Showing posts with label indie reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indie reviews. Show all posts

Friday, May 9, 2014

Book Review - Tbinkerknese 101 - Poetic Enrichment for Teens

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! I bet you're all ready for the weekend, huh? Yeah, I am, too! Next week begins the craziness of packing around here, but I've scheduled time in my days to post here on the blog. Let's hope life doesn't kick me around too hard and disable my schedule. So, today, I bring you a review for a book of poetry. I've only reviewed one other poetry book (because the genre isn't my favorite), but I edited this one and I'm behind the message inside one hundred percent. I think all teens should read this book and take the time to consider the words on the pages. Well, heck, let's get going, shall we?

As always, a little about the book up for review:

Title: Tbinkerknese 101 (Book One) Poetic Enrichment for Teens
Author: E. L. Thomas Sr.
Genre: Teen Inspirational Poetry
Length (print): 106 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $7.25  ~  Paperback $13.46  ~  Coil Bound $14.95  ~  Smashwords $7.25  ~ B&N $7.25

Synopsis:
“Okay, teens, let’s go speak some TBINKERKNESE.”

E. L. Thomas Sr. has created this language specifically to break down communication barriers with teens. Quips, like the one above, in this inspiring book of poetry will keep you engaged throughout. Inside, there are 101 tidbits of useful, practical advice for teens, parents, and teachers, all communicated in a fun way while retaining a note of seriousness.

If you’re the parent of a teen, or a young person yourself, you’ll love getting lost in the pages of this book. Hopefully, it’ll open up lines of communication thought to be lost and get you thinking about life. With lines to record your thoughts as you read each poem, it beckons to be used as more than just a casual reading device.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. I did the edit, cover design, and interior layout for this book, and Tia Silverthorne Bach did the proofread. I love this cover so darn much. It really gives the inside the beautiful face it deserves. We produced a coil bound book so it would feel more like a journal to the teens who read it. More than the poems, the message inside is worth every moment your teen will spend writing their own reactions.***

Let's get on to the review now.

I'm not a giant fan of poetry, but I read it now and again and studied it a lot in college. That being said, if I come across a book of poems, I'll pick them up and give them a look. If I read one or two and find myself intrigued, I'll buy it and cart it home to look at on occasion for pondering of the words inside. I've always found poetry too profound. When E. L. Thomas Sr. contacted me to do the edit, I was intrigued. Once I saw the manuscript, I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to work on something I hope makes a difference. Tbinkerknese 101 isn't your typical poetry book. Let me tell you why!

From a Reader's Perspective:
I found myself laughing out loud at the quips, one-liners, and outright honesty of the poems in this book. Almost wishing I'd had the gumption to write something like this, I found myself relating my own experiences in high school and as a parent as I read. These poems aren't constructed to be profoundly obscure. They're straight to the point and hit you right in the gut when you read them. There are poems in there for parents, teachers, and teens (and the teens will find the poems about their elders to be quite hilarious). I couldn't help but be sucked in by the words, the message, and the honesty of the book. If you've never read poetry, this is a wonderful title to start with. It won't jade you on the whole genre. Plus, it's a quick and painless read!

From an Editor's Perspective:
Like I said above, I did the edit on this book. If you find any gross errors, kindly let us know. There shouldn't be any. Of course, to find an error in poetry is like finding spit in your hamburger: You aren't really sure it wasn't intentional, even if it doesn't seem right.

Rating:
+ 1 Star for making me laugh (I love to laugh)
+ 1 Star for holding back on the obscurity
+ 1 Star for giving me a read I could get behind the message of
+ 1 Star for renewing the idea of poetry for me
+ 1 Star for lack of errors
Overall 5 out of 5 stars! Recommended for teens who see the world as it is, and for teens who need to.

I hope you all enjoyed this review! As a little extra for you, you can enter to win one of two print copies, an e-book, or $25 in Amazon cash here.

What do you think? Do you enjoy poetry?

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

Jo

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Book Review - Falling for Autumn

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I realize tomorrow is Friday, so I'm gonna keep it short and sweet in order to retain your attention. I know mine goes the way of the wind near the end of the week. *grin* Today, I bring you a book review from one of my favorite authors. This one won't be included in the Indie Fever reviews for 2014 because Heather Topham Wood isn't new to me. You don't wanna miss this review (or this book, for that matter). Grab a cup of Joe and let's get going!

First, a little about the book I'm reviewing today:

Title: Falling for Autumn
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 221 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  Paperback $8.99

Synopsis:
Autumn Dorey had no problem leaving her hometown of Newpine and the friends there who’d betrayed her. Everyone thought they knew what happened the spring night Autumn’s world fell apart. Vicious rumors about the incident circulated, and she had to be homeschooled the last year of high school to escape her tormentors. All she wants now is to get away from it all and start over at Cook University. She leaves everything but the memory behind—something she swore she’d never forget—and sets off to rebuild what was broken.

Blake Preston is precisely the type of guy Autumn wants to avoid. He’s gorgeous, arrogant and the college’s beloved football star. As much as she believes he’s someone she should steer clear of, avoiding him proves to be impossible. He shows up everywhere around campus, offering her a no-strings attached friendship.

Autumn can’t deny Blake stirs up emotions she thought fled years ago. But things he’s been hiding begin to emerge and collide with her past, leaving her heart ravaged in their wake.

New Adult Romance-Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations

**Will not appear in review elsewhere. Allow me to say I adore the cute cover for this book. Colors are pleasing and the girl looks exactly as I pictured Autumn as I read. I would like to see a stronger font for the title, as this one gets lost when scaled down to thumbnail size. But pleasing to the eye and fits with the author's branding from other books.**

I was chomping at the bit when I heard Heather was releasing another book. Boy, was I in for a surprise. I'm not a romance fan, and was astonished to find she'd written something along these lines. Once I learned the genre, those niggling little doubts began to form in the back of my head: Would I like it? Should I read it? So, I bit the bullet and snagged a copy on Amazon. I'm so glad I did. Enough of my rambling, let's move on to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I hate bullying. Let me begin by saying that. This book re-created some of the true-to-life teens I had to deal with in high school and it really struck a chord with me. I felt for Autumn, and could see myself in her shoes. Though I made different choices about who my friends ended up being in the long run, I understood why she made the decisions she did. I read through this book in two days. Usually I'm pretty good about being able to see where the story is going, but I missed the mark big time on this one. Blake was your typical ladies man who was misunderstood, but that's what the genre calls for. I liked him. He reminded me a lot of my husband. Pacing was fast and the plot was a great one. I loved the scenes where the author showed Autumn's past and didn't shy away from getting inside her head or giving the gritty details about the incident. I do have a favorite quote (this is also very odd for me) which I'm sharing with you now: "There was no phoenix that could rise out of the ashes left behind by his betrayal." *swoon over the language*

From an Editor's Perspective:
I found a couple of little things; but nothing that threw me out of the story and the errors weren't super troublesome. Probably not things the normal reader would even pick up on.

