Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano
*I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review

Stunning. Absolutely stunning. How could I enjoy a book like this any more than I already do? The answer to that is simple. I can't. I laughed and giggled and smiled like crazy. I also sighed, bit my nails, and covered my eyes in embarrassment for the characters. I don't normally enjoy books where one of the main characters already has children, but Ben and Piper were delightful. I could not keep myself from laughing at their antics.

Zayne had to be one of my favorite characters. While he was not the main character, he was very important to the plot, as the brother of Hamilton. His humorous and dry comments had me throwing my head back in laughter.

Eliza, who was the main character, had my shoulders shaking with giggles I couldn't quite contain. She was a breath of fresh air, and her temper reminded me somewhat of my own.

Hamilton, also the main character, was charming and almost as humorous as his brother. He had the perfect quantity of flaws and brilliance. He jumped from the page and became real.

Agatha, though not a main character, was perfect. At first, I assumed she was deceitful and uncaring, but her true nature showed as the pages turned. She's daring, witty, and charming. I loved getting to know her. I certainly hope the next book in the series is about her.

The rest of the cast was terrific as well. I could not have been more pleased with this book. It has found itself on my favorites list, as I knew it would from the minute I started reading. It gripped me from the first page.

Very enjoyable and very funny, with just the right touches of suspense. You will not be sorry you read the book!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

"Over the Edge" by Mary Connealy book review.

Another gorgeous story by Mrs. Connealy. A lovely romance, laced with suspense and humor, "Over the Edge" is a story that you MUST read.



Over the EdgeI admit, I haven't read the first two books, but when I had the chance to review this book, I jumped at it.

The story starts full of suspense, and then eases its way towards good humor and fun. It's like a see-saw, going back and forth between giggles and nail-biting.

I admired and adored Callie and Seth,with their constant banter and overall craziness. Callie's lines were witty and reminded me a bit of Sarah from "A Lady Like Sarah". Seth's thoughts and dialogue made me laugh, the way he portrayed insanity and fun without even having to say something crazy.
The background characters had me laughing too. I fell in love with each one of them.

The villains were perfect, in a villain sort of way. I felt for them, and wanted them to come out without too much loss in the end, but, at the same time, I didn't exactly love them. I could feel the main villain's . . . what would you call it? . . . pain? The way he felt torn between good and evil, the way he wanted two things that were at strife with each other. In other words, the villain is the perfect example to all writers of how a villain should be.

The only thing I found annoying was the errors. As if the editor had forgotten to check it over. There was a missing quotation mark at the end of a dialogue, at one point the spacing needed to show the start of a new scene was missing, and once Callie's name was accidentally spelled C-a-s-s-i-e. There was not a single "Cassie" in the book.

Overall, a beautiful story wonderfully crafted by an amazing author! I highly recommend this book to all Christian Romance lovers!

Monday, July 30, 2012

"The Chamomile" Book review!


The Chamomile     Lovely book. It's definitely different. The writer's voice was strong, and the writing clear. The author expressed her opinions through her writing very well. It was not at all preachy. It has romance, suspense, forgiveness, trust, and more. It was quite a read. 
     I only thought the romance happened a bit quickly. Nothing wrong with that, it was just different from what I am used to reading. If you're looking for an easy read, this is it.
     Three stars. I look forward to what the author may have next.


Sorry my posts are so short now. I'm just so busy, and have a hard time writing a long post. :/

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Jewelry giveaway!




Go over to Katie McCurdy's blog and check it out! Click here to go to the post, and follow Katie's while you're there! Go! Now!

Friday, July 20, 2012

"A Passion Most Pure" book review!


A Passion Most Pure (Daughters of Boston, #1)This was possibly the most maddening book I have ever read. I hated Charity until near the end, and have never wanted to slap a character so badly. I didn't like Collin at first. I mean, he was a heart breaker and womanizer. I didn't like him until the middle of the book. 
     I liked the father, Mr. O'Connor, for the most part. He was a very sturdy, lovable character. The mother, Mrs. O'Connor, was also a sturdy character, yet a bit emotional (NOTHING wrong with that. It fit her character very well, and was never overdone, like I have seen others do.). Faith was a sweet, yet feisty, character. 
     She fit my thought of "Irish" perfectly. Lots of temper to go with the red hair. I loved (most of) the characters. And the plot! I have never screamed at a book like I have this one. It took me four days to read it, because I'd get mad and put it down, and then I'd start pacing, arguing with them in my head (Crazy, I know). I give this four stars. I genuinely loved the book DESPITE the absolutely frustrating characters! Now I need the second book! (I WILL get it soon.) 
I recommend this book highly. Really, it is a must read!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Giveaway on another blog!




Rachelle, over at Inspiring Daring, is having a giveaway of "Blue Moon Promise" by Colleen Coble. Click the link to go to the giveaway page!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Giveaway on another blog!

Melanie, over at Christian Bookshelf Reviews, is hosting a giveaway of the book "Swipe", by Evan Angler.

Go ahead and check it out!



Click here to go to the giveaway!















Friday, June 29, 2012

Submerged book review


I was given this book by Bethany House Publishers to give my HONEST opinion in exchange for keeping this book, with no fee. 



