12 Days of Review Requests 2015 - Day 4

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the iPad Mini. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

 Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

Marla Bradeen - The Amicable Divorce: A Chick-Lit Novel 3.99
Laila Raimes - Tiny Tragedies - The Sundry Files: An Alt World Book 3.99
***Sahara Foley - The Secret of Excalibur 2.99***
Andi O'Connor - The Lost Heir (The Dragonath Chronicles Book 1) 4.99
Jules Dixon - Rest, My Love: Triple R Series 2.99
Colleen O'Felein - Eerie 2.99 (preorder Dec 15)
Heidi Angell - Angel's Dance (Clear Angel Chronicles) (Volume 2) 10.99 (paperback)
Kirsten Blacketer - An Irresistible Shadow (Shadow Guardians Book 1) 2.99
Morgan Reeves - Free to Fly (Never Ever After Book 1) 2.99
Jen Bradlee - The Prince of Whispers (Wicked Whispers Trilogy Book 1) 2.99
Mary J. Williams - If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) 0.99
M. H. Soars - Wonderwall 2.99
***Suzanna Lynn - The Bed Wife Chronicles - Collector's Edition 4.99***
Casey L. Bond - Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) FREE
Christina Benjamin - The Geneva Project - Truth FREE
Corrissa James - So Wills the Heart: Book 4 in the Great Plains Romance Series 2.99
Angel L. Woodz - Bed of Thornes (Bed of Thornes Trilogy Book 1) 0.99
Intisar Khanani - Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles Book 1) 1.99
Laila Raimes - Shifter Fates: Elle's Claim 1.00
Shawn McGuire - Break My Bones (The Wish Makers Book 2) 3.99
***Andi O'Connor - Awakening (The Dragonath Chronicles Book 2) 5.99***
Nanette Day - Skeleton Dance 0.99
Brea Behn - Wolves in the Woods (Wolves Series, Book #1) 1.99
Heidi Angell - Elements of a Broken Mind (The Clear Angel Chronicles Book 1) 4.99
Sylvia Stein - Chasing Clarity 2.99
Terri Bruce - Hereafter (Afterlife #1) 0.99
Casey Hays - Breeder: Arrow's Flight Book #1 FREE
Bonnie Phelps - My Rodeo Man (The Texas Kincaids Book 1) 3.99
Christina Benjamin - The Geneva Project: Prequels - The Christmas Gift (Short Story) 0.99
Sahara Foley - It Lives in the Basement 2.99
RJ Blain - The Dawn of Dae (Dae Portals Book 1) FREE
Angel Woodward - Holiday's Presence FREE
Aaron-Michael Hall - The Rise of Nazil: Secret of the Seven 3.99
Mary J. Williams - If You Only Knew (Harper Falls Book 3) 4.99
Jules Dixon - Winter Wishes (Holiday Hotties) 0.99
Marissa Campbell - Avelynn: A Novel 9.99
Rachel Wagner - Curse of the Sphinx 2.99
Violet Haze - A Woman's Affair 4.99
Tamar Hela - The Wrong Fairy Tale: Spirit Lake Series Book 2 3.99

Congratulations to Andi O'Connor! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put your LINK in the Rafflecopter entry form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

Please specify if you're entering as an author, a reader, or both. Author only entries will be removed before a winner is chosen.

IF you have a pre-order, please upload a SAMPLE to Google Drive and give people with the link permission to view. Put that link in the Rafflecopter form.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, we have a prize pack from Tia Silverthorne Bach! Be sure to thank her for her donation to this event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
I look forward to your pitches today!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests 2015 - Day 3

Happy Monday, and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the iPad Mini. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

 Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

Marla Bradeen - The Amicable Divorce: A Chick-Lit Novel 3.99
Laila Raimes - Tiny Tragedies - The Sundry Files: An Alt World Book 3.99
***Sahara Foley - The Secret of Excalibur 2.99***
Andi O'Connor - The Lost Heir (The Dragonath Chronicles Book 1) 4.99
Julia Harney Stamps - Rest, My Love: Triple R Series 2.99
Colleen O'Felein - Eerie 2.99 (preorder Dec 15)
Heidi Angell - Angel's Dance (Clear Angel Chronicles) (Volume 2) 10.99 (paperback)
Kirsten Blacketer - An Irresistible Shadow (Shadow Guardians Book 1) 2.99
Morgan Reeves - Free to Fly (Never Ever After Book 1) 2.99
Jen Bradlee - The Prince of Whispers (Wicked Whispers Trilogy Book 1) 2.99
Mary J. Williams - If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) 0.99
M. H. Soars - Wonderwall 2.99
***Suzanna Lynn - The Bed Wife Chronicles - Collector's Edition 4.99***
Casey L. Bond - Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) FREE
Christina Benjamin - The Geneva Project - Truth FREE
Corrissa James - So Wills the Heart: Book 4 in the Great Plains Romance Series 2.99
Angel L. Woodz - Bed of Thornes (Bed of Thornes Trilogy Book 1) 0.99
Intisar Khanani - Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles Book 1) 1.99
Laila Raimes - Shifter Fates: Elle's Claim 1.00
Shawn McGuire - Break My Bones (The Wish Makers Book 2) 3.99
Andi E. O'Connor - Awakening (The Dragonath Chronicles Book 2) 5.99
Nanette Day - Skeleton Dance 0.99
Brea Behn - Wolves in the Woods (Wolves Series, Book #1) 1.99
Heidi Angell - Elements of a Broken Mind (The Clear Angel Chronicles Book 1) 4.99
Sylvia Stein - Chasing Clarity 2.99
Terri Bruce - Hereafter (Afterlife #1) 0.99
Casey Hays - Breeder: Arrow's Flight Book #1 FREE
Bonnie Phelps - My Rodeo Man (The Texas Kincaids Book 1) 3.99
Christina Benjamin - The Geneva Project: Prequels - The Christmas Gift (Short Story) 0.99
Sahara Foley - It Lives in the Basement 2.99
RJ Blain - The Dawn of Dae (Dae Portals Book 1) FREE
Angel L. Woodz - Holiday's Presence FREE
Aaron-Michael Hall - The Rise of Nazil: Secret of the Seven 3.99

Congratulations to Suzanna Lynn! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put your LINK in the Rafflecopter entry form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

Please specify if you're entering as an author, a reader, or both. Author only entries will be removed before a winner is chosen.

IF you have a pre-order, please upload a SAMPLE to Google Drive and give people with the link permission to view. Put that link in the Rafflecopter form.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from Friday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, we have a prize pack from Tara Benham and Mindy Ruiz! Be sure to thank them for their donations to this event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I look forward to your pitches today!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests 2015 - Day 2

Happy Friday, and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the iPad Mini. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

 Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

Marla Bradeen - The Amicable Divorce: A Chick-Lit Novel 3.99
Laila Raimes - Tiny Tragedies - The Sundry Files: An Alt World Book 3.99
***Sahara Foley - The Secret of Excalibur 2.99***
Andi O'Connor - The Lost Heir (The Dragonath Chronicles Book 1) 4.99
Julia Harney Stamps - Rest, My Love: Triple R Series 2.99
Colleen O'Felein - Eerie 2.99 (preorder Dec 15)
Heidi Angell - Angel's Dance (Clear Angel Chronicles) (Volume 2) 10.99 (paperback)
Kirsten Blacketer - An Irresistible Shadow (Shadow Guardians Book 1) 2.99
Morgan Reeves - Free to Fly (Never Ever After Book 1) 2.99
Jen Bradlee - The Prince of Whispers (Wicked Whispers Trilogy Book 1) 2.99
Mary J. Williams - If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) 0.99
M. H. Soars - Wonderwall 2.99
Suzanna Lynn - The Bed Wife Chronicles - Collector's Edition 4.99
Casey L. Bond - Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) FREE
Christina Benjamin - The Geneva Project - Truth FREE
Corrissa James - So Wills the Heart: Book 4 in the Great Plains Romance Series 2.99
Angel L. Woodz - Bed of Thornes (Bed of Thornes Trilogy Book 1) 0.99
Intisar Khanani - Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles Book 1) 1.99

Congratulations to Sahara Foley! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put your LINK in the Rafflecopter entry form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

Please specify if you're entering as an author, a reader, or both. Author only entries will be removed before a winner is chosen.