Rating:
+1 Star for giving me a main character I could relate to in so many ways
+1 Star for pacing
+1 Star for holding my interest so tightly, I read the book in just two days
+1 Star for the rich language that made me favorite a sentence
+1 Star for lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Wow. Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for a wonderful, captivating read.

I hope you all check this book out. It's very high in the Amazon rankings (#9 for college romance) for good reason.

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

Jo

Monday, March 10, 2014

Book Reviews and Paying it Forward

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Today I'd like to talk a little bit about your book reviews and what you can do for those folks who take the time to read and write a bit about your book. So, grab your mouse and let's get going!

Now, we all know how badly those one and/or two star reviews sting. But we read them, right? Please tell me you're reading them. Why do we subject ourselves to that? Well, if you're an author, it's likely because you want to learn what you did poorly, what you did well, and how you can improve upon future books.

Am I telling you to rip apart your manuscript and start from scratch because one person says how much they hated your book?

No.

What I'm saying is this: If the reviewer takes the time to detail what they liked and didn't like about your book, you should take the time to read what they said and consider it very carefully. When it matters most, is when more than one person says the same thing.

We all know you can't please all of the people all of the time; but you can listen to what your reviewer is saying and not assume they're trolls who are marking your book down in order to boost their own.

So listen to what your readers say.

On to what you can do to show your appreciation for those who review your books!

Go to Amazon's Author Central and click on Customer Reviews. Scan down and see how many of them you marked as "helpful" when you first saw them (you can say you don't look, but we all know you do). If you didn't mark anything, go to the book's page and start clicking. I'm not telling you to do this with all the reviews, but if you want potential buyers to see the good reviews, mark them as helpful.

This does two things: It jumps the good reviews to the top of the review list on your book's Amazon splash page, and it increases the reviewer's ranking. Why does this matter? Well, if I see a review by a top 1000 reviewer on a book, I'm much more likely to listen to what that person has to say. If they rave about the book, I'm also more likely to buy it. While you're helping the reviewer, you're also kinda helping yourself.

Go to Goodreads and check for new reviews. "Like" the new ones. If you feel so inclined, take a moment and write a note to the reviewer thanking them for their time and effort.

I know I'm the exception to the rule, but I usually apologize to a reviewer if they found my book lacking because I feel badly about wasting their time on something they didn't enjoy. Besides, it keeps the friendly lines of communication open between us. No need to be an asshat.

I review a lot of books. I notice the authors who take the time to mark my reviews helpful; and, I'm not ashamed to say, if I go looking for a new book to read and review, I'll go to their books first. I also appreciate those authors who pay it forward by sharing the reviews of others' books, take the time to comment with a simple "thanks for taking the time to write a review for my book" on my blog post, and who share the love once I use my time to write them a review.

Yes, I give preferential treatment to folks who pay it forward. I'm not ashamed to admit that. Authors, think about the reviewers of your work, do your best to help them out, and put away your pride or feelings of awesomeness to take a moment to show your gratitude.

If you're an author, do you always mark reviews helpful? If you're a reviewer, does it bug you when authors are nonchalant about your review?

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

Jo

Friday, March 7, 2014

Book Review - The Witch Who Cried Wolf

Happy, happy Friday, everyone! Today I bring you another book review. I know you're all super excited to get another book to look at. This is part of my Indie Fever Reading Challenge for 2014. I committed to read at least 1-24 Indie books this year. If you want to join in the fun and support great Indie authors, go here, fill out the linky thing, and get to reading! Before I move on, I'm gonna give you a rundown of the books on my list for 2014 along with links to the ones I've reviewed so far:

Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 REVIEW HERE
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf REVIEW BELOW
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters REVIEW HERE
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum REVIEW HERE
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch REVIEW HERE
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin REVIEW HERE
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW HERE
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99 (Currently Reading)
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99
Misty Provencher The Fly House Amazon Kindle $0.99

I'm not gonna ramble on and on here. Grab a cup of something warm to drink (it's still freaking cold out), snuggle up with your computer, and let's get going.

As always, here's a little information about the book being reviewed today:

Title: The Witch Who Cried Wolf (Cry Wolf Book 1)
Author: Sarah Mäkelä
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Length: About 105 Pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $0.99


Synopsis:
Be careful what you wish for…

A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…

Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…

The power of love: things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia...

On to the review!

I picked this book up after the author pitched it to me during my 12 Days of Christmas event. I read the sample and the story intrigued me. I had to know more. I'm not a fan of romance novels, but the paranormal aspect of The Witch Who Cried Wolf snagged me. I love dark things, werewolves, and witches so I was willing to overlook that it was labeled a romance. Paranormal aspects really took the front and center stage, with the romance being like a backdrop draped over the whole thing to give it color (think: Twilight). With that said, I have to move on to the meat and potatoes of my review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
This novella was told in first person, alternating viewpoints (Mia and Ethan). I kinda liked that I got to see the whole situation through two peoples' POVs because it showed me how grossly misunderstood many of the situations/remarks were. I liked connecting with the characters in this way. Mia wasn't someone I could get a good handle on, one second she's whimpering in a corner and the next she's fighting with everything she's got. I didn't see enough to really grasp the sudden change in her attitude. I could relate to Ethan and found him to be a good guy on the surface. I would like to see him with more flaws; but perhaps those are unveiled in later books. Oftentimes, the seemingly good guy has some vein of bad boy running through them. I hope to see him come into his own. World building was good for such a short book and I enjoyed discovering the hidden world of the paranormal among us. I could've done without some of the language in the book. It was pretty strong. I wouldn't recommend to those under age 18. Tenses jumped at times, and I found that rather jarring, and it felt like a lot of things were skimmed over or left out (what about Grandma?). There were also a number of sentences that made no sense at all. Which leads me to...