Hmm . . . . I was expecting intrigue and romance, after all that's what it's genre is. But that's not exactly what it is. It wasn't the blood-rushing, heart-pounding story I was expecting. More like calm and a bit cheesy. 

The hero and heroine had a past, but I couldn't figure out if they were "just friends" or if they had dated? It was never really made clear. I never really connected with any of the characters, and there were some things that just didn't fit in a Christian books

I felt the book could have been more detailed. It was hard to picture anything that happened or any of the people. I had to make up an image in my head and just stick with that. 

The book was okay, but it won't end up on my favorites list. Let's end with this: 

I was excited when I read the back cover, and I was SURE it would be one of the most interesting books I've read yet. Not so. But, on the bright side, I do love the cover. The design team did great with this one!


I give this book 3.5 stars, and the cover 5. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Interview Girl, Interviewed.

Yes, you read right. I have been interviewed. By my uncle. 


Here it is!


It's time to turn the tables on the curiously strange but cunning Interview Girl. What makes her tick? There is so much I could ask her, but here is the condensed version. Enjoy! ~ Interview Girl's uncle

1: If there was one word to describe you, what would it be?
 Um . . . . . dependable. I think that would describe me best.


2:  Which do you prefer? Paperback, hardcover, or e-reader?
Well, any are fine with me, as long as it's a book. But I think I like paperback the best. 


3: What is the record number of books you've read in a week in your lifetime?
I think it was seven. Or eight. One of those. :)


4: What is your favorite book and why?
AH!!!! You had to ask me that. I have many favorites, but my absolute favorites? Um . . . . It would be a tie between "Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland" and "The Red Siren".


5: At what age did you officially start writing stories?
Well, I've been writing my entire life, but I started getting serious about it a year ago this August. 


6: Will you pursue writing books someday?
*smile* I already am. I plan on being an author and marketer/editor/sales whatever it was I agreed to be in the Fearsome Foursome Publishing biz.


7: What do you do when you get writer's block?
Normally I'll stop writing for awhile. I'll just read books and edit other people's stories. 


8: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Lotza wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.


9: What themes do you like to read and write about? 
Christian Romance/ anything. Well, anything besides horror. 


10: As a Christian, when you get to Heaven, what questions will you have for God?
I'd like to know everything. I'd ask Him about why He created the planets. I'd ask Him how it felt to give up His only Son for people like us. I'd ask Him about everything and anything. 


Thanks Uncle Robert for the great interview!


Well, that's the end of the interview! But, I can't thank myself, so I'll just ask if you enjoyed. ;) 



Personal Book Review

I just finished "Sanctuary for a Lady" by Naomi Rawlings.

















I am emotionally broken right now.

The whole time, I wanted to cry, laugh, and scream. This book held and played with my emotions. I loved the book. It was so delightfully frustrating. 5 stars. <3 <3 <3 

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The Harvest of Grace book review

book cover of 

The Harvest of Grace 

 (Ada's House, book 3)

by

Cindy Woodsmall
I give it 4 stars. 



This book was a bit unbelievable. I have read numerous Amish books in the past, but this one seemed to paint the Amish in a different picture. The hero (who is Amish) is a recovering drunk, the heroine (also Amish) kissed her sister's husband and ran away, they barely speak any Dutch or German. On the back of the book, it talks about Sylvia and Aaron. But half the book is about a woman named Cara forgiving and reviving a relationship with her once-drunk father. I didn't care much for Cara. I wanted to see more of Sylvia's relationship with Aaron.



There was also a bit of confusion at the beginning. She was introducing so many new characters, and not describing them, so I couldn't tell who was related/friends/married/etc with whom. I also, because of the lack of description, could not picture or imagine the characters very well.


However, I did enjoy the book, overall. It took a bit for me to get into it. The writing style was lovely. After a bit, I grew to enjoy the characters. My only big complaint is that, during the Epilogue, they never told us what happens to Aaron and Sylvia. The Epilogue was about Cara and her Amish fiance. At least, I think he's Amish.  I was a bit unsure, because the author never really explained it. She said he had been shunned, but Cara was joining the community.


Anyway, if you read it, I hope you enjoy it.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

"50 Days of Hope" book review.

     This book was given to me to review. It's for cancer patients. I do not have cancer, I hope I never will have cancer, and I hope none of y'all have/ever have it either.

On to the review. 2 stars. I wasn't impressed by it, but then again, I don't have/know anyone who has cancer. I feel for people who have cancer, I really do. I wish there was a cure, but there isn't. I recommend this book if you are a cancer patient, or know someone who is. But for those of us who aren't, do not even try.

Very short review, huh? Sorry, I'm just not into non-fiction.



Thursday, June 7, 2012

"The Fiddler" by Beverly Lewis book review

The Fiddler



5 stars for the book. 5 stars for the cover. I do believe the design team went all out on this one. ;)

Alright, let's get down to the review:

It was a very good book. The flow of the words had me reading the book faster, almost against my will. I had no control over my eyes as they read each word. I couldn't turn the page fast enough.
     Amish books aren't really my favorite, but I do enjoy them at times. Beverly Lewis has always been one of my favorite Amish Fiction writers, as she writes in that flowing type of way. I know I've said "flow" and "flowing" a lot, but that is the only way to describe her writing. I loved the book, and enjoyed the ending. Can't wait to see what she has next.