IF you have a pre-order, please upload a SAMPLE to Google Drive and give people with the link permission to view. Put that link in the Rafflecopter form.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, we have a prize pack from Tricia Copeland! Be sure to thank her for her donation to this event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I look forward to your pitches today!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests 2015 - Day 1

Happy Thursday, and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! We're gonna kick off this event in style. If you missed the opening post from yesterday, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the iPad Mini. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

BOOKS PITCHED WILL GO HERE.

For your comment (in the comments below NOT in the rafflecopter), pitch your book. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

RAFFLECOPTER FROM PREVIOUS DAY WILL APPEAR HERE WITH WINNERS

Today's prizes are provided by Karen Hooper and Christina Benjamin. Be sure and shoot them a tweet to say thanks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well, that's all for today, folks! I look forward to reading all the samples and seeing your best pitches!

Jo

Announcement Post is TOMORROW - 12 Days of Review Requests

You guys. I'm SOSO excited about tomorrow I can't sit still.

The announcement post for the grand prize giveaway, the process outline, and the rules to play the game goes live tomorrow morning!

SQUEAL!

All the posts are linked up here, along with a short rundown of the rules for playing along. Bookmark it!

I'm gonna be inviting all the book reviewers I know, so get those pitches ready!

You're gonna just die when you see the grand prize!

Here's a list of author giveaways running each day of the event:

Karen Hooper	Signed book winner's choice
Tricia Copeland	tank top, book and book mark, necklace with swallow charm
Tara Benham	Free Ebook or signed print copy of At Night's End
Tia Bach	ebook of 1st four books in Tala Prophecy series
Kelly Risser	Signed copy of Always Remembered
Casey L. Bond	Ebook of Harvest Saga omnibus
Rachael Brownell	paperback copy of Holding On
M. H. Soars	ebook copy of Wonderwall
Elizabeth Kirke	Book Magnets or ebooks
Cadence Rae	Ebook of In Her Eyes Novella
Katie M John	swag packs
Suzanna Lynn	A set of all three of my books, signed (Bedwife series)
Christina Benjamin	ebooks, swag, giftcards (Geneva Project)
Mindy Ruiz	Enchanted Heart & Lying, Cheating Heart books, Vegas swag pack, and $25 Amazon gift card
Sharon Rose Mayes	1 each paperback copies of Blood Pact and The Broken Pact.
Casey Anderson	1 Signed copy of my book, $10.00 Amazon gift card, necklace with symbol from my book
Jo Michaels	$50 Amazon GC and Two of my books - winner's choice
K. J. Farnham,	One signed copy of Click Date Repeat, One signed copy of Don't Call Me Kit Kat (All Countries)

WOW, right?

How amazing will this party be?

Get ready, because it's COMING!

What are you most excited about?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - Shadows on Snow

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have a book review for you all! Yay! I know you're excited. I'm still making my way through the list from 12 Days of Review Requests I compiled last year. First, I'll repost my list, and then we'll get on to the review. I have SO much to say about this book! Ready? Get your cup of Jo and a comfy chair, and let's get going!

The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Review HERE
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Review HERE
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Review HERE
8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Review HERE
Moonlight - David Rose - Review HERE
Refuge - Violet Haze - Review HERE
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Review HERE
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchton -  Review Below

Currently reading: Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99

The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Kindling Flames-Gathering Tinder - Julie Wetzel - Amazon Kindle FREE
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Lady of Souls - Jenn Gott - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Desprite Measures-The Caledonian Sprite - Deborah Jay - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Last Guardian Rises - Rebecca Trogner - Amazon Kindle $0.99 

About the book up for review today:

Title: Shadows on Snow: A Flipped Fairy Tale
Author: Starla Huchton
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Fairy Tale
Length (print): 251 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
Once upon a time, a dark evil crept into my kingdom, stealing my loved ones and the happy life I knew. The world turned against me, and I swore to become stronger, to keep myself safe.

Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince, hair dark as ebony, skin as pure as the freshly driven snow, and I became the only one who stood between him and death.

Once upon a time, our stories intertwined, and now, healing my heart may be the only way to save us all from the evil that threatens to destroy what little we have left.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. I freaking LOVE this cover. I'm so glad the author chose to take it in this direction and not put a hot prince on the front. Crazy good work. I'd like to see the Ws kerned a bit closer to the Os, but that's just being nit-picky, and who the hell has time for that?***

On to the review!