From an Editor's Perspective:
There were a lot of noticeable grammar and structure issues throughout. I mark these on my Kindle as I go, so I'll give you two out of the many I found: Was I thrilled about my relationship as much Greg was? and I set aside the empty beer can aside, then popped open a new one. This novella needs a once over. But, the story was entertaining and something enjoyable to read on a cold and rainy afternoon.

Rating:
+1 Star for giving me an entertaining read
+1 Star for using alternating viewpoints successfully
+1 Star for world building
-1 Star for the tense hopping, and things left out that were mentioned
-1 Star for the need for an editor
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars. Like I said above, it was something fun to while away the time on a cold/rainy afternoon.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

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

Jo

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Book Review - The Bestiarum Vocabulum

Happy Thursday, everyone! Wow this week flew by, huh? Today, I bring you another book review. This one is a collection of beastly horror stories (from A-Z) and is titled The Bestiarum Vocabulum (TRES LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM). There are a lot of authors on this book so I'll give you the full wrap cover rather than list them. It's yet another I'll be adding to the Indie Fever Reading Challenge 2014 page. You can join in the fun here.

As always, a little information about the book up for review today before the meat (get back in your cages):

Title: The Bestiarum Vocabulum (TRES LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM)
Author: Many
Genre: Horror Short Stories
Length (Print): 398 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $3.99 Paperback $15.26


Synopsis:
A catalog of mythic beasts and demons that were summoned by esoteric means. Once owned by Count Allesandro Di Cagliostro, it was thought forever lost in a fire at the Chateau de Versailles.

Two hundred years later, twenty-six modern day masters of the macabre bring The Bestiarum Vocabulum back from the ashes. 

**Not to appear in review elsewhere - As for the cover of this book, I think it could use an overhaul. I can't really make out what that is supposed to be on there; but it looks like some kind of beastly egg. It just doesn't mesh with the great stories inside.**

Now, on to the good stuff.

I picked this book up during the 12 Days of Christmas event on my blog, where I ask Indie authors to pitch me their books, I grab a sample, and then I choose and purchase the 12 books to be reviewed over the next year. This one was another stand-out in that crowd. After the sample, I was horrified there were no pages left and zipped over to Amazon to buy it. Enough about that, let's get to the review, eh?

From a Reader's Perspective:
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories. There were a couple that really stood out from the crowd and a few I wouldn't read again. I read one of them three times and still couldn't follow the story. It meandered around and jumped in time telling things that didn't seem to be pertinent. However, if you're a fan of horror, there are a ton of other really great stories in this collection. Some of them had me cringing, a couple had me doing an internet search to find out the history of the fantastical beast portrayed. I'd never heard of many, others were all too familiar. Description and world building was great for 9/10 of the tales. I do enjoy a good horror story. All in all, a very cool collection that was well worth the money and kept me entertained for long periods of time.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Most of these stories were very well edited. A couple could've used a hand in the punctuation and redundancy department. After all, it's a short story and every word matters. Having said that, I read a disclaimer in the front of the book that talked about keeping the author's voice intact (because they're from around the globe). Okay, I get it. Keeping the idioms makes sense. But it's a whole other beast to let blatant errors through. I've read books from every country, so I'm familiar with differences in writing. However, with so many authors, surely they could've shared the editing hand before going to print/publication. Those few that made little to no sense left me reeling and I don't feel like I enjoyed the other stories as much as I could have because my brain kept checking out to think about why I didn't get those that meandered.

Rating:
+1 Star for a wonderfully creepy collection
+1 Star for descriptive writing
+1 Star for bringing me to the edge of my seat more than once
+1 Star for teaching me (I love books that do this)
-.5 Star for those meandering/unreadable stories (there were only about three out of twenty-six)
+.5 Star for the editing on the others

Overall, 4.5 Stars! We all know I round up, so you'll see a 5 star rating everywhere ratings are used. Highly recommended for lovers of Horror.

What do you think? Have you read this book?

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

Jo

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Review - The Memory Witch

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you another book review from my extensive TBR list that was created to support the endeavors of Indie Fever 2014. What's Indie Fever? Well, it's a collaborative of readers who get together and read Indie books all year and write reviews. There are many different levels to sign up at! You can see them all here. I invite you to join the reviewer roster, read Indie books until your eyeballs ache, and write some reviews. It's easy; just decide how many books you're going to review, add your name to the linky list, and get busy. Not interested in reviewing but love to read reviews? Check out the reviews written by members here. Grab your comfy chair and let's get going!

First, a little about the book on the butcher block today!

Title: The Memory Witch
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: Young Adult (I think it's maybe supposed to be New Adult) Urban Fantasy
Length (Print): 230 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $7.99 B&N (paperback) $12.98

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Quinn Jacobs’ mother made a bargain with a local witch—steal away Quinn’s memories from the first eight years of her life and in return, Quinn would spend a year in servitude to the witch.

On Quinn’s eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to leave her home and friends behind. For the next year, she’ll live at the Chadwick House, learning everything she needs to know about being a spellcaster. As her powers grow, Quinn begins to unravel the secrets of the past and the reason her mother was so desperate to conceal the horrifying truth.

~                  ~                   ~

*Will not appear in review elsewhere*
Let me start off by saying how much I LOVE the cover for this book. I did a look inside over on Amazon and I wish the inside matched the cover awesomeness. Even the chapter lead-ins done in the same font as the cover would've given it that little something extra. Being a lover of great typography and a graphic designer, I'm a huge fan of those gems I find in interior design when checking out the preview of a print book I enjoyed on Kindle. All that being said, I don't knock off points in a review for the cover of the book; I just like talking about them. *grin*

On to the good stuff!