Back of the book:

Amelia "Amy" DeVries, a 24-year-old violinist, is disillusioned with life and love after the collapse of her long-running romance. Weary of endless rehearsals and performances, Amy sets out on a road trip through the Pennsylvania mountains. She leaves her cell phone behind so life's demands can't intrude on her solitude. She doesn't know, nor care, where she will end up.

When her car breaks down deep in the mountains, Amy realizes the flaw in her "no cell phone" plan. She abandons her car and walks the winding roads, searching for help. Following the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of music, she finds a rustic log cabin. There she meets a young Amishman--and through him a community--that will change her life forever.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Announcing the Giveaway Winners!

M'kay, are you ready?

The giveaway winners were chosen with Random.org, to be fair.

The second place winner, who has won "The Shadow Keeper's Daughter", is . . . . . . . . Morgan! Congrats to you Morgan!

And now . . . . The winner of "Fearless" is . . . . . . . .
KarenK! Congrats to you both! An email will be sent to you shortly regarding where to send the books.


 Other participants, we will have another giveaway in the  (hopefully near) future. Hope you will enter again! 


God bless all! 

Monday, May 28, 2012

VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!

Happy Memorial Day! I'd like to thank all soldiers and family/friends of soldiers. Thank you. You are a real blessing and I pray God blesses you.

And in honor of this special day, may I announce Interviews and Book Reviews' VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!!! EEEEK!!!!


Okay, so there will be two winners. One will receive "Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown" by Eric Blehm (in honor of Memorial Day), and the other will win a copy of "The Shadow Catcher's Daughter" by Carla Olson Gade, and it's also a new release.

To enter, please comment below, leaving your email address. If you win, you will be notified via email and announced on this blog. Also, please share/tweet/email this giveaway around. Thank you!

There's only one problem, I can't send it to anyone that's not in North America, due to the high prices of shipping. Thank you!




This giveaway ends on June the 4th. Enter while you can!

                          

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Firestorm by Lisa T. Bergren review


Firestorm

I rate this book 3.5 stars.

About this book:
"As a smoke jumper, Reyne Oldre--friend to Rachel Tanner and Beth Morgan (Refuge)--once led a team of courageous firefighters into a blaze that ended in unspeakable tragedy. Now crippled by fear, she conducts fire research from a safe distance, determined not to risk that kind of pain again. But when the flames of love begin to flicker between her and smoke jumper Logan McCabe, Reyne must face the fearsome storms from her past and battle the raging Firestorm that burns in her soul." 


What I think about it:
This book is better than the one I last read by her. It was sweeter, but definitely sillier.
The heroine, Reyne, seemed to be a bit childish and silly, and the author's excuse for that was that she had watched some of her fire crew die.
The hero is a bit arrogant and seems to think he's just too charming for anyone. Also, the relationship advances way too quickly. I don't really think it was all that bad, but just not my type of book.




(PS: Tomorrow I WILL post the giveaway!!!)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

My First Award (that I know of)!!!!!

    Wow, I'm so honored! Thanks, Rosie! (HUGS)

Here are the rules:

1: This award is for book blogs only! To receive this award the blog must be at least 50% about books (reading or writing is okay).


2: Along with receiving this award, you must also share your top five favorite books you have ever read in your life. (It can be more then five if you prefer)

3: You must give this award to five-ten other book blogs that you adore. 
My top five favorite books, listed in order:
"Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland"  by Roseanna M. White
"The Edge of Recall" by Kristen Heitzmann
"A Tailor-Made Bride" by Karen Witemeyer
"Love Finds You in Revenge, Ohio" by Lisa Harris
"Love Finds You in Groom, Texas" by Janice Hanna (Yes, I'm obsessed with LFY books. I plan to write for them someday ;)
Wow, there are so many more I love. Okay, ON TO THE BLOGS!!!


Now, the 5-10 blogs/bloggers I LOVE are. . . .
Becki @ Being Becki (She writes about her life and writing and such. So I guess she qualifies)
Those Girls @ Colonial Quills (ALL book blog. You'll love them.)
Stephanie and Jill (and the others) @ Go Teen Writers (You guys are the best!)
Rachelle @ Inspiring Daring (Yay!!)
Allison @ Allison's Bookish Life

Thank you all! Now you must go on your blog and do the same! Thanks! Muah!

(PS: New review soon. And giveaway should start tomorrow, if I remember ;)



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Really exciting news!

So, you've all heard about my friend Becki, the one who came up with the blog tag. Well, guess what? She self-published her VERY FIRST BOOK!!!!!! EEEEK!!!! Sorry, I'm really excited for her. REALLY excited.




Becki, AKA Beekee, the newly self-published author!!



Her GORGEOUS book cover, featuring her  lovely sister, Abri.
Anyway, her book is called Shieldmaiden.
And here's the back of her book:
 "A novella about a girl who must rescue the Prince and his friend, and stop a plot to take over the thrown, all while protecting herself. “I need your help. Are you up for another adventure?” When the Prince and his best friend are kidnapped by a nefarious man, who wants to take over the throne, who will King James call in to rescue them? The King's guards? Spies? The King himself? Or maybe . . . a girl? Join Alasstryne on a perilous journey to rescue two boys. But the journey doesn't end there. A plot to storm the city, Dalziel, has been uncovered. Will Lassey be able to stop it?"
Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Well, it is. I've read one of her drafts (I forget which one) and it's really good.
Now, you can read an excerpt from the book if you Click Here. You can also buy the book from there.

