviews I was reading or what made me think she would be this stupid and weak character, but she was definitely NOT those things at all. She stuck up for herself and carried herself quite well, all things considering. Despite her innocence, she was a much stronger character than I thought she would be.

This book was much more than just sex. In fact, it actually took a few chapters before anything really happened. The scenes weren’t bad at all, either. I didn’t feel that it was a gross book or that it read like an excuse for porn or anything like that.

I don’t think Christian Grey or his relationship with Ana is abusive or unhealthy. While he definitely has his share of issues, I didn’t see the book as promoting an unhealthy relationship or message.

Now onto the bad…

I get that books like this are intriguing. I honestly feel like if you picked this book up for the racy sex scenes, you should look around more. I didn’t think it was all that great. There are so many romance novels out there with sex scenes that make us all blush, but are more fulfilling, at least to me. The whole innocent girl meets intriguing hot guy and engage in mind-blowing sex has been done before and I just think other authors do it better. Mind you, I don’t recall many of them bringing in some of the kinks that Fifty Shades has, but I’m sure they are out there.

Ana’s inner thoughts bugged me. First, the whole inner goddess thing got old. Aren’t there synonyms that could be used? Second, Ana frequently addresses herself in her thoughts, (…, Steele;…,Anastasia.) Sometimes, I say to myself, “Get a grip, Megan.” but I don’t usually refer to myself as often as Ana does and it annoyed me because it seemed unnatural. Third, the overuse of Holy f***, Holy crap, Double crap, etc, annoyed me.

I saw a few reviews referring to “SAT” words and I totally agree. While the book isn’t wordy, occasionally large words are used that feel unnatural, especially in dialogue. I feel like the author went through her manuscript with a thesaurus and picked unusual words for no reason. It kind of irked me. I’m definitely a fan of descriptions and various words, but these seemed forced and unnatural.

While Ana and Christian are relatively well developed characters, everyone else is poorly developed. I feel like they are placeholders or fillers. I don’t know any of the other characters, even the best friend, Kate.

There are Twilight similarities that didn’t work for me. While the similarities were a little annoying at first, I understood this was originally fan fiction and wasn’t going to hold it against the book or the author. There were quite a few, such as the tan friend who wants to be more than friends with Ana, a dad into fishing, living in the Pacific Northwest, Mom and new husband living in the Southeast, Ana being clumsy, Christian not being the biological child of his parents, etc. These are all fine and kind of amusing.

One of the parallels I noticed was that Christian claimed he was dangerous for Ana but he couldn’t stay away, yet kept warning her off. This definitely reminded me of Twilight, but I didn’t think it worked with this story line. I think being dangerous and warning a girl away because you have to urge to possibly kill her because you are a vampire is believable (the conflict, not the fact that vampires exist). Warning a girl away because you are into BDSM and telling her you are dangerous doesn’t make sense to me. I guess I think if he is really into that sort of thing and has been for decades, he wouldn’t be so overdramatic and ashamed of it. I’m not the most knowledgeable person in regards to that sort of lifestyle and I do realize it is seen as taboo, but I didn’t buy the conflict. I thought it was only there to be a Twilight parallel instead of being a legitimate conflict. Because this conflict is a major part of the plot, this was probably one of the main reasons I didn’t love this book. I just didn’t buy it and thought it was over the top and unbelievable. Christian also pulls away from Ana whenever she goes a little overboard and attempts to touch him, much like Edward pulls away from Bella. Again, I think the entire premise makes more sense in Twilight and doesn’t work quite as well in this book.

While I don’t think Christian is an unhealthy person, I feel like I am supposed to feel that way as the reader. I feel like Ana sees his obsession with being Dominant as unhealthy or due to some sort of abuse, despite her doing so much research. I don’t consider the lifestyle to be unhealthy and I feel like too much focus was placed on this.

The bottom line is that I don’t understand the hype. I don’t think the plot was very solid. I don’t think that in order to have a book with tons of sex scenes, the plot should be skimpy. There are tons of great books with sex in it that I find more appealing because a solid foundation is present. I’m not sure why people have gravitated towards this one.

I’m glad I read it and I’m glad I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I still can’t give it anymore than 2 stars. It’s just an okay book. It’s popularity baffles me. I don’t think I’ll continue the series.

Musing Mondays–Thinking

hosted by Should Be Reading

This week’s musing asks…

Have you ever read a book that, at the time, you didn’t feel a strong connection towards, but as time goes by you find yourself thinking about it a lot?

Yes. I frequently think of certain scenes from books later on. I remember reading Things Fall Apart for summer reading in high school one year and I didn’t really like the book. After school began and we started to discuss the book, I realized how much I loved the book after dissecting it and thinking about it a little deeper.