I grabbed this title during my 12 Days of Christmas party, that special time of year when I stock my Kindle with books I intend to review over the next twelve months. Heather is an author whose work I love reading and she showed up with a pitch for The Memory Witch I couldn't say no to (I've also been sitting on pins and needles waiting for this title to hit the shelves). So, I popped on over to Amazon and ponied up the dough. I have to say, I'm glad I did. While Amazon has this categorized as Teen and Young Adult, I don't think it's appropriate for those under the age of sixteen/seventeen because of some graphic scenes. But, enough rambling, let's get to the review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I loved the main character, Quinn. Wood has such a unique way of painting her characters so the reader can identify with them, I really enjoy delving into the mind of a new one she comes up with. That being said, Quinn seemed a bit prudish to me. According to the book, she's eighteen and a member of the dying breed known as virgins. That doesn't bother me so much, but her actions during the story threw me for a loop a time or two. I was left scratching my head and asking, "Why?" But the premise of the story and the pacing (which was wonderful and fast) made me care less about the questionable morals of a teen and more about what secrets would be unraveled during the course of the tale. I was hooked. Magic, a father Quinn can't remember, and an unanswered mystery about the past kept my eyeballs riveted to the pages. You'll cringe a number of times when the author gets to some very graphic scenes, but she wrote them well. Details were horrifying. Either way, I adored the story and stayed up late to finish it. Can't wait for the second installment! Let's move on to talk about the writing.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I waited on this novel for so stinking long, I thought I'd get the best of the best of the best (Sir! With honors!) as far as writing goes. Well, not so much. As anyone who reads my reviews knows, I mark errors as I go (it's an editor/proofreader thing). I found over seventy errors. Not misplaced pronouns or comma drops, but errors like: "I hadn't stay up hours each night..." and "...dating back almost thousand years." or "A startled sound broke into..." Needless to say, my head landed in my hand a lot. This isn't the norm for Ms. Wood. These errors didn't fudge with the story, but they were noticeable and did make my mind stutter over the words.

Rating:
+ 1 Star for a great reveal
+ 1 Star for pacing (fast)
+ 1 Star for the well written magic and horror scenes
+ 1 Star for hooking me with a world I felt could exist
- 1 Star for editing
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. A highly recommended read if you love fantasy, magic, and curses.

Join me next week for a review of The Bestiarum Vocabulum (a collection of beastly short stories).

I hope you all enjoyed that review. If you've read it, what did you think? If not, will you take a chance on it?

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

Jo

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Book Review - Masked Encounters

Happy Hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you yet another book review from the Indie Fever Reading Challenge 2014. I'm slowly but surely making my way through the list. If you'd like to join in the fun, click here, fill out the linky thing, and grab the badge from the sidebar. Indie Fever is all about reading and reviewing great Indie books.


My list for 2014 (in no particular order):

Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 REVIEW HERE
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters REVIEW BELOW
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch Amazon Kindle $7.99
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin REVIEW HERE
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW HERE
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99
Misty Provencher The Fly House Amazon Kindle $0.99

Now, let's get into the book on the chopping block today!

Title: Masked Encounters (Intoxicating Passion #1)
Author: Felicia Tatum
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 44 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Synopsis: Korah Daniels has been through a lot in her nineteen years. Broken hearts, abusive relationships, and horrid dates have caused her to doubt love. When her friend talks her into attending the local frat house’s Halloween party, will she find the one person who can change her outlook on life?

Dane Davidson is the worst kind of playboy. The ultimate frat boy, drinking and ending up with a different girl every night. When his frat house throws a masked Halloween party, a certain angel catches his attention and may just turn his life upside down.

Masked Encounters is the first in a five part novelette series.


I think the cover fits the contents perfectly! It's enchanting and clandestine, like the characters. But let's move on to the really important stuff, shall we?

I snagged this book after I checked out a sample on Amazon. Felicia Tatum pitched the title to me during my 12 days of Christmas party and I really got into it. Needless to say, I picked up a copy pretty quickly when I hit the last page and was left screaming, "Noooo! Not yet!" I read it in an hour or so and will now give you my review.


From a Reader's Perspective:
I liked the main characters, Korah and Dane. It was obvious each had their fair share of pain the in past, and a novella was the perfect way to introduce the two. Masked Encounters is a quick read with a lot of action and college-age angst between the sexes. There are a couple of graphic scenes that bordered on erotica but they never played out "just because." It seems the main characters needed the interactions to happen and the reader needed to see/feel exactly what was going on during the act(s). That being said, there's plenty of good stuff for a series starter and the characters are well developed for this to be a novella. I'll be checking out the other books in the series because I want to find out what happens between these two.


From an Editor's Perspective:
There are a couple of tense hops in the beginning of the story that left me scratching my head until I worked through them. Other than those, the editing was pretty good. I did find a couple of minor errors. Here's a funny one: ...I shared with Leela and Windi, I slid my shoes off hoping they wouldn't hear me enter. Again, this is a pronoun mix-up. They is referring to shoes, not the roommates like it should be.


Rating:
+1 Star for giving me a fast, interesting read that left me wanting more
+1 Star for well developed characters despite the length of the book
+1 Star for making me actually care what happened to the characters
+1 Star for a great plot (so far)
+.25 Stars for not writing "those" scenes just because
-.75 Stars for the tense hops, making for a slow start
Overall, 4.25 stars! A highly recommended read if you want to lounge and indulge in something that will read fast and hold your attention.


I hope you all enjoyed that review! Next week, I'll be reviewing The Memory Witch by Heather Topham Wood. You don't wanna miss that one!


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


Jo

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Book Review - Keepers of Arden (The Brothers Volume One)

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Sorry I'm late. I, apparently, am not invincible, and I have come down with a raging sinus infection. Just returned from the doctor's office. Have antibiotics, will write! Now that you know why I'm a little behind, let me get to it. Today I bring you another book review from my Indie Fever 2014 Reading Challenge. If you've never heard of the challenge, I invite you to join us! Just go to the signup page here, choose your challenge level, add your name to the linky list, grab the badge from the sidebar, and start reading! Easy peasy. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!


First, as always, a little about the book I'm reviewing today:

Title: Keepers of Arden (The Brothers Vol. 1)
Author: L. K. Evans
Genre: Fantasy & Sorcery
Length (print): Approx 459 Pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:

"Slowly, year by year, day by day, hour by hour, the evil grew stronger while he grew weaker. It found ways around his shield, and, even as he sat in the sun on a beautiful spring day, he could feel the tiny nibbles the evil bit off from his soul."

This is just the beginning of the Laybryth brothers' journey to not only rid the lands of Arden of a vile evil, but for one brother to save the other from the darkness that lives within him.

 ***Will not appear in review elsewhere***
You all know by now how much I love book covers. This one has such a dark feeling to it. I love the imagery, I only wish there was the shadow of a person or a couple of young men in the background-a little secret to be delved out of the fog by a keen eye. I love the typefaces (these two [three?!] look similar enough anyone without a trained eye probably wouldn't pick up on the differences; but I warn the designer to be careful when doing this) and layout of the title, but I would like to see some kerning on the letters and see the K and S moved in a smidge from the edges. It's like when you see two people barely touching, it's kinda uncomfortable. If you're gonna overlap them, let them overlap; if you're gonna keep them away from each other, make sure there's space. Also, the author's name should be centered. This isn't a preference thing, it's more of a designer's rule. If you center some of it, center all of it. Color choices are perfect.