Well, it's official. Becki Badger is a Teen Author! Whoot! You can congratulate her below in the comments and/or go on her blog (Click Here!!!). Well, I'll be posting another review soon! TTYL!!!





Thursday, May 10, 2012

Blog Tag!!

So, my best friend Becki started a round of Blog Tag (And if she made these questions, she can be sure I'm gonna. . . . well, let's leave it at that.).

Anyway, here's the rules. You. . .yes you, the one reading this. . . are officially tagged and now you have to answer all of the question (truthfully!!) on your blog. Got it? Great! Let's get started.


1. Let's start out easy.  Favorite color?

You could learn this in any conversation. Deep re
d.

2. Favorite book genre?

Christian Romance. ;)



3. Describe your dream house.

Big. Three story, Historical/Victorian house with red shutters and a big, bay window. I would want the outside to be painted white. Really, that's all I want.




4.  Which of your characters (if you write) or someone else's characters (if you don't) do you identify most with?
Marc Barrington of Endangered, currently being written by me. He seems a bit like me, in a way.




5. Who is your hero?  Why?

Jesus. He saved my life.


6. Now it gets a little harder.  What is one major thing you dream of accomplishing in your lifetime?Like Becki, I want to get children and teens excited about reading again. I find it sad that a few hundred years ago, some women (and children) weren't allowed to read and had to sneak books everywhere they went. Now that those people are allowed to read, they want nothing to do with it.




7. Which quirk annoys your best friend most?

Well, I have three of those, but they all love me ^_^ Well, I don't know. You'd have to ask them.




8. Would you consider yourself more of a leader or a follower?

I'm, for the most part, a leader. It kind of comes naturally when you're the oldest child of seven.

9. What's an idiosyncrasy that drives you crazy?

Um, well I don't know if you would call this a
"idiosyncrasy " but I hate it when my little siblings act like they are my parents. -_- It drives me crazy.




10. If you won a million dollars on a game show, what's the first thing you'd do with the money?

I'd do something nice for my family and put the rest of the money in a savings account.


11. A little easier, now.  Which Disney/Pixar character was your favorite?

Um, this may sound ridiculous,
but Lady from Lady and the Tramp.




12. Why?

Don't ask me why!!! I guess it's because she's so pretty and I've wanted a Cocker Spaniel
ever since I watched that movie when I was, like, three.




13. 3 people in your life it would almost kill you to lose?

And THIS is what I might have to kill Becki over.
1: Anybody in my life. I love my family, I love my friends, if I lost any of them, I would be heartbroken for life.





14. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Wherever the Fearsome Foursome  (we) are going to meet! We haven't decided yet, so I can't say where. Other than that, Lancaster County, PA.




15. If you could change your accent, what would you change it to?
I don't really have an accent (even though I live in the south), so I think I'd make it full-time Southern-Belle accent. Either that, or French. :P


16. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

Hmm, maybe I'd know how to control my temper?

17. What's your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Read, write, and *DING DING DING* My favorite thing to do is talk to my friends. ^_^

18. Something you did out of obligation recently that you would rather not have done?

I don't remember
anything like that. I probably did something, but what? Oh, yeah! This. :P





19. If you were stranded on a desert island (if you're stranded, how is there a desert there?) What five things would you bring?
Well, I'd bring the Fearsome Foursome
(for company and entertainment), lots of food, my computer, books, and. . . . chocolate. I can't live without chocolate.




20. One random thing about yourself.

Um, I like Trixie Belden books better than Nancy Drew books. That's about as random as I get. :P


Thanks, Becki! I answered your questions without making a fool of myself! :P








Monday, May 7, 2012

Prize of my Heart review

3.9 stars. Cover: 5 stars

Prize of My Heart
Review: "Prize of my Heart" was the first book I have ever read by Lisa Norato, and let us just say it left quite an impression. Not in a bad way, but not in the best way either. I know, I know. You're thinking, "Really? This girl never finds any book that is to her liking!" That's not entirely true, I just find most books in need of tweeking (No, I'm not a perfectionist. I understand everyone has to start somewhere!). Anyway, it was a good book. But I felt as if things were prolonged a bit too long. Like the author was trying to make the book longer. And when things did start happening, I felt as if it happened too fast. I would have loved to see the relationship between the characters develop a bit more, and perhaps bit more action? I love the cover, it reminds me of what my book's cover would look like (something like that, anyway.). If you like ships and captains (Really, this book is starting to sound more and more like mine!) and young maidens falling in love with dashingly handsome fellows and secrets galore, you will adore this book (Excuse all of the seemingly "old-world" words. I seem to talk more and more like that with every passing day). I will re-read this book and think its meaning over again. I shall probably dream of young maidens with devastating secrets and ship captains who have just as many secrets.
Buy it here!
Buy it here!
Buy it from the Publisher (Bethany House Publishers)!

