Summer Giveaway Hop: The Ultimate Vampire Fan Giveaway

 

It's that time of the year: Summer Giveaway time!! And guess when it starts?

August 1st!

Correct!

So how does this all work?!
I'm so glad you asked! It's simple:

If you want to enter the contest, then just leave a comment with your name and e-mail address from August 1st through August 7th by 1:00pm. You can only enter once though! But luckily for my followers, they get a distinct advantage:

They get to enter twice. :)

When I collect all of the names on Sunday afternoon, I will put their names twice into my hat.

So what are the grand prizes!?

First Place:

The Ultimate Twilight Complete Collection!

With this collection, you will win Twilight (with the movie poster!), New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn books! And Eclipse and Breaking Dawn are in hardback!

   


*sniff, sniff* Yes, wishes do come true!

Second Place:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Volume 1



And Nina Bang's book, Wicked Nights




Then lastly, the third place prize giveaway!

Rebirth, Volume 1 by Woo



Vampire Kisses 4: Dance With a Vampire



Hardback!


The winners of these lovely prizes will be announced on Sunday or the following day (on my blog and a message will be sent to their emails where I will ask them for shipping addresses and such), Monday August 8th where another giveaway will begin but with a twist. *wiggles eyebrows*

Don't touch that dial, because there will be more giveaways in the following weeks!

Psst: If you click on the summer giveaway picture, you can find more giveaways on other blogs. Just to let y'all know. Maybe if you don't win here, you can win at other blogs. :) You never know.

Good luck and make sure to leave your name and e-mail address!

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Blurb:

Clea Raymond is a talented photojournalist and the daughter of high-profile parents. Usually she’s in total control of her camera, but after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and handsome young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.
 
When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.

 

My Thoughts:

Look at the corner of my bedroom and you'll see this book in timeout.

Why?

Well, there are multiple reasons. The ending is the number one reason why it is sitting over there looking all kinds of pathetic.

The cover pulled me in, and at first the book was going great. We meet the main character, the dilemma, and all of the stuff, but then some problems started to pop up.

First off, what really ticks me off, is all of the typos. It wasn't excessive but there were enough there to make me want to circle them, give the notes off to the author and have it corrected. Yes, I know, it's the editor inside of me. But dang.

You know what's really funny? I finished the book with the whole WTF moment still screaming in my ear then I flipped to the acknowledgement page and see that not only did the lovely Hilary Duff didn't have just one editor. She had TWO editors, and yes, I'm about to put their names out there. Hold on . . .

*gets book from corner and flips to the acknowledgement page*

Emily Meehan and her assistant Julia Maguire.

Not only did she have those two editors but she also had a writer named Elise Allen who I suspect either helped her out alot by writing it or became her mentor. And probably edited it too.

I feel sorta bad for Elise Allen to have her name on this book too, but oh well.

So let's gets down to the basics.

Characters: The characters were believable. I could identify with Clea, and I loved Rayna, her best friend. But the whole push of Ben on Clea, I didn't like that at all. It's realistic, don't get wrong but I just don't like that everybody is speaking about soul mates and they are what? In their teen years, I think. And Rayna is constantly saying she meets "the one". Why is it so important to meet a soulmate?

Why should a girl care about the man of her life?

Don't get me wrong. Soulmates are important. If I ever find my soulmate, I will count myself lucky but it's not the center of my life to find a man. I can live without one.

Maybe it's the genre which Twilight started that love is now becoming a thing to search for instead of a career. It just seems so silly. I mean, why search for the one in high school? The chances are slim at best. So yeah, Idk.

I certainly wouldn't want my daughter searching for the one instead of finding herself. Seeking love and verification of yourself is just a path that leads to dependence and I don't want my daughter letting her self-esteem to be determined by men or society standards for that matter.

Sorry to get all preachy, but that's just my thoughts about that.

Um, other then that, I really didn't have a problem with the characters.

Dialogue: Realistic. No corny laughter from me. But I am laughing at Shiver again. *giggle* I saw it in the store at BAM. Gosh, I think I'm starting to get a reputation there since I visit there so much. Anyway, anyway . . . Getting away from the topic at hand.

Setting: I really liked how we practically travelled all around the world. Not really all over the world, but still I liked seeing the different places and its impact on her life. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it at that. She did a really good job though at describing the vibe of the places too, btw.

Plot: Now here's where things get a bit hazy.

Like I said, the beginning and middle were fine. And the plot points were hit. Until we start with the falling action and the resolution.

To put it bluntly: There is no resolution. It ends on a cliffhanger.

I understand that this book is going to be a series. Obviously but there are plenty of examples of better ways to do it. I'll just take into account the easiest: Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries.

That particular series is ten books long but in every book there was obviously a problem and it was solved but she also left a lot of deeper issues unsolved until the end of the book. Not that you didn't feel like it wasn't resolved but there was like the romance parts that weren't always resolved.

But the main point: Meg Cabot finished every book with a resolution to the main problem.

Hilary Duff did not.

She left the story in the middle of the climax. She didn't resolve any of the problems in the book. She did answer a lot of questions about Sage and the Elixir, but she didn't tackle the problem.

And I'm not saying I want a happily ever after ending. But I do want an ending not a, "Tune in next week to see what happens!" corny end line. I wanted some more answers and some more . . . Something.

The main three problems of the book that were presented were not solved.

And I'm not surprised, but it still disappointed me. The reviewers were right. It's a definite wtf ending.

I read some reviews way before I even saw the book on discount and I remember some reviewer saying that the ending wasn't good. But I thought, hey maybe they were wrong.

Uh, no, they weren't. They were spot on.

Not because it was written weird, or because it wasn't carried out right, it just didn't finish the problem. It's just leaving a puzzle still half done.

So let's get straight to the point: Would I recommend this book?

I wouldn't. I will tell you why: You'll be disappointed in it. Even if you ignore the typos, you will still be disappointed with the ending. You'll want it to be done, and get the ending it deserves. The only way to find this out is by getting the second book and I'm not sure when it'll be released. I think it's this year, so maybe you'll get it and get the ending. But I wouldn't waste your time. Really.

Read Hush, Hush. That's a good book and guess what?

Crescendo was on sale today!!

*clicks heels together!*

Anyway, yeah. Read Hush, Hush instead. You'll thank me later.

1000 Views and 100 Followers Giveaway Update!

Hello all! This is just going to be a quick update to let you all know what's going for the next couple of weeks on my blog. I know I've mentioned giveaways, and now that I went to BAM (Books A Million) and got what I needed to conduct this giveaway correctly, I can now give you all the details. Sort of. Here it is so far:

There are going to be three giveaways.