On to the review of what's between the covers!

I grabbed a sample of Keepers of Arden during a December contest I ran on my blog. I have to say, the sample took hold of my mind and I bought the book. I wasn't able to stop thinking about it and was happy when it was next on my TBR list. L. K. Evans created a magical world that captivated me and kept me glued to the pages. Enough about all that, let's get to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
In the beginning of the book, we're introduced to a placed named Arden. I could see the city clearly in my mind from the descriptions on the pages. Not long after the story began, I was dragged into a melee of emotional turmoil as fierce, dark creatures were described and the mother in the story showed her evil. There were times the descriptions brought tears to my eyes. As the tale moved along, it began to slow down. I kept waiting for something big to happen. As it was, this book has everything a first novel in a series should have and I'm anxious to read the second installment. But that big thing never happened. I felt the story dragged on a little, but I was so vested in the outcome, I kept reading. I love the brothers and how close they are. From chapter one, we're shown how they share a piece of one another and it's reinforced throughout the story.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I'm a stickler for errors and highlight any I come across. Misplaced pronouns weren't bad. What I did find was that the text could use a good proofreader to pick up on little errors like: dropped punctuation, homophones, and incorrect tenses of words. None of it was enough to throw me out of the story, but there were over 20 errors in the book.

Rating:
+1 Star for phenomenal world building
+1 Star for keeping me engaged
+1 Star for description of creatures that really kept my toes curled
+.5 Stars for making me have an emotional reaction to the mother and son
-.5 Stars for the never making anything big happen
+.5 Stars for a couple of highlighted sentences I loved
-.5 Stars for need for a proofreader
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended for anyone who loves magic, mages, and dark forces.

I never do this, so you know these passages moved me. My favorite two lines: "Until you place yourself in another man's shoes, do not pass judgment." and "Every man has a weakness, and one must never judge a man for succumbing to that weakness because at one point you might succumb as well. And wouldn't it be nice to have another man understand your pain and mistake?"

I mean, wow. Love it.

I hope you all enjoyed that review. I do encourage you to grab a copy of the book. Link is above.

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

Jo

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Book Tour and Review - Illusions Begin

Happy, happy Tuesday, everyone! Today I bring you another book review. This time it's an author I've read before and loved! When the opportunity to read and review another one of her books came around, I jumped on it like a kangaroo on a boxing ring floor. You can check out my review of Twisted here. In addition, Illusions Begin is part of my Indie Fever 2014 reading challenge. You can join in the fun here. What's Indie Fever? It's a challenge encouraging you to read books by Indies all year and link up with other reviewers who are doing the same! Come join in the fun. For now, sit back, relax, and snag your favorite warm drink because it's still cold outside (where are you, Spring?).

First, a little about the book up for slaughter review today:

Title: Illusions Begin (Mystic Seeker #1)
Author: N. L. Greene
Length (print): 295 pages
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99 Paperback $12.95

Synopsis:
Katherine Rebecca has always done exactly what was expected of her. Her prim and proper upbringing taught her the importance of family, sacrifice, and social stature. She has followed in her parent’s footsteps, being trained and groomed daily almost from birth, to take over the family law firm. It was never a question of IF she wanted to but WHEN she would take the reins of the company. She worked rigorously toward that predetermined goal her entire life. She gave up friends, boyfriends, and an exciting social life in order to propel herself through school and college. Katherine Rebecca strived to please her parents. More than anything, she basked in their praise and approval. But now, at 21 years old, she finds herself leading a life that is nothing like the life she imagined for herself.

Becky has always possessed a deep love of magic. Ever since she was a small child she has been fascinated with magicians, illusions, mystery, and the vague hope that there was some sort of real magic in the world. But this is a secret no one knows, or at least that’s what she thought. Until one day Becky finds a mysterious business card in her pocket that leads her to an equally mysterious man. He opens up a whole new world of possibilities to her, one with a tantalizing proposition that she never thought imaginable.

Could magic actually be real?

**Will not appear in review elsewhere** Let me start off by saying how much I love the cover for this book. While I think the author's name needs to be bigger (don't be afraid to shout it out!), I adore the imagery. I feel like it portrays the story on the pages perfectly. A sexy, card wielding maven? Yeah, that's Katherine to a T. If I had one nitpick about the crop, I'd leave more of their faces in. Placement makes me cringe a bit when I think about loss due to bleed cutoff. Anyway, beautifully done and tells a compelling story! On to the review!

I won an ARC of this book in a giveaway on the author's blog and went on to purchase it on Amazon later so I could see how/if the writing improved from soup to nuts. In addition to that, when the opportunity arose to join in on a review tour, I pounced. I've reviewed Ms. Greene's work in the past and found it more than five star worthy. This book had a couple of flaws; but didn't disappoint when it came time to deliver on the story end. I have in no way been compensated for my participation in this tour and all opinions are my own. On to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I didn't like Ms. Hoity Toity Perfect in Every Way Becky at the beginning of the book. She was too prim, too proper, and did too many things just because her parents wanted her to. As the story moves forward, we begin to see all may not be as it first seemed. Little Becky has kept secrets from her mother and father throughout the years. One big one was why Becky had a falling out with her ex-boyfriend, Lance. This is one spot I found an inconsistency in the story though. In chapter eight, Becky talks about her mother setting up dinners between the two families because she was ignorant to what happened with Lance. Later, in chapter eleven, Becky talks about how her mother knew and was okay with what he'd done. As a reader, continuity is something I expect and it did throw me for a loop when I read it.

But, the magical aspects of the story and Becky's well-kept secret helped move the story along. I was fascinated at how she'd kept that aspect of her life hidden for so long and thrilled when she discovered all may not be as it first appeared. I won't go into that because I refuse to give spoilers. You'll have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about.

There are two love interests in the book as well, and I can't wait for book two so I can find out which one wins Becky's heart and why. Neither felt added as an afterthought and both fit into the story perfectly.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Pronouns! These seem to give authors the most trouble. I found no pronoun errors in Ms. Greene's first book, Twisted, and contractions were used well. Illusions Begin could use contractions to make the prose and dialogue flow more easily. There are also many commas missing between statements and names in dialogue. But those are nitpicks most people probably wouldn't pick up on.