I picked up a copy of this book last year during my 12 Days of Review Requests event. Starla pitched the book to me, I downloaded a sample, and I got hooked. So, I ran out and bought it, and I've been waiting to dive in forever as I plowed through my TBR for the year. Ms. Huchton has gained a rabid fan. Anyway, now that you know how I came about it, let's get to the good stuff!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Ever have those titles that you can't stop thinking about/wondering what's going to happen next when you're not in the process of reading? Yeah, this was that book for me. I loved everything about the main character, Rae, and the prince. I'm not a fan of romance, but this book kept it on a real level. I could feel Rae's struggle with her past, and I watched as the prince was kind and gentle enough to help her move past it.

Pacing was bang on. I was never bored while reading.

Character development... Well, let me say you'll be rooting for the good guys and so, so angry with the bad guys. I loved Rae. Just loved her. I felt the spark of her duty and her damaged self so clearly through the pages. Leo was everything Snow White was in the original: Handsome, kind, and a whole lot naive. He was perfection. Secondary characters were there, and in your face, but they weren't overdeveloped to the point that I grew to care too much about what happened to them (this is a good thing).

World-building was beautiful. Author gave me just enough to let me see the scene and insert my own imaginings as to what things looked like. I never panned past a section (you know, those ones that bog you down in flower color and fabric type).

From an Editor's Perspective:
I only found two errors (TWO!). But I did highlight a line I found beautiful, which I'll share: "My strength allowed me to help others while giving me freedom to control my own destiny." How awesome is that?

Rating:
1 Star for hooking me from page one.
1 Star for giving me a heroine I could root for who was damaged but strong.
1 Star for pacing.
1 Star for a sweet fairy-tale that rang true with the original.
1 Star for editing.
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Recommended for fairy-tale fanatics (like me), or those who love a good story with lots of magic.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Gearing Up for 12 Days of Review Requests Event

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger this week, trying to get everything in order for both NaNoWriMo and the BIG December event here on the blog. Because it's almost October, I'm opening up the signup form for participating authors (for the daily prizes).

Please note: This is not to get your books considered for purchase and review! This is ONLY if you'd like to do a giveaway during the event or support the big prize.

Without further ado, here's the form!



Are you excited? I am! This year will be AWESOME!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - Honey Queen

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you another book review. This one wasn't on my TBR for the year, but I won a paperback at Utopia and took it on a trip with me. I devoured it. This title will go into the 2015 Time for Books Review Team pool. As of today, there are 373 book reviews posted there. You must check them out. Amazing authors on that list! Anyway, enough of my gabbing! Here's the book up for review today:

Title: Honey Queen
Author: Christina Mercer
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Mythological Romance
Length (print): 284 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Paperback $11.99

Blurb:
A Regional SCBWI "Best in Show"

Love is honey sweet, but it comes with a fatal sting . . .
Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family's ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won't let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there's no easy way out, specially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen--savior to honey bees--intensifying her charms.

To help her fulfill the curse's demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd's gay. And an expert in mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline. Melaina's magic--tears to save honey bees from endangerment--could be enough to persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. Let me tell you, the cover and interior of this book blow me away! What a wonderful job by the designer. Love the branding with the bees. So amazing! I'd like to see the author's name a bit more prominently, but that's just a nitpick of mine :)***

Let's get to the review!

I won a copy of this book in a drawing at Utopia, a conference for women writers. I can't begin to tell you how excited I was, because I'd had my eye on this novel for a long time, but hadn't had an opportunity to add it to my TBR. Well, having a paperback turned out to be the thing that got me reading it (on an airplane, no less). I dove in and devoured this book in a little over twenty four hours. Now that you know how I came about a copy, let's get to my thoughts on what's inside.

From a Reader's Perspective:
What an interesting premise for a novel! I have to say, I've never read anything quite like it. Mythology, sure, but honey bees? I fell in love with the main character right away. Watching her struggle through the curse made me smile because she's funny when she's frustrated. Melaina's grandmother was awesome. I adored the interactions with her and the guys chasing her granddaughter. Quite a spry old lady. Tears of the Honey Queen being the savior of the bees was a great twisty idea.