The first giveaway will start very early morning August 1st then ends on August 5th. The winners will be announced Saturday and will get their stuff mailed that day. This giveaway is going to be wonderful for paranormal lovers. I'm super psyched about it and I think you will be too once it's up! But that's all I'm going to say on the matter.*zips lips*

The second giveaway will start early morning August 8 then ends on August 12th. The winners will be announced Saturday and will get their stuff mailed the day of. This particular giveaway will probably not be for everybody but more for writers, just to let you know.

The third giveaway is a mysterious giveaway. You will not know what you're going get but I will leave clues so that you don't go in thinking you'll get a boatload of one type of books and you'll get another. This particular giveawya will begin August 15th then end August 19th.

Now, I know you guys are wondering, so I'll just say it: How is this all going to work?

Well, I will post about the giveaway, you leave your name and e-mail address in the comments section. At the end of the week, I will place everybody's name and email address in a hat and pick out three names.

Now for my faithful followers, they will get the special advantage of getting their names dropped into my special hat twice! :) So they will be twice as likely to get a prize.

Anyway, at the end of the week on Saturday, I will post the winners and send them an email to let them know that they won! And then I will get their shipping addresses and ship the prizes on out.

It's that simple.

Any questions? :)

Oh, what did the picture have to do with this post? Absolutely nothing. ;) Or does it?

*dramatic music with wiggling mysterious eyebrows*

Hot Topic Tuesday: Best of the Best or Nothing at All

Do you guys remember that review I gave for Jacob Jones, The Septavalent Stone?

Well, if you don't remember I'll give you some hints: I gave it a review, I told him to work on it, and he basically said he will.

He lied.

He's still publishing the book as is. Even though it's not up to par. Even though it's not really that great as it stands, he's still publishing it on August 1st. You can check it out on his blog if you wish. August 1st in big bold come buy it letters. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed. Why?

Simply because I think his book could be spectacular if only he would wait and get it fixed.

What's the lesson here, ladies and gentlemen?

Wait.

I know I hear some of the writers in the peanut gallery whine and complain that they are done and are sick and tired of reading and editing it. What do you do then?

Stop. Read something else, then get back to editing your book. 

Why?

Because that's what we writers do. Heck yeah, it's hard work. Yes, it's tedious and often thankless job but if you're going to go out there and present yourself put a bow on it and make it your best. Don't go out there half-assed and expect fantastic reviews. 

It's just like with an interview. You don't go out there with your hair unkempt, your shirt untucked, and ugly shoes. You go out there with your best foot forward and I'm sorry to say,  Jacob Jones isn't doing so.

You know how you wish things could be different? That maybe I could just leap into one of my stories and bring out the happy endings for everyone? I so desperately wish I could tell everyone that all you have to do is wish it to be so, and tada! Your book is done. And you'll know it, but that's not true at all.

Not one little bit.

I've edited Angel Diaries AT LEAST four times. Yes, you counted it right four times over the past four years. I even got a contract to publish it but things didn't work out. Sure it hurt. I cried. I wanted to throw a hissy fit and stomp all over the room and wonder why me? I thought I was ready to put my baby into the spotlight.

Hell, I thought I was ready to be published and take in all the success or fairy tale mumbo jumbo that I thought was traditional publishing. But I wasn't. I was young, naive, and I still had a lot to learn. I knew for sure though that Angel Diaries was a hit. I put it up on a critique site and everybody loved it. Seriously. A lot of people approached me and told me up front that they wanted to buy it and asked me when will it be available.

To make a long story short, I knew I had a diamond in the rough story. I just had to carve it, shape it, mold it into something even better. I knew I had the basics down. I just had to fix the darn thing so that it would really blow people's minds. To make it leave an impact so big it challenged people's thoughts. And to do that I have to edit it. Over, and over, and over, and over again.

And when do you stop editing? Until it's in perfect shape. Or at least what you think, as the writer, is perfect shape.

Then guess what the next move is? Getting a second opinion.

Join a critique site.

Get some beta readers.

Gather up your reader friends to read over your book and see what they think.

And please, for the love of God, get people who will be straight up honest with you. Don't get the friends who will just tell you, "This is great." That doesn't help at all. What was great? What did you really like about it? Did you like the whole thing? Well, you couldn't find one problem with it? Not one?

In other words, get some feedback that will really help you become a better writer instead of a big headed one. Especially if you're going to self-publish your work.

There are already people out there, nay-sayers, who say that self-publish work sucks. And if you put your work out there half done, not up to your full potential just for some stupid deadline, then what will that tell your readers?

"I don't care. I'm all about that bottom line."

That's what you're saying. Especially if they find out someone told you EXACTLY what to change and how to change it. It's not rocket science. Fix it. Your readers will thank you for it later.

I mean, of course they will never know. But then in comes the fan mail.

Every time I think of fan mail, I get all tingly inside. That HAS to be the best part of being a writer. I even hand out fan mail to my writers once in a while, just to cheer them up. Especially Meg Cabot.

Don't look at me that way! I know she will eventually read it, and be like, "Thanks for that, chica! It really helps!" She was actually the first writer that I gave fan mail to. And I continue to. When I have the time.

What can I say? I love to cheer good writers on.

Don't you?!

Anyway, as a reader, I love to give authors good reviews, refer them to other readers and be like,

"Hey check this cat out!"

"For reals?!"

"Yeah, girl, Barry Lyga is an AWESOME writer!"

I love to do that. Heck, it's part of the reason why I put up this blog so that I could promote the writers who may not be on NYT bestsellers list like Dia Reeves! Or Barry Lyga! Or Patrick Ness! Or anybody else I might mention in the future. Point is, I like spreading good words about authors.

I don't like it when I see so much potential in an author get crushed down into little bits and pieces. I hate being fooled by pretty covers, yet I fall for it every single time. I hate buying a book that was on discount to find out that it's on the discount rack for a reason. I hate . . .

Well, the list could go on and on. And I bet a lot of people would agree when I say: I hate it when I give an author GREAT advice and they don't take it. Instead, they just fling it to the way side and decide to publish crap anyway. Just for a deadline.

Just because they told everyone that this was the date.

I fully believe that are certain things in this lifetime that could be put on hold. Growing up. Putting on makeup. Dating for God sakes. So many other things that I won't even list them. Everything is just so fast paced in this life that sometimes, I just want to slow them down and enjoy life. Enjoy the luxury of waiting. Enjoy natures beauty of what God has created. Just enjoy the thrills of being young.

Yet, sometimes life just rushes us by and we don't take the time to put effort into what we know could be good. Just because we need to rush them. Just because we want things now. Microwave generation they call us.

But the best things in life, funny as this is, are things that don't come right now.

And I think The Septavalent Stone, along with so many other books, could have been better with time. Like wine.