Rating:
+1 Star for giving me a truly magical story
+1 Star for showing me Becky's imperfections as the book went on and not letting her remain annoyingly unlikeable
+1 Star for the awesome surprises along the way
+1 Star for the guys in the story
-1 Star for the inconsistency in story and the need for pronoun/contraction/comma oopsie repair
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended for those who love an engaging story with awesome twists.


About the author:
N.L. Greene, who is 1/2 of the author duo Riana Lucas, has decided to venture outside of the Fantasy world that she and her best friend created with Poppy and The Deadly Flowers Series to write a few books on her own. While she loves working with her best friend, writing solo has allowed her to explore interest that had solely been her own. She spends a lot of time reading her favorite authors which range all over the place and in every genre, but spends just as much time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, shopping, and playing video games. Nichole was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Florida, where she and her high school sweetheart live with their two children.

Facebook  ~  Goodreads  ~  Twitter  ~  Website

In her awesomeness, N. L. Greene is holding a tour-wide giveaway for a Kindle FIRE!! Yay! Enter below to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's the tour announcement page where you can see all the stops and find out what others think about Illusions Begin:
Girls Heart Books Tour Schedule: Illusions Begin

Thanks for stopping by to read this review. If you've read the book, what did you think? If you haven't, do you think you might?

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

Jo

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Book Review - Tragic

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you've all had a good week so far. Mine keeps getting better and better as this cold makes its way out. Today, we're doing a book review! I know how much you love those. I also have a couple of deals to share with you at the end of the post. Stay with me! Before I get to the juicy stuff, I'm going to take a moment and pop out my reading list for 2014 once again.
This list is for the Indie Fever 2014 reading challenge. You can join in the fun here. Just add your name to the linky, grab the badge from the left sidebar, and you're in!

Here are the books in my list:
Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters Amazon Kindle $0.99
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch Amazon Kindle $7.99
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin (I have an ARC)
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW BELOW
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99

A number of these books have now been read and the review not written yet. I'll get there!

So make sure you keep coming back for more great reads in 2014.

About the book on the butcher block today:

Title: Tragic (Rook and Ronin #1)
Author: J. A. Huss
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print):  282 Pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $0.99 Paperback $11.69

Synopsis:
Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far - just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky...

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone - you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she's got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he's everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn't. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine's camera.

Rook's luck changes in an instant and suddenly she's the darling of the modeling world. It's a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there's always a price to pay - and Rook is about to get the bill.

***New Adult Contemporary Romance *Mature Content* Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language usage.***

I picked up this book during a free promotion on Amazon because the cover was intriguing, and I'm a huge lover of great photography. While the image is striking, I think the type could use some work at the top and bottom because it gets lost in the reddish and white background. I try to review all books I pick up for free as a thank you to the author. Now that you know why I grabbed it, I'll move on with my review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
Rook is one of those girls. You never know what she's gonna do next. One minute she's shaking with memories of her past, the next, she's diving headlong into a situation you're wanting to slap her for even considering. Money is a huge motivator for a lot of people and Rook is no different. If you've never been completely broke and wondering where your next meal might come from, you probably wouldn't connect with the character in general. I think J. A. Huss did a fantastic job of showing exactly what someone in Rook's situation might think/do when an opportunity to never have to worry about money again presents itself. That being said, I could identify with Rook and her situation (all but the abusive husband).

Writing the story from both Rook and Ronin's POV was a smart move. If I'd just seen Ronin through Rook's eyes, I might have thought him a complete cad. He still wasn't my favorite character, but I could tell he wasn't out to destroy her. He's just really confused. Language is strong but the scenes aren't pornographic in the bedroom. Leadups are tastefully written and everything beyond is left to the imagination. It was well done. Kudos to the author for not falling into the trap of laying out the entire scene blow by blow. Does the author go into detail when it's not about the sex, but about the emotions and reactions Rook has to touches during the photo shoots? Yes. But that's when it matters.

My problem with the story was: I kept waiting for something to happen. It never did. I don't know if that was done purposely because it's book one of a trilogy, but it irritated me to no end. Give me something to keep me reading.

From an Editor's Perspective:
This book needs a major overhaul. Sentence construction issues, punctuation problems, and incorrect details run amok. While I usually limit the editing to one star, it bled over into the storyline and will be given a heavier weight. Example: He grabs two lime wedges from a little silver bucket in the ice, and shoves down the neck of each beer. Errors like that could be eradicated with a good editor. As an aside, Corona caps don't twist off. A long time lover of that particular brand, I caught that oops where others may not have.

Rating:
1 Star for giving me a believably naive character in Rook
1 Star for showing what some will do when truly down and out
1 Star for not feeling the need to go into every bedroom detail
-.5 Star for not giving me anything in the way of Rook's career
-1.5 Stars for editing
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars. A book with a great plot and wonderful characters that's lacking in the editing department. Recommended to those who don't mind a couple of errors and like romance that's left to the imagination.

Now it's time to tell you all about those deals I promised!
For a limited time, you can pick up The Druid's Doorway by S. G. Daniels for just $0.99 over on Amazon.
Through the 17th, you can grab a copy of Devil Creek by Casey Bond totally free on Amazon.

So get out there and click, click, click! Don't forget to share your purchase with the world! Amazon makes it easy and the authors will love you for it.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you read Tragic? What were your thoughts?

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

Jo

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Book Review - Sir Edric's Temple

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you another book review. This is the first book from my Indie Fever 2014 Reading Challenge list to be reviewed here on the blog. If you don't know about Indie Fever, feel free to check it out and join up here.


Now, a little about the book on the table for massacre uh... review:

Title: Sir Edric's Temple
Author: Thaddeus White
Genre: Fantasy and Humor
Length (print): 124 pages
Purchase Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99


Synopsis:
When Sir Edric Greenlock, the Hero of Hornska, is summoned to attend the King in the dead of night he fears imminent execution. Committing adultery is frowned upon in King Lawrence's domains, especially when it's with Lawrence's wife. The King, however, has something else in mind. Priceless royal treasures have been stolen, and the King dispatches Sir Edric to retrieve them in a mission that could optimistically be described as suicidal.

Accompanied by his pathologically loyal manservant Dog, the prudish elf Lysandra, and a man called Colin, he must travel to the Unholy Temple to retrieve the royal treasures from a mysterious thief.