(PS: I have an announcement to make in a few days, at the very most, and I should be having my VERY FIRST giveaway soon! *SQUEAL!!!* And I have QUITE a few books to give away. ;)

Where Lilacs Still Bloom review

3 stars. Cover: 4 stars.
Where Lilacs Still BloomReview: "Where Lilacs Still Bloom" is better than most books I have read from Jane Kirkpatrick. I could actually finish this book. But I just didn't "like-like" it. I've never liked fictionalized non-fiction, and most of the characters were boring. And I did not see the point of adding fake people to the story, when most of them had no impact to the outcome of the story. The best thing about this book was the cover. There were a few scenes that made me laugh, but nothing more. I didn't feel like I was "there" with them. I didn't feel as if I "knew them personally". It took me four days to read this book (Books I love only take me a few hours), and I was forcing myself to read it. I felt as if it were a punishment. Anyway, the book is basically about a German housewife whose main goal is to "create" a creamy white, twelve petal lilac. I love flowers, I do, but not enough to read a book which is focused on flowers. Most of the scenes felt rushed, the characters (Based on real people) didn't seem developed, and switching back and forth between character to character and not knowing what was going on most of the time led me to decide this book was--well, boring. Hopefully, I will never have to read another book by Mrs. Kirkpatrick again. (Sorry, all Jane Kirkpactrick fans!) I am sure she has talent, just not the kind of talent I like. God bless her and her writing!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

"Fearless"

Today, two years ago, Adam Brown woke up, not know that on that very day, he would die on the Hindu Kush mountains. But he was ready. I may possibly give out copies of the new book about him, "Fearless". I'm not sure yet, but I might. Watch this video, in honor of him.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich




How/where do I start. . .?


Okay, this book is about a 38 yr-old ballerina (dancer) named Sasha who suffers an injury that ends her dancing career. For good. Running back to her hometown, where memories of her late mother bound, Sasha can't help but feel sorry for herself. After all, she could no longer dance with her husband, Donald, on stage and had lost out on the only chance in her career to dance "Giselle". Hopes dashed, heart torn, and body near being invalid, Sasha resigns to her fate. That is, until capable 19 yr-old Evelyn becomes Sasha's care-giver.

Sasha quickly learns that she must take whatever life throws at her.

My thoughts: It was okay. It was not my favorite book. I'll give it 4 stars. The writing style was okay, I didn't find many punctuation and grammar mistakes. It just wasn't the kind of book I like to read. The characters didn't jump off the page. I didn't feel like I was there. I couldn't "see" the scenes playing out in my head. There were a few touches of humor and romance, but other than that, it was boring. Do I recommend this book? I would to a person who likes to read what I call "Plain Jane" books.

Friday, April 6, 2012

"Mercy Come Morning", One of the worst books I've read, ever.

I found this book to be boring from start to finish. The plot was unknown, you never really know what the story is about. The characters are under-developed, and there are many punctuation mistakes thoughout. It is very confusing, going back and forth from one part of the Main Character's life to another. You may like it, but I did not.
Anyway, here is what the book is about:
Krista is a young womn who is bitter about her past. She hates her mother for never telling her that she loved her. She goes back to her old home when her Ex-boyfriend who runs the nursing home where her mother resides tells her that Charlotte (the mother) is dying. Once there, she learns to forgive, let go, and fall in love. That is basically all I got from this story.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

New blogger!

Hello, Followers! I would appreciate if you went over to another Teen Writer's blog! Her name is Rosie, and her blog is like mine. http://www.writingsofrosie.blogspot.com/ Thanks!

Friday, March 30, 2012

"To Dance Once More" Book Review!

Okay, so Sherri Wilson Johnson was my VERY FIRST interview, and you can only imagine how happy I was to interview her book.

At first, I couldn't really "get into it". Probably because I had a headache, my eyes were hurting, and having 6 siblings doesn't make it any easier, lol. But once I got around the 2nd/3rd chapter, I didn't want to put it down. It evoked emotions that you know the FMC (Female Main Character) is feeling. Such as anger, hurt, sadness, happiness, confusion, ect. And there are many twists and turns throughout the entire book. Like my Mother said, you think you know what's about to happen and you think it's about to end, but then there's another twist, and the ending will probably shock you. And the title? I had wondered about it before reading, but after I had finished reading it, I knew it was the perfect title.You will embark on a journey with Lydia, a journey you DO NOT want to miss! Over all, I rate this book 4.5 stars. Let me just say, Miss Sherri did a fantastic job. I hope to see and read more by her in the near future!

Buy the book here!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

"Indelible" book review

I have always loved Kristen Heitzmann's books. They have  certain charm that none others have.
This book is about a young woman named Natalie with a Eidetic Memory and a young man named Trevor with regretful past. Together they draw comfort and peace from each other, and are able to forget the past and the present. But when Trevor starts getting mysterious letters from a mysterious person, his past is suddenly confronting him.
Not wanting to include Natalie in his problems, he tries to keep the letters secret, but to no avail. Natalie becomes targeted, and her "gift" and sculpting seem to now be a curse.
Once you start on this journey with Natalie and Trevor, you won't want it to end.
The only problem I had with this book was that it was in E-Book form. I found it hard to follow when the book wasn't in my hand, but you might not have that problem. If you love action, drama, and romance, you will love this book!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Book review, "Addison Blakely-- Confessions of a PK"

Remember the interview with Betsy St. Amant? Well, she sent me her book, "Addison Blakely-- Confessions of a PK", and let me be bold.