And I'm sorry Jacob if you find this offensive, or rude, or just plain ol' mean, but this is how I feel about it. And this is my blog. So if you want to comment. Go ahead. I won't delete it.

So please feel free to comment. I officially hand the reins over to you to explain why there's such a rush on The Septavalent Stone when it clearly needs the effort and time to become so much better and fully enjoyed by the reader.

Please take the floor and explain. Because as a reader, I do not understand.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Blurb:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.
 
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
 
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

My Thoughts:

Okay, just finished this novel and for people who have been faithfully paying attention to my blog, you know that I just bought this book for the wonderful price at BAM (Books A Million) for 3.97. :)

And you know how I love bargains right? So I snatched it up and read it.

Omg, you know how fast I read this book? 1 day and a half (which is why, if you're wondering, it wasn't posted under currently reading).

I think we can end the book review right here on that note.

For me to read a book THAT fast is definitely a good thing. I even stayed up late last night KNOWING I had to work tomorrow but I continued to read it anyway. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. It was that great. And that incredible. And that riveting. And that fascinating.

But at first I was hesitant. Why? Because of the Twilight similarities. You know, the lab partner thing. The whole monster falling in love with the human thing. But Becca Fitzpatrick flipped it. In a very very good way. I kinda loved what she did to the main character Patch and Nora.

Even though in the back of my brain Nora reminds me of Nora Roberts. Got any fans of Nora Roberts out there?!

*peanut gallery shouts and waves hands in the air*

Yeah, that was the drawback with the name. Then I was like, "Who names their kid Patch?" But later in the story you find out why and it's interesting. And it proves to be . . . Well, I don't want to ruin the great story here. All I have to say is I loved it.

There was the whole possession thing though that made me instinctively tense up. I just never liked that idea and Nora defintely agreed with me on the icky feeling about possession. So Idk about that whole thing.

Let's see, I guess I should go over the basics about what made this book great huh? Let's break it down then.

Characters: Believable and indentifiable. I could definitely relate to Nora (since she reminded me of, now that I think about it, a lot of characters who are shy about their height and stuff. Meg Cabot's Mia comes to mind. Princess Diaries series. Ring any bells? It became a movie? Anyway) about her control and her intial reaction to Patch. I wanted to smack him myself and yet I was still wanted to see him more. So there was the whole smack but love jerkiness that I liked about him. Because he defintely comes off like a jerk in the beginning.

I actually laughed out loud at the EBA (Employee Break Area) while reading this book. I didn't even care if people looked at it. It was that funny. I gasped out loud too at some of things he said and did. I know people were probably looking at me crazy then. Gasping and laughing. :P What can I say? It was good and funny. And no, I'm not telling you why I did those things. You've got to read the book.

Setting: Never been to Maine in my life but I know it's flipping cold and I heard that strange things happen up there. So interesting location. And the author does travel a bit to Portland and to France. Not telling you why though. *tongue in cheek* But I will say, I loved the fact that we got to travel around a bit.

*nudges newbie authors* See? Another place where it's not in a major city! Take the hint! Don't put your characters in major cities. Put them . . . Well, put them where you feel comfortable. Where you've been. Or do your research. I'm pretty sure Stephenie Meyer did and that's why she picked the place she did. Hmm. Anyway, moving on . . .

Dialogue: It was electric. And not corny, like in Shiver. I'm sorry but she could take some notes. This is what a guy sounds like. Come on, take your pen out and take some notes. Also the interactions between them were believable, Nora and Patch. Woah, almost called him Seth. :P Idk why. Maybe it's the whole Goth vibe I got from him. Anyway, great dialogue. Even the final scene sounded believable.

You know how some authors make the bad guy sound all pompous and arrogant and totally not human? Well, she made him sound human and logical and well, like I could identify with him. And his reactions too. So . . . Yeah. Scored points for me on that one. That's how I want my bad guys to sound.

Actually, as another side note to future authors/wanna-be wirters/writers I've actually learned a lot about how arrogant guys sound. I have one in my book, Iwishacana/Acanwishi, named Florence. And do you think I took notes?!

Let me give you a clue: HECK YES!

I've always had problems with his character and now I'm going to go back and see what I can to make my character sound better. Not like Fitzpatrick's but still as believable as hers. So yes, I'm taking notes and I'm going to look over my character and his dialogue. I need to tighten it up some more. Anyway . . .

Plot: I was defintely, once again, sitting on the edge of my seat. I was riveted. Completely. Becca Fitzpatrick had my attention from the word go. Almost. The prologue was a little ehh but I got into it once I figured out what the heck was going on. Then of course the first chapter was dynamite. :)

And yes, you guessed it: My lips are sealed. You HAVE to read this book.

And trust me, you can thank me later. I know you will.

Ending: This is where I get a little shaky. I like the ending. I like how everything fits into a perfect puzzle piece BUT (and there is a huge BUT) I just didn't feel quite right about it. Idk. Tell me what you think.

I'm NOT saying the ending sucked. It was the perfect ending. I guess, I just wanted something different. And I didn't predict it but Idk. Just something kinda irritating me about the ending. Feminism and all that. Maybe she didn't have a choice, but Idk. I just liked it and not loved it.

You know how in The Knife of Letting Go I said THAT was the perfect ending. This book I think could have had a better ending. I really think so, but that's just me. The hopeless romantic.

And no, I ain't telling you the ending. Excuse the ain't there. My African American language/Black Ebonics busted out there. :) Now you really know that I'm not telling you.

Anyway, last question of the morning: Would I recommend this book?

Yes, if you loved Twilight and cried when it ended. Yes, if you like angels. *wiggles eyebrows* Idk if you're super religious because I think Becca Fitzpatrick blurred some religious lines. It didn't offend me, but I was like, "That's NOT what happened!! Liar!" Not that I was mad. It was just like, "Um no. That's not what happened." You know the whole Adam and Eve thing? Well, she flips it.

And I'm not saying anything else about it. Something about the whole religious thing kinda irritated me. Not that I would stop reading but at the same time, my antennas went up. I should've known when it included angels and stuff that some religion was going to be pulled into it somehow.

Anyway, veering way off topic (as usual), um, would I recommend this to people who love reading a good suspense? Heck yeah. There was a lot of suspense. A lot. It killed me not knowing but I also loved the fact of how she so expertly piled it on. Leading and jerking me in the wrong and right direction. It thrilled and killed me at the same time.

Would I recommend this to anyone who had a pulse? No, why? Because there are some dark things in this book that I wouldn't recommend to a younger audience. And to me there are a lot of sexual innuedos that seem a little grown up for a fourteen year old. But who's to say?

