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Blog of author Medeia Sharif.
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LEAP WRITE IN - Karen BenkeThis book is geared towards young people to motivate and inspire them to write. With numerous prompts and story starters, this is a solid resource book for teachers and students. It seemed to me that the reading and interest levels were more for teens than tweens. I read this on my Kindle, so I’m not sure how much of a workbook this is. I did see blank lines for writing space, but have no idea if it’s sufficient in a hard copy. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
IF YOU FIND ME - Emily MurdochTeenager Carey and her little sister, Jenessa, live by themselves in the middle of a forest. Their mother disappeared and they’re living off canned foods. This is the only life Carey has really known. Her mother took her away from her father years ago to live in a trailer. If people stumbled upon them, they assumed they were campers.Carey and Jenessa are rescued. They now live with Carey’s father. They have hot water, clean clothes, and all the food they can eat. Technology, which Carey has never used, surrounds them. It’s a whole new world. Carey now has to go to a public school, when she was used to reading books on her own and educating Jenessa. She also has an unkind stepsister on her case. Darkness surrounds Carey. She has lived a life of abuse. She remembers her father, the man she’s living with now, abusing her and her mother. Her mother exposed her to people and situations that a young girl should never go through. Additionally, Carey is hiding a horrible secret. There’s a reason why Jenessa doesn’t talk out loud. Something sinister happened in that forest before they were rescued.Reading about how Carey and Jenessa made a transition to city life was like watching two people go through culture shock. There was a lot of tension building up in regards to the secret Carey was keeping to herself. Also, there were many heartbreaking scenes. This book is an amazing page turner. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.WHITE LINES - Jennifer BanashAs a teenager, Cat is on her own in New York City in the 80s. Her father doesn’t deal with her and her mother physically and emotionally abused her. She lives by herself in an apartment and she’s a club promoter. There are drugs, the club scene, and gritty situations, as the blurb promised. Cat lives a wild life for someone her age.
Even though I enjoyed the style of writing, the story left me cold at various points. I didn’t always connect with Cat and sometimes found the minor characters more interesting. Also, some of the scenes didn’t come off as realistic. This was a three star book for me. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
THE S-WORD - Chelsea PitcherAngie’s former best friend, Lizzie, commits suicide. Before the suicide, everyone branded Lizzie a slut. Angie caught Lizzie and her then-boyfriend, Drake, in bed during prom. Gossip and rumors went out of control. People defaced Lizzie’s locker with graffiti, liberally using the s-word.
After Lizzie’s death, someone continues with the graffiti, and it’s in Lizzie’s handwriting. Angie wants to get to the bottom of things. What really happened during prom night? Also, she wants vengeance, to bring down the people who tormented Lizzie.
The beginning didn’t grab me right away. There also seemed to be a pacing issue, where some areas needed more fleshing out while others were lengthy. I did enjoy the mystery surrounding Lizzie’s death and the book explores the important topics of bullying and slut-shaming. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO - Bonnie ShimkoCan you imagine living with a voice inside your head that tells you to kill people? Maggie lives with that voice. If she doesn’t do the voice’s bidding, she gets a massive headache. If she sets off to do the deeds she's told to do, then her head no longer feels like a sledgehammer is coming down on it.
Maggie isn’t entirely inconspicuous. She lives in a small town and some people are aware of what she does. She kills people who’ve done wrong to others—an abusive husband and someone who disrespects the mentally disabled—and her tracks aren’t always easy to cover. She has an especially hard time shaking off one young man, who has an unrequited crush on her. He has a condemning piece of evidence linking her to a murder.
The voice is persuasive, yet Maggie knows it’s crazy. Sometimes it directs her to hurt people who don’t deserve it. And who is the voice to make such judgments? I loved Maggie—she’s such a compelling character—and that nutty voice is a character within a character. The minor characters are also awesome and well-written.
This was a unique book with elements of horror and suspense. I would definitely read more from this author. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
I'll be on a blog break for an entire week and will post next Friday. See you all then.
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. I'm about one-thirds done with the third round of edits. I'm almost done with this.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. From last Wednesday: I only did one round of revisions on this, not two like I planned, and I'm going to stop. I feel like I'm missing a subplot and an emotional arc on this one. I don't want to keep working on this manuscript until I know what needs adding, so I'll leave this for another ROW80 round. On the plus side, this gives me time to focus on and finish goals A and C, which I feel more strongly about.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. I'm about halfway done with the first round of edits.
I'm confident I'll finish goal A, but I really hope to finish goal C before next Wednesday. I'll be on a blog break next week, so this is my last update for this ROW80 round.
Happy writing, everyone.
Ellie Garratt is going strong with her PASSING TIME blog tour. PASSING TIME is a collection of nine dark fiction stories. I had the pleasure of reading two of them. Today I’m interviewing a character from EXPIRATION DATE. Here’s Clifford…
Tell us about a few scientific innovations of your time. Those of us in 2013 are curious.
One of the sharpest inventions in the last decade was the wave-out of 4D texts in 2117. They are multi-dimensional virtual texts, replacing the 3D eBooks, which have been around forever. Everyone said they could never replace 3D eBooks but they are nothing but relics from the 22nd Century.
When I was alive, and legally entitled to own a robot, one of my favourite innovations was Swapbot, a swap site for robots. In the US our robots have way more rights than the standards in Asia, and are legally entitled to move on within three months of ownership if they are unhappy. I got some sharp swaps that way.
You have a bit of an odor problem. Do you, or does your father, take care of that in any way?
I do. I’m fifteen, not a baby! Well since my father dug me up I’m technically now 30, but don’t tell anyone–he’d have to register me for pre-work. Anyway, I usually try to stay away from enclosed spaces, and spray myself every hour with anti-decay. Why? Do I smell now? Excuse me for a few seconds.