I loved it.

So, I read it all in about 7 hours (I kept getting distracted, then I fell asleep). My rating for it? 5.0 stars. I rarely give 5 stars to anything, so you know I loved it. This is an ideal book for teens everywhere. And especially for PK's (Preacher Kids). I fell in love with this book after the first page, and I felt like I could connect with Addison. She was going through a lot of troubles, many of them the average teen faces everyday. Let's just say I felt like I KNEW Addison. There were a few small twists, enough to keep you reading. I didn't want to put this book down.
I felt depressed when it ended. I had grown to love Addison and all the crazy, imperfect characters in the book. It felt like I was saying goodbye to a best friend or  loved one. Ms. Betsy wrote this flawlessly (If that's not a word, it is now ;). No, I'm not exaggerating or trying to flatter anyone. I always state my true opinion.
My favorite character would be a tie between Addison (The main character) and Marta (Addison's friend). Their bond was so visible, as if I were there, or as if I were one of them.
Do you know a teenager or just looking for a read to bring you back to the High School days? Buy this.
There is tons of Romance, Drama, Mocha's, Gummi Bears, and Lemon Drops (Two of my favorite candies!). So embark with Addison, on a journey of love, betrayal, religion, friendships, and much more!


 The back of the book: "Sixteen-year-old Addison Blakely has tireless played the role of PK—preacher’s kid—her entire life. But after Wes Keegan revs his motorcycle into town and into her heart, Addison begins to wonder how much of her faith is her own and how much has been handed to her. She isn’t so sure she wants to be the good girl anymore. Join Addison Blakely as she attempts to separate love from lust, facts from faith, and keep her head above water in her murky, fishbowl existence."

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Interview with Abigail Rios!

Abigail Rios is a Teen Writer, one I met on Go Teen Writers. She's not published, yet. Her novel sounds very interesting, so I'll just start the interview. :)


1. What is your MS (Manuscript, for those who don't know) about?

It's about a girl, Angie who stays with her dad for a month and the most horrible things happen to her. Her sister ends up being hurt and her brother, poor little boy, was abused the time she was out with her boyfriend. Her dad thinks everything is his fault and as a result, he kills himself. Angie has it rough on her but she has her boyfriend to her throughout the whole thing.
2. What is the current word count of your MS?I so far have 67,199 words


3. What is your word count goal?



MY goal is to be at least past 80,000.


4. When do you hope to be finished with your MS?


This has to be finished at least by next month. Once I finish, I will work on the sequel to this book and I am very excited. Especially because it's my first novel and the story is basically telling itself.

What current draft are you on?

I have many other ideas but I haven't yet started to write it as a novel. So I am currently working on this draft.

5.  If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would that be?

If I could have dinner with anyone, I would have dinner with my dad to make things right and have a father-daughter relationship.

6.  What is a question you've always wanted to be asked in an interview?

I always imagined myself being in an interview and the one thing I always ask myself, how did you come up with the idea.


7.  If you could be anyone, real or fictional, who would you be?

If I could be anyone real or fictional I would be Molly Moon from the Molly Moon Series by Georgia Byng. I just love how she makes Molly Moon and I just think it would be cool to be her.
 
 
8. Once your book is published, what will you do to celebrate?

Mhm that's a good one. Once my book is published, firstly I would jump all over my house screaming "Yay I got published!" Then I would call everyone and be like you guys better buy my book! Probably then, my mom would take me out to eat or something. But definitely I would be excited and share the news with everyone. After the celebrating, I would right away this isn't a game anymore and I would take my writing career seriously. This is what I want to do!
And I really hope that you do get published! I'm very sure you will!

Well, I guess that's it. Hopefully soon I should be doing more interviews and reviews on books. I've been accepted to review books for Bethany House Publishers, so you'll be seeing some of that very soon. Thank you all, and God bless!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A (Maybe) Teen Author Comes Visiting

Hi everybody! I'm Emily Rachelle, blogger of Struggles of a (Maybe) Teen Author, aspiring author (obviously) and online friend of Katelyn here.  :)  Since Katelyn was looking for more authors to interview and host guest posts for, and I fully intend to be a published author someday, I offered to drop in.  However, I'm not entirely sure what to say to you strangers, so I *borrowed* a few questions from Katelyn's previous interviews.  This is my first time interviewing myself, though, so bear with me...

Yes, I like Edgar Allen Poe, but no, that is not a book I would typically pick up at the library - or, with that cover, anywhere.  Yeah, yeah, I know the whole "don't judge a..." nonsense, but who really listens to that anyway?  Why else would we have covers?  Why else would authors and publishers go to such great lengths to ensure an amazing cover?
GeekPhilosopher: Instant download of free stock photos, images, backgrounds, and desktop wallpapers. Pictures can be used for personal and commercial web sites.


Some basics: How old are you? 16. Where do you live? Georgia, at the moment. Education? Homeschooled, tenth grade. Favorite non-writing hobbies? Reading, movies, crafty stuff, web-surfing... um... collecting zany socks?

How long have you been writing?  Well, my love of reading bloomed in first grade, but writing didn't come in until fourth grade.  The social aspect of that year of my life was terrible, as were a few other aspects, but my teacher was stellar and her focus on creative writing played a part in who I am today.