If I had a daughter at fourteen, I wouldn't want her reading it. Even though nothing really happens, I still would be cautious. If you're a parent, I would read over it first before handing it over. Just my feeling. Or maybe it would be time to have that talk. Especially since a lot of books have sex in them that are geared toward the younger audience.

Oh, sorry, veering off into a hot topic there. Anyway main point: Excellent book, that I wouldn't give to the younger crowd. I'd say 16 and up would be a great age bracket. Maybe 15 if they're mature and can handle it.

Enjoy it. Love it. Thank me later.

Or better yet, tell me what you thought of it in my comment box. I promise I'll read it. Ooh, shoot before I forget.



There's a sequel. Once again, I'm perplexed as to how and why there's a sequel. *gives an eyebrow to the author* but yeah. I think I know why this book was so cheap. To get you hooked on the series! Gosh darn it! Fall for it every time. Another cheap book that's in a series. And today is pay day too.

Hmm. :) Maybe time to go back to BAM.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Blurb:

Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee — whose thoughts Todd can hear, too, whether he wants to or not — stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden — a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

My Thoughts:

This book really surprised me. You would think as an English teacher some things would drive me crazy. Like the run-on sentences, the lack of spelling correctly, and the whole lack of punctuation but you know what?

I loved every flipping minute of it.

Another oddity: This book is a futuristic science fiction novel.

And I still loved it. Every bit of it.

I was sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, waiting to see what happens next, waiting to see what other problem will come up next and not for one minute did I think that this book was boring.

Which is saying a lot because I like challenging novels to my brain anyway.

But omg, it was fantastic. And I didn't want it to end. It was just a surprisingly beautifully written novel. And I loved the suspense! I was literally hanging on the edge of my seat and never knew what was coming next.

The characters were great too. Believable. Real. Thoughtful. And identifiable. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say there was something in the book for everyone. Even if it doesn't seem that way at first especially with a 12 year old boy as the main character.

I was like, "It's a boy? And I'm suppose to identify with him?" But I did. Even though he was a bit younger then me, all you have to do is flip the number around and tada!, but I really felt his emotions. His pain. His hurt. His hunger.

Oh, that reminds me: This book is a little bit bloody. I wouldn't say it would make anybody squeamish, but just as a warning. It didn't bother me. I guess because we could all see it coming and because I sorta write stuff like that so it didn't bother me. Plus it's in the title, and sorta a symbol played with throughout the novel.

Can someone say essay? :) My poor future students, lol.

Anyway, the plot was really good. Where the author left it made me scream NOOOOO! I definitely wanted more of that, but it clearly says on the book cover Chaos Walking Book One, so that gives me hope!

It was the perfect ending. I have to say. If it was available in the bookstore, I would have bought it right then and there. I have to admire the way he ended it from a writer's perspective. It was just perfect.

Um, what else? The setting threw me for a loop. At first, I thought we were on planet earth like hundreds of years ago because of the whole New World thing. But interestingly enough, it was really a whole new world. Alien world. Not on earth! So once I got that straight, I understood why everyone could hear people's thoughts and all of that stuff. And why there were two moons.

Dialogue was believable. Everything was just perfect. Even the teacher/perfectionist inside me didn't even realize all of the mistakes and stuff until like the end of the book!

I know, right?! You would think my attenas would have gone off, but it didn't. I guess because Patrick Ness did it on purpose. :)

But I will have to warn writers right now: Just because Patrick Ness broke the rules, doesn't automatically mean the rules aren't valid.

What do I mean?

Well, it means that you have to be an EXPERIENCED writer to do this correctly and effectively like Patrick Ness did it. Plus, newbie writers, you must know the rules before you can break them. So learn the rules first, then get a couple of books under your belt (get them read through and stuff) then break the rules.

I know I broke quite a few in Angel Diaries. :) Ah, I love it!

Anyway, main question: Would I recommend this book?

To anybody who can value a really great book, HECK YES! Science fiction lovers tired of the machines taking over theme, HECK YES! With anybody with a pulse, HECK YES!

It's an awesome book that I'm so glad I took the time to pick up and read. I will be buying this book for my classroom library. I know if I love it, I know another student will. I was a bit worried about the age group since the main character is a little young, but I think it'll appeal to them. Besides, I put Bruce Coville in my classroom library, and I know he's really connected to middle school readers. So why not?

So I would definitely give this book a chance. Even for people who don't read science fiction (like I am), I think you will flip the switch and start loving science fiction.

If this is what science fiction is about, then I'm totally in!

1000 views and 100 followers Celebration!!

Can you believe it's that time of the year already?! Giveaway time! Woohoo! Now I don't know what I'll be giving away just yet to one of my lucky followers, but I'll be sure to post about it soon.

I'll give you a hint though: It'll be a book.

:)

I'm not saying which though, but we'll see. I'm so excited that I'm about to dance in a celebratory manner.

It's not a pretty picture, lol, I don't want you to be scarred for life! Look away now!

*dances in celebratory manner!*

Woo, glad that's out of my system.

As a side note: Idk if you noticed that my book cover spree has come to a drastic stop. Why? Well, I'll tell you guys the truth: I had to ask for some help. You see, I got the picture for Angel Diaries and I just didn't feel like it captured my whole story. So I asked my best buddy what he thought about it and he suggested that either I take the picture (scary thought, I am in NO shape to take pictures. Referrencing back to high school field trip to Disney World where most of the pictures were either blurry or had my thumb in them. Not a pretty picture. Pun intended.) OR I hire a professional.

I hired a professional. And at a decent cost since I already paid shutterstock 50 bucks for five pics and my next pay check isn't until tomorrow.

No pouty faces! I'll tell you guys all about it once it's done and all. If it turns out well, I'll give you the deets. But until then I don't want to jinx it. I'm just SOOO glad I don't have to worry about it anymore. Hopefully.

*crossing fingers, toes, legs and arms*

Anyway, what else is new?! Hmm, oh you might have noticed that I like read three books without giving y'all a book review. Let me explain before you bring out the horses and the ropes (think about how people were killed back in the day and you'll get the reference. Time to hit the history books).

Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson was in a series, and maybe some of you have heard of that?!




I'm not going to review this book since it's part of the series, Kiss Me Kill Me. Now would I give you the greenlight to read it? I'm not sure, because I just learned after doing some research that somehow Lauren Henderson wrote a THIRD book to this series. *slaps cheek in shock*



Idk, how she can write a third book after . . . Well, after the ending she gave us, but whatever. People who have read the series know exactly what I'm talking about. Anyway, what is this series about and why haven't you never heard of it?

Basically, it's a mystery where the main character Scarlett kisses a guy that she has a crush on and he falls dead. Everybody is convinced that she killed him.

I'm not revealing anything else to you. There's a teaser for you, but it is a mystery. In more ways then one. I'm sorry, still in shock and giving a weird look to Lauren Henderson for coming up for a third book to this series.