**Will not appear in review elsewhere

Thaddeus was one of the winners of a review from my 12 Days of Christmas contest at the end of last year. I do this once a year to fill my Kindle with books by authors I've never read (and some I have who've released new titles I haven't read). I ask each author to pitch their book to me in a comment and leave me a link so I can snag a sample. I have to admit, White had my attention with the pitch and once I dove into the sample, I couldn't stop reading.

And who wouldn't love this cover?**

Okay, on to the meat and potatoes!!

I grabbed a sample of Sir Edric's Temple after the author pitched the book on my blog. I have to say, I wasn't sure I was going to like it from the description; but, once I started reading, I was sucked in by the excellent writing and world-building going on. When the sample ended and I was upset there was no more to read, I knew I'd hit upon a winner. On the cover is exactly what you'd expect Sir Edric to look like (crossbow and all). Now for the review!

From a Reader's Perspective:
White now owes me a box of cleaning wipes. I can't tell you how many times I laughed while reading this book. Sir Edric's inner monologue will have you rolling on the floor while understanding this is probably what 9/10 of the male population is thinking at any given point in time. It's very true to life in that sense. You also start to actually like him by the end of the book, despite his womanizing ways. Plus, there are mystical creatures, zombies (yay!), and dragons (who doesn't love dragons?). When the end of the book came about, I was not only sad the story was over, but cracking up at the final outcome. It had the most beautiful twist!

From an Editor's Perspective:
This book was so well written, I found no errors. That's saying something. My brain is wired to find even the tiniest slip-ups, and this book had none. Kudos to the author.

Rating:
1 Star for making me laugh like a crazy person
1 Star for making Sir Edric so darned likeable
1 Star for great world building
1 Star for the fantastic ending
1 Star for editing and lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars! Recommended to anyone who loves to laugh and finds humor in male inner-monologue.


I do hope you all check out Sir Edric's Temple. It's a fast, fun, humorous read that's well worth the $2.99 it costs.

As a little aside, I, Zombie went live and is available for purchase here. It's just $0.99 for a limited time, so I suggest you snag one! Party starts on the blog tomorrow so be sure you come on back for that!

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

Jo

Friday, December 27, 2013

Book Review Devil Creek

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I bring you a book review of Devil Creek by Casey L. Bond. If you remember from day twelve of the Christmas party, you'll see this title on the list. I have the very great pleasure of interviewing Ms. Bond for one of my special Monday spots on the blog in January as well. So grab your comfy slippers, a warm drink (because it's freaking cold outside), sit back, and read on!

As always, I'll start with information for the book on the chopping block today:

Title: Devil Creek
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length (print): aprox. 199 pages
Link to purchase: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
What is your greatest fear? For Aislin, it is the fear of being alone. She grew up in and out of foster care along with her brother, Declan. When he is killed by an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, she leans on her brother's best friend, Gabriel. The two become inseparable.

When she catches her fiancée in bed with another girl? She isn’t even that upset. Mad as hell? Yes. As angry as she should be? No. That's the moment she realizes that she isn't in love with her fiancée. She is in love with her best friend, Gabriel. The only problem is that Gabe doesn't think he should cross the boundary between friend and lover with his dead best friend's sister. He wants her. He just doesn't want to want her. And, therein lies the problem.

After Aislin is attacked by a man she tried to love with her head in an attempt to heal her heart from rejection, she and Gabriel have one night of bliss together. Only one though. Gabriel gets spooked and runs. He is afraid. Afraid that Aislin will hate him for taking advantage of her vulnerability. Three years and nine months later, Gabe comes home to find Aislin with a dark-haired wanna-be rockstar and a three year old little girl with familiar blue eyes. Seeing her with Jude, makes his blood boil. But does Gabriel deserve her? No. Does he want her? With every fiber of his being. He will do anything it takes to win her heart. He wants a place in her life and in the life of her daughter. What is in the cards for Gabriel and Aislin? Can love survive without trust? Welcome to Devil Creek.

***Must be 18 to order due to adult language/situations.***

Will not appear in final review: I love the cover for this book. It's very captivating and pulls you right in. Lovely color choices on the designer's part. I also appreciate how large the author's name is. This is a chance for that name to shine and the cover artist did a great job of calling the name out.

Let's move on to why you're reading this, shall we?

I received an ARC from the author because I was one of the beta-readers for this book. I can assure you, all opinions are my own and honest. I'm not usually a fan of romance, but this book reads a lot like a coming-of-age story for the MC so I got into it. Enough rambling, let's get to the good stuff!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Devil Creek is told from two viewpoints: Aislin, the main female, and Gabe, the main male. Ms. Bond was wise to write it this way, because you get a deeper insight into what each character is thinking. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to reach into the pages and give them both a good shake. But making me care that much about the characters and their eventual outcome is something a good story does. I could connect with Aislin and wondered how many freaking men would have to betray her before she gave up on the gender for good. I was pulled into her world and felt what she felt as the tale moved forward. There are no loose ties left hanging at the end and that was something I appreciated a lot. Plot-wise, it was a brilliant tale and the pacing was really great. I sped through it in no time. There's no insta-love in this book. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't a story for you.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I have to say, I would've read a lot faster if not for the need for one more round of edits. It needs contractions, comma attention, and pronoun checks (I also found a couple of spelling errors - wrong word or wrong tense of word used). Because of those, I did get dissuaded a time or two. But they weren't so bad I couldn't read the book and the quality of the story outweighed these errors.

Rating:
1 Star for making me cringe at some of Aislin's situations
1 Star for a heartbreaking tale
1 Star for making me want to slap both of the MCs
1 Star for tying up all loose ends and lack of insta-love scenarios
-1 Star for the need for an editor
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended for those who love romance or coming-of-age tales that make you want to choke men in general.

I do hope you all get a chance to check out Devil Creek.

Remember to come on back for my interview with Casey in just a couple of short weeks.

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

Jo

Monday, December 23, 2013

Twelve Days of Christmas Day Twelve

Happy Monday for the second time, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed that early morning author interview with Kristina Circelli! If you missed reading it, click her pretty face there on the sidebar of the blog.

On to the fun!

I had an overwhelming response to the pitchfest this year. In total, I had sixty-three samples to read! I read each and every one. As I got to the last page, I either put them in a collection called: Indie Reviews for 2014 or Saved for Later. Some, I admit, were deleted from the fray. No, I'm not going to list which ones they were. That wouldn't be nice. I'm not here to burst bubbles, I'm here to give Indies a hand.