When did you know that you wanted to be an author? I don't really know.  Back in that fourth grade class, I didn't know much about authors.  Honestly, I think it came upon me slowly as I got older and started writing - and raeding - more.

Did you have any trouble with dialogue, plot, etc? Actually, plot is pretty easy for me.  Dialogue sometimes is forced at first, but I fall into it quickly.  Same with actions and emotions.  It's the scenes that have more description or information than dialogue or action that I struggle through.  Also, like most writers, I. Hate. Editing.  Polishing and shining and proofreading is (scarily) easy for me, but content edits drive me up a wall.  Especially the 'big picture' variety.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? That would be fun.  (I'd probably research her beforehand just to avoid discussing things I could've learned from Google - although I would have a terrible time acting like we really haven't met when I've read her most famous book and watched Anne Hathaway reinact her life story.)

What do you love most about writing? Getting swept along by the flow of the story - that moment when the characters and dialogue and scenes take over and you type faster than a cheetah runs, while the scene crystallizes in your head and you suddenly feel like you're watching your new favorite movie or a dream play out in your very own mind.

If you could be any character from any book - including your own - who would you be? Oh dear.  Um... I'd really prefer to just be me.  Is that an option?  Because my life is so totally suited to me.
What role does your family play in your writing? Actually, they're more character influences than real-life influences.  My grandma loves my stories, my parents follow my blog, and my brothers signed up for NaNo this past year.  (Not that they actually participated, but they *did* sign up.)  I'm a bit of an introvert (okay, so my mom sometimes gets frustrated with my lack of social activity...) so I don't talk so much about what I'm writing.  What I'm reading could be a different story...
What is your favorite author/book? Actually, I have several: Shannon Hale, Melody Carlson, Robin Jones Gunn, A Family Forever, Tour de Force... there are many others, and these are in no particular order.
Do you outline, or just write ideas as they come? Sort of both?  Well, I keep a writer's version of an outline for most stories, but then I have lots of side notes and paper scraps that may or may not make it into that story.  Also, outlines change.  A lot.
Okay, I'm gonna log off now.  Thanks for letting me pop in, Katelyn, and meet all your lovely readers!  And, said lovely readers whom I don't know, why don't you come visit me sometime?  You can find me at my blog, Struggles of a (Maybe) Teen Author, where I've listed some other contact information - not to mention lots more to know about moi. ;)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Interview with author Cidney Swanson!


How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing stories since I was seven. Well, actually, I could only carve out time for poems and essays in my twenties and my Decade of Giving Birth, but I switched back to fiction after that.



When did you know that you wanted to be an author?
I had that figured out by the time I was eight. I read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and although I’m sure I didn’t understand tons of it, I understood one thing very clearly: I was like Jo March, and like her, I wanted to be a person who made stuff up and wrote it down for a living.



Who/what was your main inspiration for The Ripple Trilogy?
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of invisibility. (Harry’s cloak, Bilbo’s ring, and some character in the extended Oz series . . .) One day, I had an image pop into my head. In my mind, I saw a girl looking at a river, and she disappeared without realizing it. Why? And why didn’t she notice she’d vanished? I had to know. Then this dark back story emerged, tying my modern-day invisible girl with old Nazi experiments. At that point, I couldn’t stop writing!


Did you have any trouble with dialogue, plot, etc?
Plot is very challenging for me. Character and dialogue come pretty easily. And I’ve always been able to string sentences together. But plot can throw me for a loop. Also, writing action (i.e., fight) scenes is very, very hard for me. I get lots of praise for my action scenes, but it’s only because I’ve gone over them a bazillion times ‘til they are working nice and tight.

 What was the hardest part of The Ripple Trilogy to write?
Writing from the point of view of my villains was really disturbing and yucky. I had to do a ton of research into Nazi Germany and the eugenics movement in the USA, and that was just really depressing and awful.


 Can you tell us a little about Rippler?
Rippler begins a trilogy about a girl who can turn invisible, the boy she’s falling for, and the neo-Nazi scientist who is hunting them both. 


Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure! I love to read, of course! I also like to cook and go for tea with friends. And I seriously love to travel. I have a long list of places I still need to visit, most of which require long plane rides.









If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Oh, my! Well, I think it would have to be Joanne (JK) Rowling. I mean, how cool would that be? I’d love to tell her thank you for those amazing stories and how they made me want to be a braver and kinder person.


Will we see any more books from you anytime soon?
You mean, like, you want a tease? Well, I’m revising a piece right now that has pointe shoes and hobgoblins and Russian food. I also have a first draft of a sci-fi novel that’s aging. As in, set aside to improve the flavor. Like wine or cheese.


What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Okay, ready? Here it is: Cidney, what do you love most about writing?
I love the arranging of words. Sure, I love telling the whole story, but the part that absolutely intoxicates me is the moving and shifting and perfecting of the order in which words appear on the page. Yeah. Weird. Now you know why no one has ever included this in an interview before. (As far as I can recall!)
Thanks so much, everyone, for the chance to stop by and visit today! Come say hi anytime!


Thank you so much Cidney! And I'm so sorry for the delay. Now, here are a few links where you can find more of Cidney!







Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Guest Blogger, Jill Williamson!