We're waiting...good, you're back. Your father does most of the talking. How does this make you feel? Is there anything you want to tell him regarding that?
Most of the time I find it annoying but I understand he’s only doing it for my own good. Vocal cords decay quickly, and he doesn’t want me to come unstuck. That’s a poor choice of words considering the whole head coming off incident. You can laugh. I don’t mind. It’s not the first time it has happened.
You could inhabit anybody’s body. Whose body would it be and why?
I sometimes fantasise I’m Justin Bieber Junior III because he can dance, and he’s also worth trillions. I’m a hopeless dancer.
I notice you’re a movie watcher. What’s your favorite movie?
The Thing. I love the way the alien can take over and replicate a living organism so quickly. If I were able to do that I wouldn’t need my father’s help anymore. I could move out. I could date the clone next door. I’d be much happier. Can we stop now? I feel sad.
Sorry. It’s not easy being a clone.
I can tell. Thank you for stopping by, Clifford.
Book Blurb
Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.
A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.
In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.
A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?
Book Links
About The Author
A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later in the year.
Author Links
Your chance to win
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Today I’m interviewing Michael Harling. He’s the author of several humorous non-fiction books about the expat life entitled POSTCARDS FROM ACROSS THE POND, MORE POSTCARDS FROM ACROSS THE POND, and POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND. Additionally, his latest is a fiction work, FINDING RACHEL DAVENPORT.
About FINDING RACHEL DAVENPORT:
Rachel Davenport—former child prodigy, world-class gymnast and Miss Teen England—has retired from public life and lives anonymously in a small town, working as a clerk for a travel agency.
By night, however, Rachel is a self-styled crime-fighter, seeking to right the wrongs inflicted on people who cannot help themselves.
But when her first mission goes horribly awry she finds herself pursued, not merely by the media, but by the police and an assortment of criminals who want her silenced. To preserve her anonymity, as well as her life,
Rachel must prove to the police that she is one of the good guys and keep one step ahead of the bad guys, all while avoiding nosey neighbours, holding onto her job and juggling two would-be suitors.
Finding Rachel Davenport is a fun read, with a quirky plot and an explosive ending.
Give him a warm welcome.
What was the hardest thing about becoming an expat? The easiest?
For me, there was nothing particularly hard or easy about becoming an expat. My expat journey is not totally unique, but it is a little unusual: I went hiking in Ireland, anticipating nothing more than a two-week vacation, but six months later I found myself living in Sussex with an English wife and gaping in open-mouthed wonder at my new surrounds trying to figure out what the hell had happened.
Do you come across many expats in your area or are you one of the few?
This could be filed under “hard things” about being an expat—realizing you are not special. If you move to the UK, it is very exciting and you think you’re the only person who has done it but you soon discover that you can’t swing a cat without hitting another American.
That said, I don’t tend to hang out with them; they’re all pretty busy earning a living. I do keep in contact with a loose collection of blogging expats who are spread all over the UK and America and we do get together at irregular intervals. These are the only Americans I actually sit down and talk to, however.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to become an expat?
My advice, if you want to move to Britain, is to do it ten years ago. Fifteen would be better. Also, have a British spouse; that makes things a heck of a lot easier.
When I came over they were lowering the security curtain and I managed to duck under just in time. These days, the process is a lot trickier and much more expensive. It can still be done, but you need a lot of determination and money and a darn good reason—they don’t just let you in because you like the accents and thought it might be fun to live near the place Winnie-the-Pooh was written.
Now, I don’t know what they consider to be a good reason because, quite frankly, it’s not relevant to me any longer, but marrying a UK citizen worked for me, so I recommend that route if you can pull it off—it streamlines the process, and you get to listen to a really cool accent all the time.
Have you always written fiction or are you primarily a non-fiction writer?
I have always wanted to be a writer, and I always saw myself as a novelist. Along the way, however, I wrote columns and humorous op-ed pieces for newspapers, published articles in various magazines, had a brief try at writing for radio and, after moving in England, wrote three humorous books about being an American living in Britain, Finding Rachel Davenport is the first fiction I have published. I hope it is not the last.
FINDING RACHEL DAVENPORT looks action-packed. What kind of research did you have to do for it?
I purposely set the book in and around Horsham, the town where I live, so I could conduct research simply by walking around. The rest of the stuff—making explosives and the like—I looked up on the Internet.
I do look forward to the day when I can walk into the local police station, hospital or supermarket and say, “Hi, I’m a famous author and I’m doing research for my next book and I’d like you to show me around,” and have them immediately fawn over me and reveal their darkest corporate secrets while chatting with me over tea and biscuits but, for now, I have to resort to Wikipedia.
Is it a standalone book or do you see a possibility for a sequel?
Finding Rachel Davenport is a standalone book. It is also part of what I am tentatively (and a bit prematurely) calling my “Horsham Trilogy.” There are two characters from the book—Alex Marsh and PCSO Doyle—who both star in books of their own. Alex is the heroine in my complete-but-as-yet-unpublished novel, The Brighton Virgins, and PCSO Doyle is the central character in my current novel.
What are you working on now?
My current novel involves rookie PCSO Ellen Doyle, who uncovers a 20-year old homicide that unwittingly sparks a killing spree as the killer seeks to silence anyone who knows anything about the crime. And Ellen, naturally, is on the list. (Note for American readers: a PCSO – Police Community Support Officer – is a sort of sub-police officer whose job is to handle tasks like crowd control and administration duties in order to free up the real police to do actual police work.)
Thank you for stopping by, Michael.
Links:
From Steven's site:
What would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage. Would you go back in time and talk some sense into a younger you? Go five years into the future and bring back the Wall Street Journal? See just how the heck the Great Pyramids of Giza were really built? View what the other side of the universe looks like? Kill Hitler?