Anyway, now you see why I didn't review this book? When I finish the series, maybe then I'll review it, but not now. I will give Lauren Henderson some credit though: It's kinda interesting.

Then of course there was Inkheart:



Here's the blurb:

Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a bookbinder. But her father has a deep secret—he possesses an extraordinary magical power. One day a mysterious stranger arrives who seems linked to her father's past. Who is this sinister character and what does he want? Suddenly Meggie is involved in a breathless game of escape and intrigue as her father's life is put in danger. Will she be able to save him in time?

Now this book may sound familiar to you all because there was a movie about it with Brendan Fraser.

*girls sway at the mere mention of  his name*

Anyway, that's when I heard about it and decided to read it. My first stop was to the library and I couldn't find the blasted thing. Weird, huh? The book is turned into a movie and I couldn't find the book in the library? :S But eventually I did! I bought it at a library sale. For like 25 cents! A bargain, eh?

So what did I think about it?

Hmm, I really liked the story actually. Even though it was a size of a brick (which I have to admit, I do love thick books) and it took me FOREVER to read it, but once I finished it, it was a great book. I think many can attest to that especially since it got awards and such. And it was translated from German to English and published by Scholastic.

The main reason why I didn't review this book is because it took me forever and a lifetime, but I definitely suggest it to people who love adventure and a dash of fantasy. But don't watch the movie first. Read the book first. Yes, I'm touchy about that. Why? Because the books are usually better.

I know there are exceptions.


Namely this one, but for the most part, I suggest reading the book THEN watching the movie. I'm telling you, Watchmen, the graphic novel, was SOOO much better than the movie. I can't believe they even tried to make a movie out of that! Now that graphic novel took me like TWO weeks to read it was so complex. And at one point I lost the book. :P


Kudos for trying though but it's definitely a complex book. That was probably the hardest book I've ever read in my whole entire life. It beats the crap out of the classics. Hands down. Now that graphic novel should turn into a classic that should be read in classrooms, but it won't because it's a graphic novel.

*sighs at the pitiful misconception of graphic novels not belonging in the classroom*

Maybe in some but not in all.

Anyway, veering way off topic, Inkheart was a great book and it's part of a series, so I would definitely go out there and buy it.

Oh, and I will review the book I'm currently reading though:



Here's the blurb:

Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee — whose thoughts Todd can hear, too, whether he wants to or not — stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden — a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?


I'm almost done with the epic novel (yeah, this bad boy is like over 400 hundred pages) and I can't wait to share it with you. :)

Let's Go Book Shopping!

Just the other day, I went into Books A Million. You see, after fighting tooth and nail with Hampton University, I just got fed up. At first, I didn't even feel like going. I was just like, man I spent over a hundred dollars just because . . . You know, I'm not even going to go into all that now. Anyway, let's just say, I've had it up to here with Hampton. I wanted to just go home but I decided to drop by my fav book store, Books A Million. And man, am I super glad I did. I got such great prices, I thought I would share them with y'all.

Time to go shopping!

I know! :) Can you BELIEVE this book was on discount!? As soon as I saw it, I grabbed it and smiled. I was SUPER shocked to see it still on the rack for a discount no less! :O Shocker of the century. And the price was fabulous.

Now I know there's been A LOT of buzz around this book. So there's no need to go into introductions about it and whatnot. I'll just skip to the price. Oh, but just to let you know, I'll probably review this for y'all. When I have the time, which since school is FINALLY letting out soon, it should be . . . well soon. And it's a monster falling love with a human type story. You know I couldn't resist that! :)

List Price: $9.99
Discounted Price: $3.97

*does a happy jig!* I can't WAIT to read it and be all obsessed over it too. *does a high five kick*

Basically, since forever, I've been trying to collect all of the books in this series called Students Across the Seven Seas.

Maybe you've heard of it?


*crickets*


Yeah, I thought not. It's not really that famous. I haven't heard a lot of buzz about this series, but it's pretty good for teens. It's very easy to read, it explores the thought of studying abroad (which I will heavily encourage my students to do) and it's just plain ol' fun. The only problem I have with this series is, you guessed it, no minorities. All of these teenagers in this collection are white or some mix of another minority with white. God forbid someone be just pure blood Spanish instead of a mix of the two cultures. Ugh.

Sorry, back to the point.


List Price for Heart and Salsa: $6.99        List Price for Westmin. Abbey: $6.99
Dicounted Price: $1.00                            Discounted Price: $2.97



Awesome deal, right? :) And the good news about Books A Million: Every time I go there, I can ALWAYS find this series on discount. So Yippee! Onto the next few!

I heard the collective gasp from the peanut gallery. Isn't this cover gorge?! As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. Then I saw the authors name and frowned. Hilary Duff? As in Lizzy McGuire star!!!?? I use to be a huge fan of hers back in my middle school days. *sigh* Of course, So Weird got turned off before then, I think, so that's probably why. But now I have the theme song of So Weird stuck in my head. And I know the lyrics by heart.

Yes, I was a fan until Season Three. Then I wanted to chop off people's fingers and toes for ruining such a great show. Anyway, getting past the past. I got Elixir for a GREAT price. Here's the prices:

List Price: $17.99
Discounted Price: $5.97

I know! And it's a hard back, hence the twenty dollar list price. *sighs* I just love looking at the cover. Now if it was a contest between this cover and my cover, well, I don't know who would win. :) Hopefully I'll review this too. There's been some interesting reviews of this book. Some good. Some not so good. So I'll put the record straight. And supposedly this is a series?? Well, I'll do some research and fill you guys in. This is certainly not the only book Hilary Duff has written. So to speak.

Now onto the last book of the day.

 Ooh, so pretty huh? I love just looking at this book cover too. Except mine looks prettier since mine is a hardback. I know! Another hardback! Yippee skippee! (Good Burger reference! I've been dying to make this reference at work, but it never comes up. So I'll make it here! Yeah!)

I guess you need some back story on this book huh? Well, first off, this is Katherine Howe's first book ever written. So applause for that. Um, this is a historical fiction novel and I almost didn't buy it. Why?

Well, I read this book last summer. I think. And it wasn't that great. The cover tricked me again! I hate it when that happens, but she got me. Good thing I didn't buy the book. But yeah. The beginning and middle were great, the ending . . . Not so much. Not that she didn't tie a bow on it in the end, but the emotions and the shock factor were not believable. I'll just leave it at that. And I'm not the only one who thought that. So I gave her some slack. I think I read the reviews before going in and reading the book but still, it was a really well developed book for the most part.

So I bought it. At a discount. Which is where it should be. But this author has a lot of potential. I can't wait to see where she takes it. Here are the prices:

List Price: $25.99

Discounted Price: $7.97

I know, isn't the list price insane? Talk about inflated price for a book that's not a Meg Cabot or a Cecil Castellucci. And their books were on discount too, btw. Well, not Cecil Castellucci but Meg Cabot and Michelle Jaffe's books were. But I didn't get them, since I was trying to be good. :)

Anyway, what is the lesson here today boys and girls?! Always, always, always check Books A Million no matter how tired your feet are or how crappy your day was if it is on your way home!

Official Cover for Iwishacana!!!!!

Omg you guys! Look at it! I can't stop looking at it!

Isn't it just darling!? 

Okay, I know you guys are going to ask me, so let me put it out there: How in the WORLD did you create a cover so gorgeous without any help from a publisher or anyone with an ounce of art talent?

Well, remember that post about cover shopping? (Pssst, check it out!) And the whole cheap royalty-free stock pics I mentioned? Well, I got the 50 dollar price plan and downloaded it. It was SUPER easy.

You think I'm lying don't ya? It's the truth. Now this is the original of the picture:

Still gorgeous, but not the same. How did I change it? Two words: Photo shop.

Wait, don't go running off into your little corners mumbling, "I'm no good with technology like her! Gosh darn youth and their apparent advance killer skills in photo shopping!"

Let me tell you a little secret: This is my first time photo shopping.

I know! Shut up, right?! And I did it in like an hour. Now I know you STILL may not believe me, but it's totally true. I was actually labeling my books for my classroom library and watching a Tyler Perry movie (they were playing ALL DAY today, so I watched it. Normally, I wouldn't but my grandmother wanted to watch it, so I did.) when I downloaded this photo and was like, "Hmm, let me try out the Adobe Photo shop thingy."

It's the best, so I've heard. I tried to tinker with it a little bit before, but I couldn't even use the darn thing. And no, when I tried to use it, I still couldn't get the hang of it. So you know what I did? Ended the trial. There's no point to wasting time, reading the manual and trying to photo shop when there are plenty of other free (and yes, you read right FREE) photo shop programs out there.

So I know you're on your toes wondering: What kind of photo shop software did SHE use and was it easy to find?

Uh YEAH or else I wouldn't blog about it. Basically, I typed in free photo shop software and bam there it was: PhotoScape. No kidding.

And let me tell you once again that this software is FREE. The great price of nothing. Gotta love it. Then I thought, "Okay, let's try to use this darn thing." So I pushed a few buttons, and uploaded my pic up there and viola! Easy. Simple. Direct. Instant results.

Photo shop beginners dream.

I put down my labeler and pushed a few more buttons, just playing with it, and wiggled my eyebrows (seriously, just like in Ace Ventura Pet Detective) and said, "This is going to be fun."

And an hour or so later my wonderful book cover appeared. And it was really under an hour or two. Solemnly swear PhotoScape is as easy as breathing. This is my first time I've used it and I'm going to keep using it until . . . Well, forever.

I'm telling you guys, I was so intimated with photo shopping. I really was. I was like, "What? Me? Tamper with a photo? Ha! I'm not even an artist!" But I did it. And you guys cannot ignore the simple results of how professional the cover looks.

Come on, look at it.  All the cool kids are doing it. I'll wait.

*looks down at watches then resumes typing*

Anyway, those are the results just as I promised to present to you. Now who said I needed a publisher again to produce a professional looking book cover?

*crickets*

Yeah, that's what I thought. :)

Tips and Tricks Friday: Editing

Yes, it's the most wonderful day of the year: Tips and Tricks! Editing Style Edition! *start thematic music for the television series*

Anyway, for all of you lucky gals and pals out there I have some great tips for you to master the wonderful art of editing. Here are some fo the basic steps of editing along with some tricks to make sure your manuscript is publishing ready!

1. Make sure your manuscript is done

I know this seems so simple and clean cut but sometimes, common sense isn't common enough anymore. I have to say that there were times when I thought my books were done. Finito! And really, I wasn't. The end I envisioned wasn't what I wanted. It changed midstory. It freaks me out, and I'm like: OMG what to do?!

Change the ending? Change the story? Ha! But I had to. The story that was in my head changed, so the ending had to change with it. So I did. And I knew I was done.

So the million dollar question: How do you know when you are done with a story?

Answer from the audience: When you write THE END!

*loud sound of the incorrect buzzer* EERRRK! Incorrect!

Your manuscript is done once you have followed the plot outline. Exposition, rising conflict, climax, falling action, resolution. If it does not follow this outline, then you're in trouble. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with starting with the end. Just know that it has been done before. Stephenie Meyer has done that countless times. Just make sure you've done your homework and see how other authors do it. But if this is your first manuscript then I wouldn't advise you to go that route. Just saying.

Anyway, main point: You will feel it in your guts when you are done. When somebody writes the end, it really isn't the end. It's the beginning of the editing process.

2. Start Editing with STEP ONE: GENERAL EDITING

I know all of you are giving me the Scooby Doo look of wtf. General Editing? What is that?

Basically, all you do after you are done with your manuscript and jumping all around saying: I WROTE A BOOK! I'M WICKED AWESOME! You read through it. And mark out some simple mistakes like typos and stuff like that.

Now there are two ways of doing this.

WAY ONE: Editing it through spell check and by eye on the computer.

I discourage this way, but some people prefer this way. Why I discourage it? Because reading on the computer can lead to mistakes. I know when I typed on a very old computer, I made A LOT of mistakes by editing on the computer. Why? I'm not exactly sure. There should be a study on it, but I just simply skipped over a lot of stuff that I would have caught quicker if I printed it out. By I have to tell you, I love spell check and the evolution of it.

But DO NOT RELY ON SPELL CHECK!!

That is probably the BIGGEST tip I can give you as a writer. It's like a lazy curse, you know? You think that a computer program, especially in this day and age, would be like a crimefighter, catching all of your mistakes but not all of them. Some of them are going to slip right under the radar screen. Main advice: Be careful on what computer program you rely on. Or any computer for that matter. They can mess up. Crash. Computers are not perfect. Not by any means, so just be careful.

WAY TWO: Print it out and edit.

Why is this way better? For me, and I know this is changing thanks to the I-Pad and Tablet technology, it's a HECK of a lot easier to carry around a folder of my manuscript then to carry around my laptop. And I know some people have the I-Pad or the Kindle but I certainly don't. Why? Because I'm not rich or have enough money to spend it like that. I have some teacher things I need to buy first, then maybe I'll buy all of that flashy technology. But until then, I'm a broke college student who cannot afford any new technology except for a passed down laptop. Therefore, laptop versus folder, folder is always going to win.

Always.