Romance in this novel was a slow burn that had been building over the years. Take two characters that have known one another since childhood (and seem destined by the gods to be together), and you have a recipe for perfection. However, the romance didn't play front and center, even though it was the reason Melaina wanted to be free of the curse. It was beautifully complex.

Another thing I got into was the description of the cars. You can tell the author likes American classic muscle by the way she describes Melaina's vehicle. Roaring, even. I loved it!

Pacing was awesome, and didn't let up on the action from page one. Like I said above, I read all 200+ pages in just over twenty-four hours. There was never a time I felt like things were dragging.

One detail threw me off, and I mention it because it was questioned, clarified, then stated again several times. Melaina talks about how she's the last in the line of descendants from the goddess Aera. But the last daughter has always been the last in line--the only one left--until she procreates. There's one place where the characters mention how Iliana had two daughters, but then it's clarified when we find out one of those daughters died. So there's always been just one. Gran was the last when she was a teen, Melaina's mother, then Melaina. I just didn't quite understand why this girl was the most important "last" one.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Plot, grammar, and punctuation were all on the up and up. Nicely done!

Rating:
1 Star for making me love the main character and her Grandmother
1 Star for the fresh idea
1 Star for pacing and wonderful humor
.5 Star for the slow romance
-.5 Star for the confusion
1 Star for editing
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars! I round up, so this book gets a 5. Recommended for those who like a good dose of gods and goddesses and a fresh story idea.

What do you think? Have you read it? Plan to?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Souls on Paper

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna talk about something I've noticed more over the last few books I've read and why these things have suddenly come to my attention. I still find it awesome how conferences and interaction with other authors has changed the way I feel when I read now. Anywho, you ready? Grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get going!

I got on an airplane Friday to go to my daughter's bridal shower. While traveling, I always have a paperback handy (it makes flight attendants less nervous than me having my iPad or iPhone out, so I get left alone) so I can read and not get roped into conversations with seatmates.

This trip, I took a book I won at Utopia back in June: Honey Queen by Christina Mercer. I'll have a review later in the week, but I want to talk about many books right now, not just that one.

If you remember my review of Lex Talionis, I talked about the protagonist and how awesome she was. Same with Twisted, Never Forgotten, and the Tala Prophecy series. As different as these books were, I realized something after meeting the authors:

They've put their inner desires, their very souls, on paper for the world to see. I know more about the authors because I've read the words they wrote. Sometimes, it was before I met them in person, and sometimes, it was afterward. But each story held a nugget of what the author believed in, their inner strengths, and their core values.

I wonder if people get that from books they read? 

As I sat and thought about it, I realized I probably know, on a very soulful level, so many authors. I get a wonderful idea of the values they hold, and I can see what they're fighting for with their words. I've also seen authors grow as they write, becoming more like the characters on the page. Through those characters, the authors seem to grow out of their shells and take on some of their characters' traits: strength, outgoing personalities, bravery, and even self-awareness.

Perhaps this is why we feel our books are a lot like our children, and it might explain the reaction we have to negative reviews. Do we feel as though we're being judged because we've poured so much of ourselves into the story?

It's been eye-opening, for sure. It also made me think about my own books. Can people see the me on the inside as they read my stories?

Do you think you know what makes me tick? What story (or stories) of mine were the culprits?

I'm dying of curiosity over here.

Look forward to the review of Honey Queen later in the week. You'll be seeing a lot more book reviews over the next few months as I gear up to clear out and restock my virtual shelves in December. Yeah, baby!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - From the Wreckage

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I have another book review for you all. This one is from my December blog event TBR, and will go into the 2015 Time for Books Review Team pool of reviews. I'll start off with a little recap of reviews, introduce the book for today, and then get on to the juicy stuff. This was supposed to go up Friday, but I didn't get done, and you all know I don't review what I don't finish. If you happen to be around at 10am EST, jump on over to my live radio show! I have Delphina Henley with me today, and we'll have live callers for the last ten minutes. This is your chance to ask questions. Go here. If you miss it live, it's okay! It'll push to iTunes by 11am. Anywho, grab a cup of coffee and let's get to it, shall we?