For the most part, I know that I loved a book a soon as I finish it. The exceptions for me tend to be deeper books, older classics, and ones that aren’t quite so “easy” to read. Those require much more thought and consideration and often times, the underlying message or theme is what makes me think about it long after I’m done.

Review–Intangible by J. Meyers

Intangible

by J. Meyers

Summary: Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.
Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.

Review:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! I thought it was such an intriguing premise. From the first sentence, I was hooked. Not only was this book well written, but the characters were well developed. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the addition of other supernatural elements that I wasn’t expecting, such as vampires.

Sera and Luke were extremely likeable characters and quite believable, as they both possessed a lot of depth. It was refreshing to see a close knit family in a YA book. Although the parents were not completely involved, I could feel Luke and Sera’s love for them and I really enjoyed that. There are far too many YA books with nonexistent parents and families and I was relieved that this was not one of them.

This book was unpredictable, for the most part, and kept me guessing. One of my favorite aspects about this book is the way that it jumps to different points of view. The reader gets more of the whole picture and gets to jump into the thoughts of some of the major players. I thought Meyers did a great job writing from everyone’s perspective.

Perhaps this is because it’s one of the first books I’ve read on my Kindle, but I highlighted quotes and just HAD to share them with some of my friends. Here’s one of my favorites: “As the flames returned to his eyes, two of his teeth elongated, coming to sharp points. The guy’s eyes widened at the sight. ‘Yes, that’s right.’ Jonas lowered him down the wall to lean in close to his face. ‘I am exactly what you think I am.’” I loved this scene.

I loved that this was a YA book with supernatural/paranormal elements that were done in a way I haven’t seen before. Although it included vampires, it wasn’t a vampire book. Although it included elves, it wasn’t an epic fantasy. The entire plot intertwined some of my favorite elements into something believable and original and I couldn’t put it down. I cannot wait to read more of Meyer’s work. I’m pretty sure I have a short story of hers on my Kindle, so I’ll be bumping that up on my priority list.

I will definitely be recommending this book to friends!

Interview and Review–Waiting for Daybreak by Amanda McNeil

Waiting for Daybreak

by Amanda McNeil

Summary: What is normal?
Frieda has never felt normal. She feels every emotion too strongly and lashes out at herself in punishment. But one day when she stays home from work too depressed to get out of bed, a virus breaks out turning her neighbors into flesh-eating, brain-hungry zombies. As her survival instinct kicks in keeping her safe from the zombies, Frieda can’t help but wonder if she now counts as healthy and normal, or is she still abnormal compared to every other human being who is craving brains?

Review:

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. Frieda is the narrator and it is written almost like a journal, but I suppose that is because Frieda is a zombie apocalypse survivor who is alone, save for her cat. Frieda suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and struggles with the age old question: what is normal?

This book reminded me a bit of I Am Legend (the movie, as I have not read the book) in the sense that it is a lone survivor and her trusted animal companion that carry out daily tasks and occasionally forage, though the zombies are quite different from the ones presented in the movie. The overall tone is similar, though. The entire concept and feeling of loneliness is quite present in the narrator and I could feel Frieda’s apprehension about the world and what happens next.

While there is zombie mayhem and action and it’s pretty awesome, this book is more about the inner thoughts of someone who realizes she is probably the last person in the world and impact that has on her. Frieda tells us about the moments before the outbreak and the struggles she had in everyday life when the world was normal and how she is different afterwards, especially in relation to her disorder. It is both intelligent and philosophical and less focused on actual zombie action.

Without spoiling any parts of the story, I will say that Frieda grew as a character throughout the novel and was a pretty strong female character, while also being compassionate and loving (at least towards her cat. She was quite ruthless towards zombies.) Overall, this was an intriguing novel that touches upon some of the things I’m sure we all think about in terms of being all alone after an apocalypse or viral breakout. I thought it was a clever and extremely interesting. I think the author captured the tone perfectly. Wonderful book!

About the author:

Amanda McNeil lives in Boston in a funky attic apartment that used to be a servant's quarters. She, alas, must write by night and work by day. She writes scifi, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and horror and has been strongly influenced by Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Chuck Palahniuk.
Her first book, Ecstatic Evil, was released on July 7, 2011. Its sequel is set during American Thanksgiving and the release date is not set yet.
Her second book, Waiting for Daybreak, about a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder attempting to survive a zombie-like virus outbreak in Boston, was released on June 4, 2012.
You may contact Amanda at opinionsofawolf@gmail.com and find her online at her blog where she also maintains an up-to-date listing of her published short stories. Follow her on twitter @amandamcneil.