And besides, I think I edit a lot better on paper. It's one thing to see it on a computer screen, it's a whole different story once you see it on paper. It's almost like the mistakes don't really bother me so much when it's on a computer screen and it's so fixable. On paper, it's like someone has shot me with a pistol in the eye. It burns. It hurts. It must be corrected. Now. And it makes it real-er.

I know I freaked out a lot of English teachers with that last word. Anyway, main point: You can carry it around (which means more time editing!! Which is ALWAYS awesome), you can catch errors sooner (at least for me, Idk about everyone else), and you have room to do edit stage two.

3. Time to get out the grammar textbooks. EDIT STAGE TWO: Grammar/Line by Line Editing.

I'm actually doing that right now with Angel Diaries. It is the most difficult sort of editing. And I know you guys are looking at me, like you are an English teacher! You should be good chums with grammar.

HA!

That is simply NOT the case.

Grammar and me JUST started getting along. We still have some issues to talk about (what is with the comma splices?! I can't hear you! *plugs ears and sings Spice Girls song*) but for the most part, I still struggle with grammar.

I think this is mostly because we don't emphasize grammar in the English classroom. I know I hear groans from the English teacher community but it's true. Out of the twelve years in the public and private school systems, I got taught grammar once in middle school and once in high school but that was an honors class, so I guess that doesn't even count. So I know you guys are wondering how in the world did I learn grammar if I was only taught it twice?

Latin.

The most DIFFICULT language to conquer grammar wise. I took it in high school thinking it would be interesting. Wrong. *buzzer noise* But I have to say, I learned a lot of grammar skills. I learned about all of the phrases, especially prepositional phrases, and about subjects and verbs and so much other useful stuff which is why I'm making my kids learn a language. It is shameful that kids in America don't HAVE to learn a language. Shameful. Every kid should know at least another language besides English and Spanish. Yeah, you read it right. Spanish should be a requirement. Then on top of that, another language should be learned on top of Spanish. Three languages. Just like in Europe and I think even in Asia too. So yeah.

Anyway, before I offend some people who might think English is the official language of the United States (it's not, but it should be), let's get back to editing stage two.

There's once again two ways to do this:

WAY ONE: Just by plain ol' fashioned reading and picking up on the grammar errors and if you have a question by looking it up. I know this method works for some people. But not for me since I have poor eyesight, especially in the grammar sense.

WAY TWO: HIGHLIGHTING FRENZY!

*whips out highlighters with a crazy happy expression* Yes my friends, highlighting! I highlight every comma, semi colon and this thingy ;. I also highlight verbs and words that I repeat WAY too often (my characters love to smile alot and smirk and roll their eyes. To the Bookshelf Muse!).

Why is this way preferable?

Because I have to do double editing. First, I have to go through (while doing a general editing) and highlight the words then I have to go back and correct them or even ask myself is this necessary? Is that comma necessary? Is that a comma splice? Are the subject and verbs agreeing? Is it all in past tense? I always switch tenses from present to past ALL the time and once I started highlighting it has changed dramatically. Now all of my verbs agree. Now I cannot ignore comma splices. Now I can see the errors I'm constantly making that everyone else can see with their naked eye.

So in other words: It brings out your mistakes and makes you a better writer.

Now, I'm not going to lie: It is EXTREMELY tedious. Omg, it took me forever to go through and highlight everything. It seriously did. But the end result: A bad ass manuscript ready to be published!

So either method works fine, but I have to say, I love the highlighting technique. Plus it's super fun! All of the different colors! It's like watching fireworks! :) It's a neat trick, huh? Not to mention pretty-ful!

4. EDIT STAGE THREE: Storyline editing.

I saved the best for last: Story line editing. Now this could take forever too. I have to say I ripped my poor little Angel Diaries to pieces and had to piece it back all over again. I redid the prologue, the climax, the ending, the climatic encounters with certain characters . . . I could go on and on, but I tore it apart. But it was better for it.

You could tell I love editing huh? I show it too much.

This is exactly why once you finish a book, it's not really the end. It's a beginning. You may love a certain part to pieces, but if a beta reader or your editing partner says, "This part doesn't work" Then you'll have to adapt the tough love technique: Tear it. Shred it. Then rebuild it.

Which brings me to the two ways to do this technique:

WAY ONE: Edit it yourself. This works. Somewhat.

WAY TWO: Get a fresh pair of eyes on that sucker. In other words, in standard english: Join a critique group.

My fav right here: www.critiquecircle.com

It's free and it's easy. Unless you want to post your whole manuscript up there and select the people who are going to critique it. Then you'll have to get a premium membership. I personally don't have it, but I may consider doing it. Not like you need it to put up your whole manuscript but it just makes it easier. And you can have up to like how many you want, to critique your book. The only problem is, there's no guarantee once you agree to let these people read your book, that they'll actually do it within reasonable time frame.

Which is why you could go to a community of writers and share your work.

I know in class we've done this exercise where we would post up our short story online, so that everyone could read it and critique it and come back the next day with comments. It worked like a dream, unless you wanted a zero for your participation grade (alot more people did then you think. Lazy ungrateful people).

Overall: I would definitely do both.

Why am I skipping over the free and cheap labor of your friends and family?

Well here's a clue: BECAUSE they are your friends and family.

I know there are exceptions to this rule. Heck, I am an exception. I critiqued my friends novel, Chocolate Aftertase (Hey Grace!) and it worked out fine. But overall, just as a general rule, I wouldn't go to family members especially.

Why??

Because they won't want to hurt your feelings. Or they will simply gloss over your mistakes. Or they will be too harsh and you'll cry and be like, "WHY?" And then your relationship with your family members will be strained at best. That's why. It's just better to have complete strangers to do it for you. They don't care about your feelings. They care simply for the book. And if you get enough strangers interested in your book, and you are a couple of months from self-pubbing, then you have a following or a fan club right there.

*wiggles eyebrows*

That's why it's great to network with other writers who may LOVE your work so much that they will buy it. The secret to success people: Networking. That's a simple ploy. *gives an evil laugh*

Okay that is it for me. Enjoy your Friday! If you have any additional tips and tricks for budding writers, then feel free to leave it in my comments box. Happy TGIF!

Burned Out

It's official: I'm worn out, burn out and fresh out of ideas. Just like Kate Salidas mentioned in her blog a while ago:  http://www.katiesalidas.com/2011/06/marketing-basics-dealing-with-burnout.html

I know it's wrong to whine and be moan and be all, "Poor me! Poor me! What shall I ever do!" Especially as a girl. I mean the whole stereotype of weak women just makes me stiffen automatically. But luckily Kate Salidas, the oh so great writer genius, has great ideas about how to get out of the fog. So y'all check it out while I catch up on my sleep.