I would like to visit the 1960s. I’m intrigued by that time period: the cultural changes, music, fashion, movies, etc. So if I were to go through a wormhole, I’d like to experience that decade for myself. I'm not sure I'd dress like a hippie though...well, maybe. And I'd definitely go to Woodstock.
***
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I finished my second round of edits. Now to the third.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. I only did one round of revisions on this, not two like I planned, and I'm going to stop. I feel like I'm missing a subplot and an emotional arc on this one. I don't want to keep working on this manuscript until I know what needs adding, so I'll leave this for another ROW80 round. On the plus side, this gives me time to focus on and finish goals A and C, which I feel more strongly about.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I finished my second round of revisions. Now to editing.
***
Next, here are the winners of my latest giveaway, which was for THE CULLING by Steven Dos Santos. The U.S. winner will receive a signed copy and piece of swag. One international winner will receive the ebook. The giveaway ended last night and random.org was used to pick the winners.
Meradeth won a signed copy and piece of swag.
Nas won an ebook.
Congratulations. We'll be in touch.
A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?
Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in the Backworlds series is here!
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.
To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.
Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.
Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?
Available in ebook at:
It will also be available in paperback from Amazon shortly.
MPAX
M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.
From March 4 to March 22, folks can enter to win the following:
1 set of signed Backworlds paperbacks, including The Backworlds, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, and Boomtown Craze. Will only ship to US residents.
a Rafflecopter giveaway One of five free ebooks. All countries eligible. Enter the rafflecopter for a chance.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Congrats on the release, Mary!
THE CULLING by
Steven Dos SantosFor Lucian “Lucky” Spark, Recruitment Day means the Establishment, a totalitarian government, will force him to become one of five Recruits competing to join the ruthless Imposer task force. Each Recruit participates in increasingly difficult and violent military training for a chance to advance to the next level. Those who fail must choose an “Incentive”—a family member—to be brutally killed. If Lucky fails, he’ll have to choose death for his only living relative: Cole, his four-year-old brother.
Lucky will do everything he can to keep his brother alive, even if it means sacrificing the lives of other Recruits’ loved ones. What Lucky isn’t prepared for is his undeniable attraction to the handsome, rebellious Digory Tycho. While Lucky and Digory train together, their relationship grows. But daring to care for another Recruit in a world where love is used as the ultimate weapon is extremely dangerous. As Lucky soon learns, the consequences can be deadly...I had the pleasure of going to Steven Dos Santos’ book launch for his debut THE CULLING. Steven is a local Miami author who I met through my crit group. I knew him during his pre-book deal days, so I can say that hard work does pay off; plus he’s one talented writer.
He celebrated his book birthday this week. I have a
signed copy and a piece of swag (a dog tag) for one of you.
One blog follower living in the U.S. will win the signed copy and dog tag.
Because I don’t want to leave out my international followers, one of them will receive either a Kindle or Kobo version—the Nook book isn’t available yet.
The form is below. Ends 11:59 p.m EST, March 12, 2013. You must be a blog follower 13 years of age or older. Winners will be picked with random.org.
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I have some WIPs brewing and not only is there variety—each one being very different from the other—but I’m taking delight in how stronger my writing is compared to a few years ago. Basically, I’m pretty confident right now. I’m not saying each one of these babies will be published in the future, since I’m familiar with drawer manuscripts and massive rewrites, but I’ve been feeling real good about my writing lately.
Also, I’m glad I planned for A to Z. So far I’ve written 21 posts for it. I didn’t want to post things last minute like I did last year. This month I’ll write the remaining 5, and then I’ll format and schedule these posts.
***
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I edited 13 out of 26 chapters during my second round of edits.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. I didn't work on this since last week, but I'd like to start on my second round of revisions.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I revised 6 chapters, with 19 out of 26 chapters done for my second round of revisions.
I plan on taking a blog break, as well as a writing break, the last week of March. I might fall short on one or two of these goals. I'm going to make the most of the upcoming weekends, but I won't feel too bad if I don't make it. I've done a lot during this ROW80 round.
A collection of seventy moving and uplifting original pieces - real life, flash fiction, and poetry - about battling against the odds and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The contributors include Amazon bestselling authors
Alex J. Cavanaugh and
Kyra Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent.
The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor's stepson, Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew has cerebral palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising future. However, the free further education options offered in his own country of Scotland will not challenge him and allow him to progress. In order to access the education he deserves, Andrew will have to pay exorbitant fees, thus creating a situation of discrimination.
Help us get Andrew to college by buying a book that runs the full gamut of human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive. Whatever struggles you are going through, our sincere hope is that this book will help.
Purchase Links:
Amazon UKAmazon USSmashwords
GoodreadsNick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction. When not writing he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. He has four short stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. Nick is also co-running a campaign to get a dedicated specialist college built in Scotland. Visit him at
http://nickwilford.blogspot.co.uk/.The cover was designed by
D.R. Cartwright from a concept by
Ella Wilson.
What a wonderful cause. I just bought a copy and I hope many more sell. I'm glad to be part of today's launch.
Instructions:
You're up before dawn on a Saturday when the doorbell rings. You haven't brewed your coffee so you wonder if you imagined the sound. Plonking the half-filled carafe in the sink, you go to the front door and cautiously swing it open. No one there. As you cast your eyes to the ground, you see a parcel addressed to you ... from you.
You scoop it up and haul it inside, sensing something legitimate despite the extreme oddness of the situation. Carefully, you pry it open. Inside is a shoebox -- sent from ten years in the future -- and it's filled with items you have sent yourself.Here's what happens on that Saturday morning:
I open the shoebox. I see a post-it note with a smiley face on it. Obviously, in the future I’m still a fan of notes to myself. It’s adhered to to some strange item that’s flat glass with a silver backing. It looks like a mirror, yet it’s lighter than one. In my gut I know it’s some type of gadget. I inspect the front and back until I find a lone button on the side. After I turn it on, it lights up, with a golden screen that transitions to something else.