Recap:
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Review HERE
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Review HERE
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Review HERE
8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Review HERE
Moonlight - David Rose - Review HERE
Refuge - Violet Haze - Review HERE
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Review below

Currently reading: Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99

Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Kindling Flames-Gathering Tinder - Julie Wetzel - Amazon Kindle FREE
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Lady of Souls - Jenn Gott - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Desprite Measures-The Caledonian Sprite - Deborah Jay - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Last Guardian Rises - Rebecca Trogner - Amazon Kindle $0.99 

Information about the book being reviewed today:

Title: From the Wreckage
Author: Michelle G. Miller
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 232 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle FREE  ~  B&N Nook FREE  ~  Smashwords FREE

Blurb:
“In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed.”

"Minutes - that’s all it takes to change your entire life. How do you deal with that?”

For high school senior Jules Blacklin surviving the storm is only the beginning. Faced with the new reality of her life, she must find a way to rise From The Wreckage and answer the question - how do you get back to normal, when everything that was normal is gone?

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. By word of mouth, I heard there was an interesting concept and branding on the covers for this series. This one is stunning by itself, but if you look at all three books, you see things taking shape. Brilliantly done. I'd like to see the author's name take up a wee bit more real estate, but I love the look of this series.***

On to the review!

I grabbed a copy of this book when the author pitched it to me on my blog's annual TBR building event. Because it was free, I had to get the whole thing instead of just a sample, but I'm so glad I did. As I was reading to see if I'd like it, I found I was well over the sample size by the time I pulled myself back out. Needless to say, it was added immediately. When I finally made my way back to it, I read it pretty quickly. Anyway, enough about how I snagged a copy; let's get to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I can't even imagine a tornado hitting my town, much less being caught in the middle of one. Jules, the main character, is not only caught, she has to deal with the stress of the ordeal as well as a very serious loss. Because I don't do spoilers, I'll just touch on things I liked about Jules. She's your typical high school cheerleader dating the quarterback. Because I know Texas, I know how they are about their football. Her whole life revolves around the games, players, and other cheerleaders. This book did the environment justice, and Jules was a product of her environment for sure. I admired her for her desire to help the community, and her moments of being jaded after the incident rang true. I've always thought how typical it was of people to pretend they knew someone that was a victim of a disaster just to get on TV, and this is something Jules has to face and come to terms with. I thought Miller did a great job of connecting the reader to real-world scenarios and showing what people really think.

Oh, the emotions dragged out of me by this book! When it starts, Jules is talking to a camera, but you don't find out who it is she's talking to until about the three quarter mark. This is when things click into place. It will make you want to scream. Loss, love, and what can emerge from a disaster (both good and bad) are what you'll find. Very sweet teen romance with no love triangle and a clean read.

There was one scene that didn't ring true for me: Jules is talking about photographs and the hairstyle she has, a side ponytail. These were popular when I was a kid (in the 80s). But the book is set in the first part of the new millennium (I believe it's 2012). That would make these teens way too old (late 30s at least). Then it goes on to say how, during seven minutes in heaven (same approximate time as the hair was in style), a boy uses his cell phone light in order to see in the closet. Well, there were bag phones in the 90s, but everyone didn't have a cell phone that would fit in their pocket. So, even if the main character is late thirties now, the details didn't fit.

One other discrepancy: Katie has a blonde bob blowing in the wind as she leans her head out of the window in one scene, then has a braid that comes loose and is blowing in the wind a few pages later.

These are minor things that didn't take me out of the story, but that I noticed. The emotional roller-coaster ride overshadowed the inconsistencies.

From a Editor's Perspective:
Besides the two things listed above, there weren't many errors. I did find the use of ' where it should be " often, and pronouns were used so loosely I sometimes had to read back to find out who the she, her, his, and him were referring to, but it wasn't plot killing or anything like that.

Rating:
1 Star for showing me what it would be like to face such a wicked disaster
1 Star for giving me a main character I liked
1 Star for the romance
.5 Star for shocking me with the reveal I didn't talk about beyond saying there is one
-.5 Star for inconsistencies
.5 Star for editing
-.5 Star for editing
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars! A sweet, clean beach read that I'd highly recommend.

Have you read it? What did you think? Do you plan to read it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo