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

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

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

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

Book Review - The Final Omen

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you yet another Indie book review. This one is for Final Omen, book four (and the last) of the Second Sight series by Heather Topham Wood. Grab your coffee (or tea, for those of you in the UK), pull up a chair, and let's get going!

First, a little about the book I'm writing this review for:

Title: The Final Omen - Second Sight Book Four
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Length: Approx 185 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.99 B&N Nook $3.99 Smashwords $3.99

Description:
Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.
New Adult Paranormal Romance-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

I just love the covers on these books. I do wish the author's name weren't vertical, but that's my designer brain kicking in. You know, that old "all type should be one way or another" thing. I do appreciate that there are only two fonts. I see too many designers mixing more than two (or two of the same family serif or sans-serif) which just looks like a mistake.

On to the good stuff!

I was the proofreader for this book so I got to see it before anyone else. Of course, I still ran out and picked up a copy when it was released so I'd never ever lose it. I read the first three books in the Second Sight series and fell in love with them. This one blew me away. Ms. Wood has really pulled out all the stops to make it both terrifying and sweet. Let's get to the review!

From a reader's perspective:
I love, love, love Kate and Jared! He's such a sweet guy. I adore the sweet guys and haven't ever really been into the "bad boy" who breaks girls' hearts and is a callous jerk. Enter Declan. He's a player to the Nth degree. I was glad when he finally accepted his lot in the last book and decided to leave Kate alone. In this installment, he's working with Jared as they try to solve Kate's murder. That was a twist in and of itself. *NOTE* This won't ruin the story because the boys teaming up happens in the first few pages of the book. I'm not about spoilers. Kate has always been a character I could root for. She's no different in this book. I was quite the strange kid growing up and didn't bask in the limelight so I can identify with her insecurities and social withdrawal. When I found out who the killer was, I choked. I totally didn't expect the twist and it left me horrified (which is GOOD). The Final Omen isn't bogged down with a ton of description and gives a lot of the meat and potatoes we all love. It was a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to the series.

From an editor's perspective:
The story had great flow, few errors, an awesome twist that wasn't foreshadowed at all, and a wonderful premise. Top marks!

My rating:
1 Star for showing me a damaged girl who learns to love herself
1 Star for a brilliant story
1 Star for pacing and a wonderful ending
1 Star for giving me an awesome twist
1 Star for quality of writing
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wood's best book in this series! I would recommend to anyone who loves a sappy romance tinged with murder mystery, action, and a great story to hold it all up.

I do hope you pick up a copy of The Final Omen. You won't regret it.

Have you read the series? What do you think?

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

Jo