JK Rowling Announces a New Novel for Adults

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 24•12

Big news yesterday! Little, Brown announced that they had struck a deal with the one and only J.K. Rowling (author of Harry Potter for those living under a rock) for an adult novel. I’d love to say more, but there are literaly no details at this point. Title, plot, nothin.

Rowling obviously has a lot to live up to and there will be some unreasonably high expectations for this next book, so I’m trying to just keep an open mind on this one and wait and see. Actually, at this point it’s probably better to just forget all about it as there likely wont be any news for awhile.

So, what do you all think of this big news? Also, does anyone know what happened with Pottermore? I thought us non betas were supposed to have access a few months ago now. Yeesh!

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos , , | 2 Comments »

Incarnate- Jodi Meadows

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 23•12

Synopsis:
New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies–human and creature alike–let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? -Goodreads

Review: Incarnate is a really fun take on the idea of reincarnation, reincarnation 2.0. What if you and everyone else could remember all your past lives while moving on to your new life with a new body, new parents, new everything. Nah, that’s too simple. What if you are the only person who doesn’t have any past lives to remember in this world. You’re a whole new person in a world filled with  very old souls and everyone else knows it. That’s Ana, and her story is one you don’t want to miss.

I loved Ana’s character! Considering her upbringing and her unique circumstances, she is headstrong and clever, there are things she is passionate about and people she can’t stand, she also has a good sized number of insecurities that come from being told you are a nosoul and a mistake throughout your entire life. Ana felt real to me throughout the whole book and is absolutely someone I would to sit down and chat with.

Starting Incarnate I didn’t realize that this super awesome concept of reincarnation is also fused with a fantasy world that involves dragons and mysterious temples. It added an extra level to this story that made it really stand out from a lot of other recent YA titles.

I know this part has been said a million times over in every review of this book that’s out there, but the cover of Incarnate really deserves some love. Not only is it beautiful and oh so colorful, but after reading the book, it makes it that much better, knowing it is actually relevant to the story and not just another pretty picture

Another thing I don’t usually comment on but is really deserving for Incarnate was the setting descriptions. I could really see, and almost feel the city many of the souls live in, Heart. There is a heartbeat to this city that made me want to be there. Between the mystery of the cities origin and the masquerade ball, there was a feeling of whimsy to Heart that is hard to find and makes you never want to put the book down.

Overall, a really great YA read. I am dying to know more about the world Jodi Meadows has created (I would love to see a book of short stories from other characters previous lives), she really sucked me into her imagination right from the first page. Love, love, love!

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 
Second Opinions:
@Rants N Scribbles
@Esther’s Ever After
@Booknerds are Pretty Too

Posted in Young Adult Books , , | 3 Comments »

How do you keep track of your favorite blogs?

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 22•12

Lately I’ve been finding myself losing track of my favorite blogs because I can’t always keep track of them. I don’t log into blogger enough to utilize the features it has to keep track of posts, the blogs I follow on twitter are just as likely to get buried under other tweets as catch my eye… *sigh* So, I am wondering if any of you have any tips and tricks about how you “follow” the blogs you love to read (book blogs or otherwise)?

Ideas I’ve heard of (if you do any of these, let me know how they work for you, and I am definitely open to new ideas).
1. Blogger
2. Twitter
3. GFC (wont be long now *sniffle*
4. Bookmarks
5. Facebook

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos , , | 4 Comments »

Trivia Tuesday #4

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 21•12

This week in the Trivia Corner…. Thing you know Vampire Academy? Well this week we have TWO quizzes to test your VA know how.

Round 1
Complete this Vampire Academy name chain. I got a little stuck on number 3, so be sure to let me know in the comments how you do.

 

 

 

 

Round 2
That was too easy for you? Okay, let’s see how well you know the royal families of the Vampire Academy universe. Can you name all of the families in just nine minutes? Don’t forget to let me know how you did!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for playing! Be sure to check back next week!

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos , , , | 2 Comments »

Cover Reveal: Finn Finnegan by Darby Karchut

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 20•12

Finn Finnegan

Finn Finnegan

Summary: Finn (not bleedin’ Finnegan) MacCullen is eager to begin his apprenticeship. He soon discovers the ups and downs of hunting monsters in a suburban neighborhood under the demanding tutelage of the Knight, Gideon Lir. Both master and apprentice are descendents of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. Scattered long ago to the four corners of the world, the De Danaan wage a two thousand year old clandestine battle with their ancient enemy, the Amandán, a breed of goblin-like creatures.Now with the beasts concentrating their attacks on Finn, he and his master must race to locate the lost Spear of the Tuatha De Danaan, the only weapon that can destroy the Amandán, all the while hiding his true identity from his new friends, Rafe and Savannah, twins whose South African roots may hold a key to Finn’s survival. Armed with a bronze dagger, some ancient Celtic magic, and a hair-trigger temper, Finn is about to show his enemies the true meaning of “fighting Irish.”
Finn Finnegan will be published by Spencer Hill Press in March of 2013.
Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos , , , | 2 Comments »

Life as We Knew It- Susan Beth Pfeffer

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 18•12

Synopsis: Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all–hope–in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world. -Goodreads

Review: First off, let me say… this is in no way your average apocalyptic novel. There are no grand adventures or bard-worthy tales of heroism, not even pulse pounding life or death situations at every corner (things still aren’t a walk in the park). Usually, I love that kind of stuff, but I loved this book so much more for not having any of that. It was very real and very human. I actually started reading it tonight as I was going to bed and just kept reading right through til the end at 3am! Then, I actually got out of bed to come right this review because this book needs to be given it’s full due before I forget a single detail. Alas, it will still have to wait a few weeks to be posted but at least you know the ideas are fresh.