It’s an ereader from the future. On the surface I see a list of all my novels that will be published…some of them I recognize as current drafts or ideas floating in my head, while others look new to me, and of course there’s BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. The variety of colorful covers and fonts gives me goose bumps. All that writing—the blood, sweat, and tears of the journey—has paid off and I’m a multi-published author. I tap on the screen to open the first book. Ahh…how do I work this thing?
***
Instructions:
All you have to do to be a part of this happy hop is sign up on the Linky List, and on March 1st, post your list of joy - with a minimum of five things that put a spring back in your step!Here's my list:
Books – You know I love them.
Writing – It’s what I do.
Water – I gravitate to oceans, lakes, and rivers wherever I am. They inspire me. I like to walk alongside them and think.
Full Moons – No, I’m not a werewolf, but I think they’re beautiful.
Animals – What’s not to love about fur babies? I need to have animals in my life.
What makes you joyful?
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. I spent most of my time on this goal. Since last Wednesday I completed the first round of edits.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. I revised the last two chapters, so I'm done with the first round of revisions. I'll start on the second round soon.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I revised 3 chapters, with 13 out of 26 chapters done for my second round of revisions.
I hope everyone is doing well with their goals.
We need your help! Thanks to our spy, Ciara Knight, we are able to communicate with you today via blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
The Neumarian uprising has begun. We are fighting for freedom and equality for all, but we need your help. Ciara informed us that you might want to know more about the uprising and why we ask you to risk your lives for our cause. To answer these questions I’ve agreed to let Ciara tell my sister’s, Raeth’s, story about her captivity. It will be free for you on a site called Amazon until March 1, 2013.
Our spies have told us this will help spread the word and find more recruits for our rebellion against the tyrannical queen. You can help by simply downloading a free copy of Weighted, a prequel to the Neumarian Chronicles. If you are intrigued and wish to follow our uprising, Escapement, book I of The Neumarian Chronicles, will be available for only $2.99 until March 1, 2013.
Escapement is told by Princess Semara. Don’t hold the fact Semara is a princess against her like I did, there is more to her than you can possibly imagine.
Here is a brief explanation of her telling of our uprising:
Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.
What people are saying about Escapement:
“A heady mix of action adventure and steampunk -- leavened with a dash of romance -- ESCAPEMENT offers up its fair share of thrills, horrors and heart-pounding moments. A strong start to a captivating new series.”
-- Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter
“A riveting tale of justice, mercy, honor and love. Take a deep breath and hold on, because you'll be turning the pages of Escapement quickly. Three unlikely comrades, Princess Semara, Ryder, and his sister Raeth, embark on a journey that will alter their lives forever. The beautiful love story nestled into these action-packed scenes will make you sigh and remember why you love to love. After reading the prequel Weighted, I knew this story would be amazing, and it was. Ciara Knight truly has a gift for creating awesome worlds and characters you won't forget.”
--Lindi Peterson--Award winning author of Summer's Song.
“Betrayal, secrets, and a rebellion send readers on a grand adventure, caught in the plight to discover Semara’s gifts and purpose.”
--Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon best sellers CassaStar and CassaFire
“The most unmissable series ever! I couldn't stop reading, the action and romance too breathtaking to break the spell!”
--ARC review by Sudah on Goodreads
"A courageous heart-stopping journey by young people to save their kind."
--Hildie McQueen, bestselling author of Where the Four Winds Collide
If you’d like to see a peak into our world, please view this short clip on You Tube.
If you are now ready to join our fight, please add Escapement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads here. Shout out on all your social media sites, and tell everyone you know to stand up and fight. Be Bold.
Be Brave.
Be Free.
In the name of the rebellion,
Ryder Arteres
Rafflecopter giveaway:
Escapement can be found at Amazon.
First, here's the description.
A storm gathers across the galaxy…
Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.
After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.
Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…
Release date: September 17, 2013
Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure
Print ISBN 9781939844002
E-book ISBN 9781939844019
Now for the cover...
Congrats, Alex.
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I completed the second round of revisions. Now I'll start editing.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. I was so busy on goals A and C that I didn't work on this.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I revised 10 out of 26 chapters for my second round of revisions.
***
Michelle and Elise are celebrating their blogiversaries. Congrats, ladies! They came up with a neat idea of creating 7 comic strip cells and participants of their bloghop write dialog of what the two say to each other. Bonus words to use are twist, cheek, buzz, honour, grey, champagne, tango, and vomit. I gave it my best shot. I hope it's not too corny.  |
Michelle (in balloon): Hurry, let's celebrate before the champagne gets warm.
Elise (running): I'm in the mood for a late afternoon buzz. Hold up!
 | M: What the...
E: I think I'm going to vomit. |
|
 |
| V: Hey there, don't twist so much. It would be my honor to assist you. |
 |
| Ahhhh! |
 |
| M: You're turning grey. Don't worry. We have something that will cushion our fall. |
 |
E: I don't look so glamorous now with water running down my cheek.
M: It's not too late to celebrate. |
 |
Dragon: Did someone say celebrate? Would any of you ladies like to tango? There's a party at my cave tonight.
E: Why not, since our superhero is knocked out? Promise not to breathe fire on us. |
BEING GOD - B.A. BinnsMalik is a bad boy. His actions reveal the apprehension and mistrust he feels towards others and the wrongs that were done to him. He willingly takes the blame for a crime a friend committed, does community service, and tries to make things right with two girls he’s hurt. Still, many times Malik veers onto the wrong path.