Seriously. I'm giving y'all a break, go free! Enjoy your Friday! TGIF and all of that! While you guys will be free and  watching Transformers or even eagerly anticipating Harry Potter movie. I know my sister screamed like a little girl when she saw the poster.



Please enjoy the movie for me! Don't worry though, I'll find some topics to discuss next week. I'm thinking of some hot topics. But y'all will have to wait until next week, just like Harry Potter will have to wait until next week. Anyway, enjoy your Friday!

Shiver, Burn and Crumble with just a Dab of Change

 

Blurb:

 

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf -- her wolf -- watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why. Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace . . . until now. For Grace and Sam, love has always been at a distance. But once spoken, it cannot be denied.

 

My Thoughts:

 

*struggles to keep a straight face*

 

Really? This is the book that is on everybody's mind about how great it is!?

 

Not impressed. Let me tell you why before you go and try to beat my face in.

 

I admit it: Some parts I really struggled to keep my composure and other parts that were suppose to be "serious" I busted out laughing. I cannot be the only one who laughed at the "I'm obsessed!" "No I'm obsessed more!" Parts! Come on, raise your hands and be proud!

 

*hears crickets*

 

Never mind then. Even putting the whole overly dramatic parts that were meant to be serious but came out corny aside, there were too many similarities between Shiver and Twilight.

 

I know if one of my students was like sad over the ending of Twilight I would give them Shiver. They are both overly dramatic with somewhat similar level of corny but sweet lines, they both have the whole monster falling in love reluctantly with a human issue, they both have the guy acting like a complete "gentlemen" and the girl trying to push him hard enough to have sex (which I'll talk about later in heated detail) and they both have an ending that was way too predicable.

 

Well, I know what you're about to say: What about The Replacement? It has similarities with Twilight and the whole monster falling in love with a human bit. Well, you know what I say? I say that Brenna Yovanoff did an excellent job of making hers special and unique and the fact that the main character actually SOUNDED like a guy made it a lot better. Additionally, her descriptions were completely different then Stephenie Meyer. Her characters were taken up to a notch that Stephenie Meyer didn't take it to. And there's the whole pretty and ugly thing that is just so different. I don't know how to describe it, but Brenna Yovanoff took the idea of loving a monster as a human and flipped it on its head. And I love her for it.

 

Even though both of the guys in Shiver were musicians, I believed Mackie more then I did Sam. Why? Because here's Sam spouting love sonnets and coming up with rhythms and Mackie is quietly playing his guitar in his room. I just believe Mackie's version is more credible. And I know that Sam could just be a lyricist and people are on the verge of screaming that fact, but I don't know. Something about Sam just doesn't rub right with me.

 

First off, when the author switches point of view to a guy, I didn't find it credible. After reading a guys voice like in The Replacement, I just got spoiled. I was really waiting for Sam's voice to come to me, and it didn't. He sounded really feminine. And I know some of you will argue that guys sound like that, which is fine, but in a book if I can't find that the guy sounds masculine and he's didn't cross genders or anything (I'm assuming), then there's an issue there.

 

Another thing I had a huge problem with is Grace practically tackling Sam into the bed. I just didn't like that. I think Stephenie Meyer did a better job with the sex issue and making it realistic. Not saying there aren't aggressive females out there, but Grace doesn't seem like that type of girl to me until Sam's point of view took over. And if a guy says no then it should mean no. If a guy hesitates, then you talk about it.

 

Can I get an Amen?

 

*chorus shouts an amen*

 

I'm just saying, if a guy like Sam really was uncomfortable with the idea, then a slower approach should have been better. And I know he was losing time, which I didn't really believe anyway because there's a series, but still. I just think that whole situation could have been handled better. Just saying.

 

Ah yes, last thing before I go to work: The ending. I love how she set it up like a Lifetime Original Movie moment, but I think it was dead obvious what was about to happen. I mean, come on. There's a series. Grace and Sam are all "obsessed" with each other, and yeah. I won't give too much away, but I could tell what was going to happen. So transparent.

 

The only reason I kept reading is because of Shelby. Now that is an AMAZING character! Omg, love her. And I know some of y'all are giving me the huh look, but for some reason I like that strong streak in her to do what she wants with her life instead of taking a back seat. I like the fact that she was the conquered but now she is the conqueror. Even though she goes about it the wrong way but I still like her alot. I can't wait to see more of her in the series. I can just tell she's going to be wonderful and an obvious source of conflict.

 

Now you devoted Shiver fans, don't beat me up. I'm just saying I wasn't impressed with Shiver. I was really excited about it. I did like the characters, Beck was a good one as well, I liked the blood descriptions and some parts of the beginning (which I desperately wanted to revise) but overall, it was good. Not great like I was expecting but okay. And I would definitely read the next book, just to see what happens to Shelby.

 

Would I recommend this book: To devout Twilight fans, absolutely. For people who are looking for something different in the werewolf world, probably not. For people who are tired of Twilight rip offs, absolutely not.

 

Now for a side note: I know you guys have noticed the changes to this blog. If you didn't, take a look around for a second and come back.

 

I'll wait.

 

*glances at watch then sighs*

 

Now that you guys have looked around, I'll explain. Not much to really explain, but I'll do it anyway. Um, first off, the whole one column to add stuff to really wasn't working for me. I was running out of room, and I know you guys are probably tired of scrolling down to get to the stuff you want to see, so I split it up into two columns. On the right is the blog stuff. And I changed the labels! So now if you want to look up a certain book review on fantasy, bam! Right over there. So I thought that would be easier. Another thing I added was my WIP on the left.

 

Let me just warn you: Don't get too attached to the pictures. I know I am but I'm trying not to. Why? Because they might be taken by someone else or something, so the pictures are temporary but if you want to volunteer your opinion then feel free. I'm really struggling over the Iwishacana 2 book cover. Apparently it's hard to find ring models. *shrugs* Oh well. I'll just have to look harder.

 

Anyway, if you haven't noticed, I've added the sequels to Angel Diaries and Iwishacana. Why? Basically, just in case some fan wants to know what's going on with the stories and are desperate to read the next one. So that's for the fans of the series. And if you looked, you'll notice that I've added Everblossom, which is a collection of short stories and poetry. So there's something there for everybody, including some romance novels.

 

*tongue in cheek*

 

I haven't touched those since high school, and so obviously revising them and trying to make them not so stereotypical is going to be a challenge I'll have to face later on.

 

Umm, what else? Oh, another thing I added . . . Oh wait, no that's it! All right you guys, tell me what you think about the review and the switcheroo with the blog! I would love to hear your opinions. Seriously. I would also love to know why people are falling in love with Shiver. I'm just not getting it. I'll try the next book and see if I can fall in love with a second sight. Anyway, until next time Toodles!