The book started out especially slow, with Miranda just going about her day to day life while hearing about the impending asteroid which will hit the moon. At the time it’s all very exciting and a bit of a spectacle. But of course, everything just has to go horribly wrong. That’s when this book started to really blow me away. Things didn’t get dire all at once but instead deteriorated in a way that you never even really caught it. What seemed unliveable one month is looked on as the good ol’ days in months to come. Everything progresses really seamlessly, it’s very well written.

I especially liked the emphasis on family. Romance is barely a blip on Miranda’s radar and she comes to realize just how much the people in her life mean to her. The old lady across the way, to the cat that prefers her brother and of course her mother who will do anything to keep her children alive. I don’t know how she Pfeffer did it but she had me worrying about characters that were away on extended trips and practically holding my breath just hoping they would walk in the front door.

I’ll admit, this book won’t be for everyone and if every apocalyptic YA book was like this one it would be a very different genre. But if like me, you keep finding yourself picking up end of the world books then Life as We Knew It will offer both a change of pace and a heart-wrenching new perspective. Highly recommended.

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@The Turned Brain
@BookChilla
@Open Book Society

Posted in Young Adult Books , , | 5 Comments »

The Goddess Test- Aimee Carter

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 17•12

Synopsis: It’s always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won’t live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he’s crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride, and a goddess. -Goodreads

Review: Just hearing about the concept for The Goddess Test had me sold. Greek mythology has been a long standing interest for a lot of people and The Goddess Test does not disappoint in putting a modern spin on the deities that we know so well.

I especially loved the modernized versions of the Greek pantheon. For the most part they seemed like people who could really exist in our world. I would love to see some more detail in how they each relate to their original persona as this first book only touches on a handful. That’s what book 2 is for! Obviously Hades is pretty heavily featured (and not at all what I would have expected, he’s great!), but I’ll leave the rest as happy surprises.

Despite a lot of pretty awful things happening to Kate, at times things seemed a little too easy and lacking in conflict. Still a really enjoyable read, it just never had me hanging on for dear life and desperate to know what was going to happen next.

I feel like there should be more to say about this book, but for some reason I’m struggling on this one. The Goddess Test is a prime example of escapist reading for mythology nerds. If that’s you then be sure to pick this one up before the next book Goddess Interrupted comes out in March!

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@The Bawdy Book Blog
@Mostly Reading YA
@Once Upon A Prologue

Posted in Young Adult Books , , , | 2 Comments »

Easy Does It by Kendall Grey

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 16•12

Easy Does It

By Kendall Grey

Thanks so much, Kellie, for inviting me to share some of my self-publishing experiences on your blog.

I started writing my urban fantasy romance, INHALE, in August of 2008. At the time, I wanted to go the traditional publishing route because frankly, only losers self-publish, right? ;-) Like many other writers, I queried over 40 agents and editors and got a whole lotta nothing in return. I entered gobs of contests and placed in many of them, so I figured my book couldn’t be too bad.

 

Everything changed when my dream agent rejected the INHALE revisions she asked for (this was the 13th major revision I had done for this book, by the way). A person can only take so much “you suck” before they either quit writing all together, or their head explodes. I decided to channel all that exploding head energy into something productive: doing it myself.

 

Now that I’m knee-deep in self-publishing with a trilogy due out in a few months, I’ve never felt better about myself or my books. As of this writing, over 150 people have added INHALE to Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12980966-inhale). The book has 18 ratings, averaging 4.61 out of 5. For a low-life, self-published book that’s not even out yet, I’m kind of excited about my numbers. :-)

So, what’s the secret to my success thus far? Taking my time and PLANNING. Here’s a quick run-down of the process I followed to get where I am:

  1. Write a damn good book. Pretty self-explanatory, but too many self-pubbers get antsy in their pantsies and put stories out before they’re ready. A book should NEVER be published until it’s been professionally edited. Period.
  2. Develop a budget. How much money are you willing to put in? Self-publishing is not cheap. If you can’t afford to do it the right way, you might want to reconsider. I estimate you need $3,000 minimum (I put in a lot more than that for my books), which will cover only the bare essentials.
  3. Create a timeline with “benchmarks”. Be realistic with your goals. Consider the following: editing (how many passes will the book require? Unless you’re Super Writer—trust me, no matter how good you are, you’re not that good—you’ll need at least two); cover art and design (it took me months to find the perfect images and designer); securing reviews (I spent a solid week of scouring the Internet for reviewers); formatting the books (another several days for me); marketing (how will you make your book alluring to your target audience?).