Despite Malik’s wrongdoings and faults, I thought he was likable since what he’s going through can be attributed to his youth and past. Also, he does undergo positive changes throughout the book. He’s a young man dealing with many friend, family, and girl issues, as well as sexuality, alcoholism, crime, and gang activity. Set against the streets of Chicago, Malik is tough, but at the same time vulnerable.
This was an enjoyable, realistic book in the male POV. I am now very curious about the previous novel in this series, PULL. I would like to delve into Malik and his friends’ world again.
OUT OF THE EASY - Ruta SepetysJosie is the daughter of a prostitute and she pines for a better life. She meets a man who inspires her to apply for college, but he’s robbed and murdered. Her mother is involved in the murder, and by association Josie is in the middle of things. All Josie wants to do is leave town and get an education, but there are forces working against her. Her upbringing, her mother, and surrounding thugs all seem to be holding her down.
I really felt for Josie. Her desire to leave everything behind and have a glorious future was poignant, but she lived in a time when reputation and lineage were important. The characters and setting were amazing. I felt like all my senses were engaged. This book will take you to New Orleans in the 1950s. The characters—madams, prostitutes, johns, and Josie’s love interests—all added to the richness of this novel. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
BRUISED - Sarah SkiltonImogen can break a board with one hand and punch and kick like a pro. She’s a Tae Kwon Do Black Belt. But the one day when she really could use her skills, she freezes. During an armed robbery at a local diner, Imogen hides under a table instead of saving others.
There was another person hiding underneath a table across from her. The boy’s name is Ricky. At school they go to counseling together, but Imogen wants to explore a different path of healing to get rid of the nightmares and flashing scenes of the diner. She wants to believe she’s strong and capable, unlike the girl who was hiding under the table.
How Imogen goes about healing was interesting and compelling. This book has a strong, believable main character and the other characters came alive as well. I’ve read books dealing with PTSD before, but this one was unique with the robbery and a female martial artist. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
THE SIN-EATER'S CONFESSION - Ilsa J. BickThe book starts out with a young man named Ben living a military life. There seemed to be a lot of telling in the beginning and I almost put it down, but then it got really good when Ben recounts what happened in his hometown before he left for Afghanistan.
While working on a farm, Ben befriends the owner’s son, a boy named Jimmy. Jimmy has a surprise for him…for everyone, actually. Unbeknownst to Ben, Jimmy took a sensual, topless photo of his sleeping form that won second place in a photo contest. Jimmy never thought he’d win, but he did, and the local news gets wind of this. People are spreading rumors about Jimmy and Ben.
A possible hate crime, murder, and small town intrigue follow. I don’t want to reveal too much, because I feel like I already have. The beauty of this book is related to all the surprises, the twists and turns, which are unexpected. After an iffy beginning, I couldn’t put the novel down. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
Today I' m interviewing Xan. He's a character from Christine Rains' THE DRAGONSLAYER. I'm happy to be hosting a leg of Christine's tour. She's a fantastic writer and blogger. Give her creation, Xan, a warm welcome, sit back, and enjoy.
Why dragons? What have they done to you?
Dragons are inherently evil creatures. They crave power and care nothing for the suffering their ambitions cause. Humans know nothing of the monsters that have infiltrated their lives, and thus they're at the mercy of these vicious beasts. If you're asking what dragons have personally done to me, one killed my father and his father and his father before him.
I'm so sorry. My bad for thinking you were hating on dragons. Do people ever think you’re crazy once you start with your dragon talk?
I'm certain they would think I'm delusional if I were to tell people about dragons. Yet it's wise to keep silent on the subject unless circumstances prove necessary.
Yes, very wise. You find yourself in a room full of dragons. Quick, what do you do?
I would not be so foolish as to end up in a room full of dragons, nor would there ever be a room full of them. They're solitary creatures and fiercely territorial. But if we must go with your scenario, Miss Sharif, I would set off every explosive in my arsenal and kill us all. Taking out that many dragons at once and sparing the world more suffering would be worth far more than my life.
You look…errr…quite fit. What’s your workout routine?
Thank you. I wake at dawn and begin with vigorous calisthenics. I vary my afternoon routines between weight and weapons training, running, and martial arts. Wait . . . you aren't asking this because Lois mentioned to you about my, uh, lack of workout clothes, are you?
I had no idea. Now you've made me curious. I'm going to have to meet with Lois and find out about this. Anyway...you’re about to meet a wildly talented author by the name of Christine Rains. What do you say to her? How do you wow her?
I would introduce myself with a bow, giving her humble compliments, and present her with a gift. Perhaps an ancient book with tales of dragonslayers or an offer to clean her house. I didn't realize one toddler could make so much of a mess. I think I'll clean her house anyway.
Thank you for the interview, Miss Sharif. You have been a kind hostess even if your questions were a bit odd.
Well, people tell me I'm an oddball. Thank you for dropping by.
Title: 1303 –The Dragonslayer (The 13th Floor series, #3)
Author: Christine Rains
Genre: paranormal romance
Release date: February 13th, 2013
On the rooftop of neighboring building, dragonslayer Xanthus Ehrensvard fires at his target, Governor Whittaker. How he missed the shot, he doesn't know, but fleeing the scene, he picks up an unwanted passenger. Gorgeous reporter Lois King saw Xan's face, and she believes it's the story to make her career. Except he can't let her walk away knowing what he looks like. Xan has to show her the Governor is a bigger threat to the world than he is.
Xan knows dragons never went extinct. They evolved with human society, taking on mortal forms, and slithered their way into positions of great influence and power, just like the Governor. But it's no easy chore proving to someone that dragons still exist, and even more so, they're disguised as famous people. Xan must convince Lois or find another way to silence her. An option, as he gets to know her, he likes less and less.
After all, dragonslayers are no longer celebrated heroes but outlaws. Just as the dragons wish it. But this outlaw must make a plan to slay the dragon or risk its retribution.