Interview:

How long have you been writing?
Since I learned how to write I’ve been writing down stories, binding them into books, and forcing them upon people. I vaguely remember that my first bound story was about a grasshopper. When I became older, life got busy, and after I finished grad school, I decided it was time to buckle down and get serious about it again. It felt very full-circle to me.

Your bio mentions that Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Chuck Palahniuk are some of your biggest influences. If you had to pick, what is your favorite novel from each of those authors and why?

For Stephen King, it’s the last book in The Dark Tower series--The Dark Tower. Without giving too much away, I loved the blend of various genres and the powerful ending. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale showed me how powerful scifi about women’s issues can be. It literally changed the whole trajectory of my life. For Chuck Palahniuk, the classic Fight Club. I have a deep appreciation for the minimalist, hard-hitting style of American writing that he exhibits, but also Fight Club’s message about the ennui resulting from consumerism and the fakeness forced upon people in the white collar world strikes a real chord with me.

How do you deal with writer's block?

I think it’s important to figure out the root cause of your block. For me addressing the cause tends to take care of the block. For instance, about a year ago I was trying to write a novella and was completely blocked. It turned out I was blocked because I didn’t really want to write that story. I wanted to get back to Waiting For Daybreak. It’s important to pay attention to what the writer’s block is trying to tell you.

What inspired you to add the element of struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder to a survivor's account of the zombie apocalypse?

I knew the central aspect of the story was going to be about what is normal and feature a mentally ill character. I wanted to choose an illness that can be difficult to understand, because I wanted to challenge the reader. BPD was the perfect match, because it can be scary and even unfathomable to someone who doesn’t have it or understand it. I wanted to drive the reader outside of their comfort zone to get to know somebody who is mentally ill and see them in a different light.

On the flip-side of that coin, I wanted to give readers with a mental illness themselves a realistically depicted yet positive version of themselves in a work of fiction, where they are much too frequently depicted extremely negatively. This is particularly true of BPD, which is often pointed toward as causing the “crazy girlfriend syndrome” in stories. In fact, I’ve often seen movies like Fatal Attraction used to explain BPD in news articles and such. It’s not fair or right to people who struggle with mental illnesses in general and BPD in particular to be surrounded by such stigma. I wanted to combat that to at least some extent in Waiting For Daybreak.

How fun was it to research zombie related material when you were writing Waiting for Daybreak?

In all honesty, zombies were one of the few things I did no research for at all in writing Waiting For Daybreak. I’ve been a zombie fan my whole life, so it was one of those things I just kind of intuitively knew. My research mostly revolved around getting Snuggles’s illness, diagnosis, and treatment right, BPD and Major Depressive Disorder, and re-visiting some of the neighborhoods some of the scenes are set in to make sure I got them right. Oh, I also did a bit of research on food preservation and container gardening.

Favorite supernatural creature?

I’m sorry, but it’s true, zombies! Although Cthulhu is an incredibly close competitor.

Favorite zombie book or movie?

Ok, I can’t “or” this question. I must answer both!

Favorite zombie book is Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. Although there are many that come close, and I also think that the graphic novel version of The Walking Dead is continually improving with time. (I don’t like the tv show).

My favorite zombie movie is Sugar Hill, a blaxploitation film from 1974 in which a woman wreaks vengeance on a gang that murdered her fiance with the help of a voodoo god and zombie hit men.

I love that, despite moments of weakness, Frieda is a pretty strong female character who kicks butt. Who is your favorite strong heroine from literature?

Oh gosh, there are so many to pick from! My current go-to for kicking butt, sexy times, and laughs is Kitty Katt from the Katherine “Kitty” Katt series by Gini Koch. I mean, she gets to work in a secret government agency, drive fast cars, shoot guns, and date a sexy alien in a three piece suit who looks like a model. What is not to like?

Are you currently working on another novel? If so, what is it about?

Yes! My next novel is a dark fantasy in which the dark gods of Lovecraftian fame have taken over Boston. I’m excited about it because it will be my first time writing from multiple perspectives, as there will be threeish main characters.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

First, stop calling yourself an “aspiring writer.” You either are a writer or you aren’t. Second, stop stalling and just do it. Everyone procrastinates. Procrastination and hesitation aren’t signs you can’t write. They’re signs you’re nervous and hesitant. Stop being nervous, sit down, and write. No excuses.

Thank you so much for letting me pick your brain!

Check out Amanda’s blog for upcoming dates for the blog tour. More reviews, interviews, and giveaways will be available this month!