These are just a few big things to consider. All of the steps listed above take hundreds of hours. Again, if you don’t have time, self-publishing may not be for you.

In hindsight, what would I do differently?

  1. I wouldn’t fall in love with anything outside the realm of my control. Not images, editors, or designers. Someone is always out to screw you over. Too many times I let my emotions get in the way of good judgment, and I paid for it.
  2. I’d lower my expectations for what friends and family will do to support me. Yes, they love me, but most of them don’t give a rat’s ass about my books. It hurts, but I’ve learned to accept it.
  3. I’d choose my reviewers more carefully. All reviewers are NOT created equally. If they don’t read/enjoy your genre, don’t request a review. How often does the reviewer post and where? How many followers do they have? Are their reviews spiteful or constructive? Can they form coherent sentences? Side note: I had to quit sending print copies of my books to reviewers because the cost involved in purchasing them and shipping is counter-productive to my return.

Self-publishing is not an option you should take lightly. It involves way more work and money than traditional publishing, but the level of control is worth it to me. Whether my trilogy bombs or soars, these book babies are mine.  I birthed them my way, and I’m proud of them no matter the outcome.

About Kendall: Kendall Grey, word diddler and whale champion, was born without an off-switch between her brain and mouth. She’s been called the “Flux Capacitor of Twitter” and “A little package of love all wrapped up in F-word paper,” but she’s really just a maniacal writer relaying eyewitness accounts of the rave inside her head.

Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, but don’t hold that against her.

Be sure to read ReaWrite’s review of Kendall’s fantastic debut, Inhale.

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos, Writing , , | 4 Comments »

Inhale by Kendall Grey

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 15•12

ARC provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis: After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.

Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country. -Goodreads

Review: Despite the fact that I also write for a self-pubbed book review site, I can still be a little wary about reading self-published or indie books… Inhale has proven to me once and for all that these types of books can be just as good, if not better, than their traditionally published counterparts. Throughout the entire book it was so clear that Kendall Grey is infinately passionate, not just about writing and whales but about life as a whole. It made for a pretty fantastic read.

Now, I’m guessing that any of you who aren’t familiar with Inhale are probably thinking… “huh? whales?”, so I’ll jump into that for a second. We all have our random things that we’re passionate about, that we try to learn everything we can about, that we dream about turning into a career. Well for Kendall Grey and one of her main characters, it’s all about whales. Zoe is a whale biologist who clearly cares about her work and it doesn’t take long for the reader to become just as passionate about everything Zoe cares about.

You will quickly come to feel like you really know Zoe and Gavin and care about what happens to them. They are both fully fleshed out characters with believable personalities and complex histories.

The plot flows smoothly and easily which made this book so easy to get hooked on and stay hooked on. I finished it in just a couple of days. I don’t want to give anything away since this book is fully powered by ‘what happens next!’, so you’re just going to need to trust me and go read this book!

If you haven’t guessed it yet… I highly recommend this book! If you’re a die-hard urban fantasy fan, then this is a must read! The book comes out May 1st, so be sure to keep an eye out for it as it’s already getting a lot of hype in the blog-o-sphere.

Check back in tomorrow for a special guest post from Inhale’s author, Kendall Grey!

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions
@Obsession with Books
@Seeing Night Reviews

Posted in Urban Fantasy Books , , | 2 Comments »

Birthmarked- Caragh M. O’Brien

Written By: Kellie - Feb• 12•12

Synopsis: In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.
Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia’s mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish. -Goodreads

Review: Birthmarked was a really interesting dystopian YA read. Due to some extreme climate changes, there is are very few people left and very little rain. Okay, that isn’t so unusual in dystopian today, but the society that has been built around these extreme circumstances is complex and certainly misguided. Yet it’s easy enough to understand that these people are just trying to do the best they can to survive. Really interesting to read.

The one draw back to this book for me was a lack of fully developed characters. The main character Gaia is of course the exception. She has a complete history that has obviously shaped who she is and the decisions she makes in the story, but I just didn’t find that the people she was interacting with had that same, realistic feeling 100% of the time. Not that they were awful or two dimensional, just not as fleshed out as they could have been. Granted, most of the people that populate the book are as new to Gaia as they are to the reader so this will likely develop in future books.

The romance in Birthmarked was really nicely done. The relationship developed so much more naturally than you usually see in YA novels and it was a fantastic change of pace.

I’m a little nervous to see where this series goes next because from what I can tell, book two takes place in a whole new environment with new characters.  But Caragh M. O’Brien has more than proven to me that she is a top-notch writer and world builder and I really enjoyed this story.

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

Rating:

 

 

 

Second Opinions:
@Tea Mouse Book Reviews
@That’s What She Read
@The Pretty Books

Posted in Young Adult Books , , | 3 Comments »
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