Author Bio:
Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has four novellas and eighteen short stories published.
There might be some giveaway hops going on today, but I decided I’ll do this on my own. Since I love my blog followers—for their comments, support, advice, helping me spread the word, giving me prizes in their giveaways, etc., I can keep going—I’m offering three copies of my novel, BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. The winners can choose between Kindle, Nook, and Kobo formats. I've given away print copies before, but this time I want to go the electronic route. The giveaway ends tonight. I’ll edit this post to add the names of the winners chosen by random.org.
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This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I revised 9 more chapters, with 26 out of 26 chapters revised. I finished the first round of revisions. I'm going to start the second round soon, because there are a few more changes I need to make based on my beta readers' notes.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. Since last Wednesday I revised 4 more chapters, with 22 out of 24 chapters revised. I wanted more progress on this, but I'm rewriting the end of the manuscript since I added a subplot.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. I didn't start my second round of revisions for this, but I did write notes for it.
I have a three day weekend coming up, which means extended writing time. I hope everyone is doing well with their goals.
From Stephen's site: Mark January 28th on your calendar for an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the ever-expanding blogging community. Simply take a moment and tell us something interesting about yourself. Anything. It can be about writing. Or blogging. Or a hidden talent. Perhaps you’re in the Witness Protection Program.
I’m glad this blogfest came about, because I never properly introduced myself. Boom, I started blogging one day on this Blogger platform. I didn’t even have much of a following on Facebook or Twitter at the time, but followers started trickling in.
I wrote my first novel in ’94 when I was in my teens. Between ’94 and ’07 I was represented by various agents for various books, which all fizzled out. In ’08 I found representation with my current agent and in ’09 she sold BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. to Flux, slated for publication in ’11. Yeah, it’s a long journey and not an easy industry, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
Shortly before the book deal I decided I should blog for real. I had two previous blogs, where I blogged inconsistently, but wanted to start fresh with this one. So in August ’09, around book deal time, this blog was born. I met plenty of awesome people both online and in person at conferences through this blog. People have appreciated my posts and I’ve learned plenty from theirs.
BEING HENRY DAVID - Cal Armistead
A seventeen-year-old wakes up with no memory at Penn Station in New York City. When asked his name, he tells people he goes by “Hank.” The only thing he holds that’s a clue to who he was and what he used to be is a copy of Henry David Thoreau’s WALDEN.
Hank meets junkies and other criminal types in New York City. Defending himself takes its toll to the point that he might be arrested, so he flees. He goes to the only place he can think of, Walden. In Massachusetts, he continues to live life as a runaway—even though he’s unsure if he’s truly one—by camping out, stealing clothes, and the like. He meets kind people willing to help him as his memories return to him. They want him to confront his former life, even though the memories resurfacing are incredibly upsetting.
I enjoyed the book overall, although the first half and last half are very different. Hank’s time in New York is dark and gritty, while his time in Massachusetts is still tense, but more sedate. The change in setting didn’t go well with me at first, but then I settled into it. The book is action-packed and there’s an urgency of finding out Hank’s true identity as he struggles with his amnesia. Since I studied the classics, I liked how Hank turned to the words and spirit of Thoreau for solace and guidance. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
THE SWEET REVENGE OF CELIA DOOR - Karen Finneyfrock High school freshman Celia Door is Dark. She’s been Dark since middle school, when an incident instigated by mean girls Sandy and Mandy occurred. Celia guards herself with dark clothes, poetry, and a standoffish demeanor. But the thing is, she does care about how she’s treated. Sandy and Mandy continue to abuse her, and she wants revenge.
She plots and plots, but her plans for revenge don’t take off the way she wants them to. There’s a new boy at school, Drake, who’s absolutely cool and interested in her. He has a secret that Celia may compromise during her quest for revenge. Things snowball from bad to worse with the mean girls. Celia needs to extricate herself from her bad situations, and this time she won't be alone while doing so.
I loved the voice in this. Celia came across as both tough and vulnerable. The incidents of bullying and family problems were sad and realistic. Sandy and Mandy were nasty pieces of work and as the author revealed additional things about Celia’s past, my heart ached more for her. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
HYSTERIA - Megan Miranda Mallory has a crush on her lab partner, Dylan, but he rejects her. She then falls for his brother, Brian, who’s edgier and more dangerous. One night, during a moment of self-defense, Mallory stabs Brian to death. Brian’s mom becomes unhinged, harassing Mallory and her family to the point that a restraining order is needed. Mallory’s parents believe that a boarding school for their daughter is the best thing.At the boarding school, strange things happen to Mallory. She uses sleeping pills at night, and when she wakes up there are bruises and blisters shaped as a handprint on her shoulder. She hears whispers. Brian may be haunting her, or maybe his mom is in town stalking her. Her classmates aren’t pleasant to her and an atmosphere of intrigue and secrecy tinges the school. One morning Mallory wakes up groggy from sleeping pills to the sight of a dead classmate, Jason, in her room. She’s positive she didn’t kill him, so who did? This book is creepy with the handprint and the pounding Mallory hears when she’s alone in her room. There’s a lot of imagery involving redness and blood, because of the stabbings. Although some moments seemed unbelievable, with the pills and knives, the suspense and tight writing pulled me through. This psychological thriller was a quick read and quite entertaining. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. BLAZE - Laurie Boyle CromptonBlaze, a comic book aficionado, lives life just like a soccer mom, except she’s not a mom and she’s still in high school. She drives her little brother and his teammates around for their soccer games. Mark is their coach and her schoolmate. She’s been eying him for a while, but now she wants him to notice her.