Without further ado, here's the final review list for 2014 (again, some were from this contest, some were books I chose on my own):

Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters Amazon Kindle $0.99
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple Amazon Kindle $2.99
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch Amazon Kindle $7.99
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin (I have an ARC)
J. A. Huss Tragic Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek (I have an ARC)

Added today:

Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99 
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99


Your books have been shared [Anne de Bourgh, Ambience, Feast Island, Off Target], tweeted [Anne de Bourgh, Ambience, Feast Island, Off Target], pinned [Anne de Bourgh, Ambience, Feast Island, Off Target], and added to my Goodreads TBR list for this contest.

Congratulations to the authors that were chosen! I look forward to reviewing your books!

Here are the winners from yesterday's giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the entry form for the final giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Huge thanks to all the authors who took the time to come by and pitch! If I could buy, read, and review you all, I would! Yes, really. Be sure to enter the giveaway for today! Awesome set of books right there!

I'll be e-mailing everyone their prizes from the final giveaway tomorrow.

Thanks so much and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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

Jo

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Twelve Days of Christmas Day Eleven

Happy Sunday, lovely authors! Today's the last day to pitch your book! I'll be announcing the final winners tomorrow and launching the biggest giveaway yet. If you missed the master list of prizes, you can check out this post. I'll be announcing the final review list tomorrow.

Take heart if you're not on it, because I put a number of the samples into my later collection. That means I'll be choosing from that backlog of titles if I run out of books (and there's a good chance I will) or discard a number of the ones I've selected as I read more. Sometimes, you can't tell what the rest of the book will be like from the sample. While you can get a pretty good idea, I've discarded some from the 3/4 point. That's why I tell you all there's no guarantee.

So, let's move on into the rundown of the pitched books:

Renee Novelle Reflections Amazon Kindle $0.99
Marc Nash An Eye For An Eye For An Eye Amazon Kindle $2.99
Robin Murphy Federal City's Secret Amazon Kindle $2.99
*Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99*WINNER*
*Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99*WINNER*
S.G. Night Attrition: the First Act of Penance Amazon Kindle $4.98
Niramisa Weiss The Liar Amazon Kindle $9.60
*L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 Amazon Kindle $2.99*WINNER*
Kimberley Clark The Species Within (Battles in the Dark #1) Amazon Kindle $2.99
*Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99*WINNER*
Ginette Atcheson The Legacy: Fate Amazon Kindle $0.99
Jay Allan Storey Eldorado Amazon Kindle $3.99
*Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99*WINNER*
Doris Schneider Borrowed Things Amazon Kindle $4.95
Cat Brown Awakening (The Dark Rituals Book 1)  Amazon Kindle $0.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
*Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters Amazon Kindle $0.99*WINNER*
Molly Taggart Roots that Clutch Amazon Kindle $2.99
Stephanie Erickson The Cure Amazon Kindle $2.99
*Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.99*WINNER*
Massimo Marino Daimones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Felicia Tatum Mangled Hearts Amazon Kindle $1.99
Beem Weeks Jazz Baby Amazon Kindle $3.99
*C.S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51*WINNER*
Judy Goodwin Heart of the Witch Amazon Kindle $2.99
Jerrie Brock Something Taken Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heidi Angell The Hunters Amazon Kindle $4.99
*David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99*WINNER*
Kathy Garlock Gone for a Soldier Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
Emily Street The Velocipede Races Amazon Kindle $3.99
Heidi Angell Elements of a Broken Mind Amazon Kindle $4.99
Edward M Wolfe Devon's Last Chance Amazon Kindle $0.99 
S.G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99
Vardan Partamyan The After/Life Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tina Brescanu Destined Union Amazon Kindle $4.99
Liney Westlund Stella's Saga: Book One Amazon Kindle $2.99
Beth Deitchman Mary Bennet and the Bloomsbury Coven Amazon Kindle $3.99
Gloria Piper Train to Nowhere Amazon Kindle $2.99
Eric A. Maskell The Veil Amazon Kindle $2.99
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Erin McDowell Dark Luminance Amazon Kindle $3.99
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Emily Street and Beth Deitchman The Painted Dog and Other Stories Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heidi Angell Angel's Dance Smashwords --Set your own price.--
Gloria Piper Emperor's Hostages Amazon Kindle $2.99
J.S. Marlo Cold Sweat (Heart & Endurance #1) Amazon Kindle $4.99
Gloria Piper That Other Kind Amazon Kindle $2.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Chris Harrison We Are Toten Herzen Amazon Kindle $3.05
*Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple Amazon Kindle $2.99*WINNER*
Michele Cooke Dead and Buryd Amazon Kindle $3.99
Skylar Hamilton Burris A Greater Sound By Far Amazon Kindle $2.99
J. S. Marlo Unscripted (Duty Bound Series #1) Amazon Kindle $5.49
Kay Camden The Alignment Amazon Kindle $4.99
Gloria Piper Long Pig Smashwords $1.99
H. L. Carpenter Jack and The Fountain of Youth Amazon Kindle $2.25
Rusty Henrichsen Emmettville Amazon Kindle $2.99
J. S. Marlo Salvaged Amazon Kindle $5.49
Steve Douglass The Bridge to Caracas Amazon Kindle $2.99
Lee Barrett Barge Pilot Amazon Kindle $3.99
Robin Woods Allure Amazon Kindle $2.99

If you entered and your name doesn't appear in the above list, you forgot to do something on the Rafflecopter OR you sent me a print only book (which I cannot sample). Only those authors with three entries on the excel form made it into this list. If you only left your book pitch and link in the comments, I didn't pick it up. You gotta fill out the whole form.

Remember, every book that's pitched stays in until the end! I also don't go in order. Keeping you all guessing 'til the end is my fun time. If you're an author, be sure you're following along each day to get a new way to join me on social media (this will matter when your review goes up).

This is the last day to enter.

Time for the winners from yesterday:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'll be sending your prizes out later today.

Now, the book I selected from the list to add to the pile:

Finnegan's Quest by Gloria Piper

Your book has been shared, tweeted, pinned, and added to my Goodreads TBR list for this contest.

Finnegan is so much fun! I'm loving that little fox and her writing is wonderful. I can see myself becoming a fan of her work! Congratulations, Gloria!

**Kindly remember there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You did get a purchase 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.**

Today's entry form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good last minute luck to you all!

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

Jo