My * I judge the book by grammer, spelling, plot, and, well, everything that matters! I do not always agree with all religious standings, or Bible doctrines. Please keep that in mind.*

 name is Jill Williamson. I write weird books for teens.
My name is Jill Williamson. I write weird books for teens.
My most recent book is called Replication: The Jason Experiment. It’s about a girl who discovers her biologist father is covering up multiple secrets—all of which are named Jason

My name is Jill Williamson. I write weird books for teens.
My most recent book is called Replication: The Jason Experiment. It’s about a girl who discovers her biologist father is covering up multiple secrets—all of which are named Jason.
My most recent book is called Replication: The Jason Experiment. It’s about a girl who discovers her biologist father is covering up multiple secrets—all of which are named Jason.
Originally, I called the book Jason Farms. I came up with that title the day I came up with the idea for the story. I was in a car with my sister in upstate New York. We were driving to an orchard to pick apples. As we passed farm after farm after farm, I got to daydreaming: What if there was a Farm that grew people? They could call it Jason Farms! And the idea was born.
But my publisher felt that Jason Farms 

But my publisher felt that Jason Farms was confusing, so they changed the title to Replication: The Jason Experiment.
I have two book trailers for Replication! I made one from each main character’s point of view. Here are the links:
I love book trailers. I made one for my very first novel, By Darkness Hid, then a bunch of teens got together to film a live-action trailer for my second novel, To Darkness Fled. They had such a great time they decided to make a trailer for the third book in that trilogy, From Darkness Won. That trailer is in post-production right now, but should be done any day. I can’t wait to see it! I even got to play a small role in that one. *grin*

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Interview with author Precarious Yates!

* I judge the book by grammer, spelling, plot, and, well, everything that matters!  I do not always agree with all religious standings, or Bible doctrines. Please keep that in mind.*

Hello, today I am interviewing author Precarious Yates, Self-Published author of The Elite of the Weak.
 
I have read it, and I found it to be well crafted and very interesting. I have always enjoyed spy books, and anything with action. Precarious mixed action with just the right amount of romance. I was captured in the first chapter. And that says a lot. I will not read the book if you don't reach me by the first page. Precarious did a good job reaching out to all of her readers. She did a good job spreading the message she wanted to spread, without making it overbearing. I rate this book 4.1 out of 5 possible stars. I highly recommend this read. Especially if you enjoy a good book, with deep meanings and bits of drama. Now, to our interview.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
When I was 20, God snatched me out of great darkness and willful sin into His glorious light and forgiveness. After that radical day, I spent several years training for missions work (MorningStar School of Ministry and YWAM, among other places). My husband and I lived as missionaries in Ireland for four years, and the church we planted is still vibrant and growing! Although I’ve lived in a number of different states, we recently settled in Texas, where I’m homeschooling my daughter and will be raising chickens and a cow. For work, I’ve done everything from roofing to managing rock bands to teaching creative writing, but I specialize in making coffee and tea. At the moment, I’m thoroughly enjoying home school with my daughter and writing until the wee hours of the morning.


When did you start writing?
I guess I’ll start off by letting you in on a little secret ;). I wrote my first book, Timmy the Flying Turtle, when I was 6 years old while my entire second grade class had a MAJOR time out. We were all supposed to have our heads down on the desks and hands still. My teacher must have overlooked the fact that I was writing away instead.


When did you know you wanted to be an author?At the age of 6, I fantasized about sitting at a desk and writing stories all day the way most of my peers fantasized about being firefighters or gold medal Olympians.

What role did your family play in your writing of The Elite of the Weak?
Hadassah’s tenacity and fearlessness was inspired by three amazing girls, my daughter, my sister, and my husband’s sister. Also, my brother’s wife co-founded an organization called Love146, which works to raise awareness about human trafficking and to build safe houses around the world.

What was the hardest part of The Elite of the Weak to write?
Honestly, I struggled with the romance scenes, since I like to write adventure and action much more than romantic tension.

How did you stay inspired to finish the book?
I purchased a book called "Terrify No More", by Gary Haugen, which tells of real life rescues from human trafficking. Also, knowing what happens to kids around the globe motivated me to get the word out, and to inspire more voices to rise up against this horrific enslavement of human beings.


Could you describe your book to us?
One reader described The Elite of the Weak as: YA-Christian-Fantasy-Romance-Thriller. In this slightly futuristic spy novel, seventeen year old Hadassah longs to join up with Revelation Special Ops, a group of young adults working to free kids who are sold into human trafficking. But when the whole world descends into chaos, can the R.S.O. members stay focused on their goal? Travel with Hadassah, and the rest of the R.S.O. team through exotic locations and perilous circumstances as they seek to defend and release these kids.

If you could pray for anything, just one thing, and it be granted, what would it be?
In short, I pray that you and I will know just how LOVED we are, since everything else will flow from that one revelation. Here’s the longer version:That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.. (I borrowed that from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, 3:16-19, KJV.)

When can we expect your next book to be out?
I’m writing! I’m writing! I’m hoping July, if I can have all the edits done in time. I have other books and series in the works as well.



That was my interview with Precarious Yates. Go buy the book! You WILL NOT regret it. The links are below. She also has a website, and that link is there too. God bless you, and have a terrific day! (PS: Congrats on your book, Precarious! I hope to see many more!)
Image of Precarious Yates