She gets noticed alright. While trying on lingerie at a store, one of her friends takes a picture of her and sends it to Mark without Blaze’s permission. Blaze is horrified at first, but she lands a date with Mark. She doesn’t listen to her brother’s warnings, Mark uses her, she hurts him back by mocking him in a comic she distributes, and then he retaliates in the biggest way by posting the sexy picture of her online. The bullying she suffers is painful and relentless. Blaze needs to channel her inner comic book hero to fight what ails her.
The beginning didn’t grab me right away and didn’t seem to have any immediate conflict—Blaze desired Mark, and that’s all I really saw in the first few chapters. Also, I didn’t care for the comic book references at first. I’m glad I stuck with the book, because the author was setting up awesome characters and scenes. I came to appreciate the comic book heroes mentioned, and the things Blaze went through after her falling out with Mark…wow. The last half of the book was so good that I couldn’t put it down. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I revised 4 more chapters, with 13 out of 26 chapters revised.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. Since last Wednesday I revised 4 more chapters, with 13 out of 24 chapters revised.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I revised 4 more chapters, with 13 out of 26 chapters revised.
So, I stopped at the beginning of chapter 14 on all 3 manuscripts. I was feeling a bit under the weather over the weekend and was hoping I'd get to 6-8 chapters per manuscript, but I'm pleased with this progress.
I hope everyone is doing well with their goals.
By the way, the A to Z sign-up is now active. You can sign up for the challenge
here.
THERE’S NO HIDING FROM DESTINY…
In the final book of the Winterhaven trilogy, Violet McKenna and her friends find themselves right in the middle of a vampire war. The stakes have been raised, the danger unavoidable now. As the Warriors’ senior year draws to a close, not everyone makes it out alive. Who will be left standing at the end of it all? Will Aidan be a part of Violet’s future, or is he just a specter of the past?
About The Author
YA author Kristi Cook is a transplanted southern gal who lives in New York City with her husband and two kids. Her YA debut, HAVEN, was released in Feb. 2011 by Simon Pulse.
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I didn’t have an imaginary friend as in one that was invisible, but I had a doll who was my friend. Her name was Jennifer and she was my friend between the ages of 4 and 6.
Actually, there were two Jennifers. One was a blonde doll and the other was some all-white doll that looked like it came straight out of a mold. I can’t remember which one came first or what happened to the one that disappeared. No matter what she looked like, she was Jennifer.
Jennifer and I did so many things together and traveled to numerous places. I don’t remember all our exploits, but I know we had fun and exciting times. She even flew like a superhero.
Things with Jennifer weren’t always pleasant. For example, I was resentful of how other kids had much cooler toys, while my main toy was a cheap doll. When I was 3 or 4, I threw many of my good toys out of our 3rd floor windows. It was after this that my parents slowed down their toy buying. It was cheap dolls for me. During moments of rage I threw Jennifer on the floor. She seemed to forgive me once we were back in fantasyland.
Jennifer proved beneficial to my overactive imagination. She was my friend. Thanks for hosting this, Annalisa and Kyra.
Did you have an imaginary friend?
Most of my WIPs are light and funny, but one of them is dark and edgy. In fact, not too long ago I skipped out on bringing a racy chapter to my crit group. After receiving fantastic feedback on the chapters that I did bring to my group, I feel better about this manuscript. Yes, it’s unlike my other current projects, but different is good and I’m stretching my writing muscles. If you're curious about it, it's the last one listed for my ROW80 goals, VD. And no, it doesn't stand for "veneral disease," as some of you mentioned in comments awhile ago. ;)
***
This round of A Round of Words in 80 Days runs from January 7th to March 28th. Here are my goals for this round, all involving YA manuscripts. Abbreviations are used for the titles and updates are in red.
A) Revise and edit EK, a manuscript my beta readers gave me feedback on right before the round. Since last Wednesday I revised 4 more chapters, with 17 out of 26 chapters revised.
B) Revise M, a draft I wrote during the summer. Since last Wednesday I revised 5 more chapters, with 18 out of 24 chapters revised.
C) Revise and edit VD. I went through one phase of revisions during the last round. For this round I'd like to polish the manuscript before sending it to beta readers. Since last Wednesday I revised 13 more chapters, with 26 out of 26 chapters revised. I will soon start on the second round of revisions. Also, I took a chapter to my critique group and will use their feedback to tweak it.
I hope everyone is doing well with their goals.
THE 39 DEATHS OF ADAM STRAND - Gregory GallowayJust as the title suggests, Adam Strand experiences death. He kills himself repeatedly, but he’s back to the life of the living, mysteriously intact, every time. His parents send him to a therapist. There are some colorful characters in the way of friends and a “transcendentalist” teacher, but Adam himself is lackluster. I didn’t connect to him in any way.
Concerning his suicides, it seemed like they were listed in between scenes. He kills himself, then again…oh, and again. I didn’t care for the repetition. I believe I would have liked this more if the story had revolved around a few suicide attempts. Still, I would read Galloway in the future. Despite certain areas of characterization and plot that I didn’t enjoy, his writing style is compelling and I even added another one of his books to my wish list. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
DISENCHANTED - Robert KroeseKing Boric has been killed by a traitor, but at least he can look forward to the afterlife, Avandoor. When an Eytrith, a beautiful woman atop a creature, tries to take him there he’s unable to go with her. His soul’s hand is stuck to his bodily hand, the two joined together by an enchanted sword. His soul snaps back into his body and he’s a wraith, the walking dead. Boric must find the person who gave him the sword. He travels across the six kingdoms of Dis, looking for this man so that the spell can be broken, and it's not an easy journey considering that his flesh is rotting. Along with a zany cast of human and non-human characters, the author reveals layers of royal and wartime intrigue. I can't recall reading any other book quite like this. This was a fun, medieval fantasy novel.
THE RUINING - Anna CollomoreAnnie leaves Detroit to move to San Francisco. She’s leaving behind a painful past to start fresh. She’s going to be a nanny to adorable Zoe, daughter of the Cohens. Zoe’s parents are wealthy and sophisticated. Walker is handsome and his younger wife, Libby, is flawless. Annie is going to live in their lovely abode while she takes college classes.
But things quickly take a turn for the worst. First off, Annie is haunted by what happened in Detroit; she believes she’s at fault for her little sister’s death, and here she is taking care of Zoe. Annie loves working for Libby, but their relationship becomes strained after Annie accidentally knocks down a box of files in the garage; she read things about Walker and Libby’s past that she shouldn’t have.
Life becomes odder and odder for Annie. She imagines things, or does she? Libby removes Annie’s bedroom door so it can be fixed, causing her to sleep fitfully. Libby calls her “Annie,” but all she can hear is “Nannie.” Boundaries are blurred, with Libby acting like a friend and other times like a tyrant. Annie starts going out with Owen, the gorgeous boy next door, and Libby becomes pushy about how Annie should handle the romance. Annie isn’t sure if Libby is doing things for her own good. Libby must be looking after her, because Annie is going crazy when the past continues to resurface and she sees things that aren’t there.
This is an interesting novel dealing with mental illness. There was plenty of tension and suspense that kept me riveted until I finished the novel. Throughout I felt ill about Libby, but then really wondered whether Annie was losing her mind or not. I understand why Annie was vulnerable, thanks to her past and how she was manipulated in the present, but towards the end I wished she had been stronger. Owen was too much of a savior. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
TEMPTATION BANGS FOREVER: THE WORST CHURCH SIGNS YOU'VE EVER SEEN: Robert Kroese and Joel Belizaire I devoured this in one sitting, laughing the entire time. The church signs and accompanying commentaries and essays are hilarious. It was pure joy reading this.
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These books are all on the dark side. If You Find Me has gotten my attention on another blog. I'd like to read it.
Thanks for sharing about these books. I hadn't heard of any of them. If You Find Me sounds good.
Some serious reading this week! And yes, dark reading this round.
Wow. MY TBR list just increased by several books. :)
I'd heard of the S-Word, but the others are all new.
That last one really sounds marvelous. Thanks for reviewing all these for us - it's hard to know what to spend time on without reading thoughtful reviews like yours. :-)
The cover for "You Know What You Have to Do" is super creepy! Thanks for the review of "If You Find Me," I need to pick that one up soon.
Not too sure about the cover for the first one, as it appears geared toward younger kids.
I'm trying to remember if you've ever posted about Middle Grade books, M.
The 'White Lines' book disappoints me but I won't go into why.
Thanks for these!
Oh wow, I hadn't heard of a few of these yet! The last one sounds sad. :( Definitely adding YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO to my TBR list! :)
Jessica
'You know what you have to do' sounds good.
These books all sound great. I enjoy the darker side of reads, so I'm sure I'd enjoy them all. I particularly like the craft book you mentioned. I'll add that to my list. :)
I like the premise of the S word the best. Too bad it has issues.
If You Find Me sounds fascinating. I'm reading Hunger Games and it's kind of the same thing. Someone living in poverty and being thrust into civilization.
Interesting. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this viva variety of books. More leaning toward the darker side of life...like I tend to like it myself :-)
Enjoy your brief time away from blogging :-)
Thanks for the reviews! I'm adding a few of them to my TBR list. :) Have a wonderful weekend.
The last one looks like my kind of book.
Enjoy your break!
If you Find Me sounds good!
These sound good. True YA where the author either gets rid of the parents or makes them monsters. I just finished reading The Chocolate War. That's an amazing old book.
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
I love that you're a reader after my own heart! Thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks for the great reviews. "If You Find Me" sounds particularly good. Thanks!
Enjoy your break!
Lovely dark stories! You've been very busy, Medeia.
Have a great spring break.
Thanks so much for sharing! Always need more recommendations :)
I wish I could read as fast as you...haha
Some dark and gritty books here. And all new to me. Thanks!
Enjoy your break...even if I said that to you already, LOL :)
If You Find Me is getting a lot of hype and I'm glad to see you enjoyed it too.
See you when you're back from your blog break.
~Akoss
Interesting books! I find writing books like that helpful because sometimes the questions lead to brand new thought/story tangents...
I have another one of Benke's creative writing books (something like Rip the Page) and it is a great resource for the writing workshops I run for kids.
I'll grab this one too!
What a gritty set of books! (except for the writing one of course) If I read those, I'd have to intersperse them with lighter reads. I hadn't heard of any of these before. Thanks for the reviews!
Certainly a different set of books than normal. Thanks for the reviews.
Some news ones I haven't seen much of on this list! Definitely interested in You Know What You Have To Do--looks incredibly creepy :)
That looks like a great selection, Medeia!
I love all of the covers. I need to step up my reading lol. Thanks so much for reviewing my book, Medeia *hugs :))
Great reviews! That last one really sounds like something I would enjoy.
If You Find Me sounds like a thrilling read. See you when you're back!
You deserve a break! How do you get so much read? I feel like like an elementary reader compared to you!
If You Find Me sounds interesting. LOL, I think living in the forest might be the most interesting part. The other books sound too dark to be entertainment for me - I don't want anything too real, lol. Thanks for the reviews, Medeia.
I'm liking the sound of WHITE LINES I'm wondering whether it was the author's intention for the story to leave you cold at various points, and for the reader not to always connect with the lead protagonist because wasn't the 1980s an insular period? It kind of sounds like Jay McInerney's brilliant novel Bright Lights, Big City, which can't be a bad thing.
I like the sound of the last one especially. Great write ups Medeia.
Another great collection Medeia!
I have a question... how do you manage to get so much reading done? And still write and blog and teach?
i do love writing books. maybe ill check leap write in out. :)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Medeia, you seem to always find the most interesting books.