Publishing Date: 1995 (but reads like a current YA)
Source: Library
Cover: Very fitting for the story. It seems typical for the contemporary YA genre, but this time it makes sense.
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance: The bittersweet edition. Sharing your new love interest with your friend because you’ve just found out she’s dying can lend itself to being heavy-ish material.
Plot: This book is really short--so short at its 155 pages that I almost didn’t pick it up. I tend to shy away from shorter books, doubting the book’s ability to engage me enough to care in so few pages. Sharing Sam was surprising in that aspect. The reader gets more depth of character than he or she might expect going into it. It may be predictable overall, but that doesn’t detract from its storytelling.
Romantic Element: Yes, there was romance. It was quick but also believable. A few times I caught myself being pissy that Applegate chose to glaze over scenes, giving us a summary rather than a bird’s eye view, but I wasn’t too upset. Like I said describing the genre, the love in this book is bittersweet.
Overall: I think you know going into the book if it’ll be for you or not, but for the little time it takes you to read it, the story is there. As a whole, I’d say this book is more like A Walk to Remember kind of Lifetime movie YA romance, and I also think that assessment will pretty much tell you whether or not you’d like the book itself.
Welcome to high school high society hell, where last season’s slingbacks can warrant a lunch table demotion, the wrong date will knock you off the it-list and behind every pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses lies a secret people are dying to keep.
As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.
A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.
But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.
The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.
Title: Silver and Stone: The Bloodlines Series
Author: J.D. Thompson
Publisher: Self
Publication Date: 2011
Source: Author (ebook given in exchange for honest review)
Cover: The cover does its job and gives you a definite YA wispy vibe.
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance. I can’t be more specific as to what type of paranormal activity is going on since the book spends a lot of time building up to that, but the premise is more original than most.
Plot: This book has a lot going for it. The writing is good, and the beginning to middle of the book keeps you reading and wondering what exactly will happen next. There’s an element of mystery that I think a lot of people would enjoy, and for the majority of the book, Alexis is pretty likeable. The premise that frames the story is really original and was one of my favorite macabre parts about the story.
Romantic Element: You know I’m a sucker for romance in YA, and this book definitely has it. It did feel a bit rushed to me. I tend to like a long lead-in for these things, but that’s personal preference, and other people will find the love interest entertaining. And there’s drama. Oh, how I love drama—in books--just thought I’d clarify.
Overall: This book has its highs and lows, but definitely has more highs than lows. I think my only slight complaint is pacing. J.D. does an amazing job of it for the majority, but when it comes to the romantic bits and the end itself, I felt a little rushed. BUT the end does set up the next book nicely, making you want more, and overall, I enjoyed it. Fans of YA paranormal romance would be pleased overall with this book as the beginning of a series. And for 99 cents? It’d be hard to ask for more.
Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.
You could win a manuscript critique from:
Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot
Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau
Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust
Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe
Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors
Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue
All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.
If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.
Good luck and best wishes,
Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation
Sounds neat. Are y'all going to try it? Lemme know below!
Now here's a song to write by, "It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars, because I've been rocking out to this one lately. And by rocking out, I mean putting it on repeat, not headbanging...
Well, I said you'd be getting a review, and today you are. It's even a twofer. lol. I was contacted by Kelly Green to review her episodic YA mystery ebooks, and here is my review for the first two episodes, The Shadow: Borrowing Abby Grace and Girls Steals Guy:
Blurb (and pictures taken from Goodreads for review purposes only; I do not own them):
Title: The Shadow: Borrowing Abby Grace (Episode 1) and Girl Steals Guy (Episode 2)
Author: Kelly Green
Publisher: Back Lit Fiction
Publication Date: 2011
Source: Author/Publisher (Received copy of books in exchange for honest review)
Cover: I completely dig them. They catch your attention and make you go “hmm?” And isn’t that just what every cover is supposed to do? I approve.
Genre: YA Episodic Mystery. You get a complete little mystery in every episode, from when Abby drops into the story to when the case comes to an end.
Plot: The chapters are short, making the story move really quickly. Since it’s written in episode form (i.e. you get a full-slightly-longer-than-short story in each hit), the story progresses quick enough to keep you interested but is short enough to make you want more when it’s done. The story also makes sense to be given in episodes. At first, I worried it’d be like a chapter being sold one at a time, but the story lends itself to a format, and each episode is complete enough to be on its own (as opposed to it being a chapter of a large novel). I don’t think it would really work if they were put together.
Romantic Element: There are hints of romance, enough to make you want to read later episodes. BUT, and this is huge for me, I was more than okay with reading the story without Abby running after anyone. Girl Steals Guy is especially good in this aspect. (Psst, still read The Shadow: Borrowing Abby Grace first for context—they could be read separately, but they’re cheap enough for you to start from the beginning and get the full picture).
Overall: These episodes are worth getting into. There’s enough mystery to keep you interested; enough twists to keep you from getting bored; and it moves quickly enough that you can feel accomplished after reading each episode. What’s not to like about that? Fair warning, Abby may sound a little robotic in the beginning of The Shadow: Borrowing Abby Grace, but she does grow on you, and by the time you read Girl Steals Guy, you should like her. It’s a good snack mystery—a.k.a. a full mystery in a little package with a YA twist. Green gives great authentic teen analogies, and I fully support these episodes as being awesome for younger YA and up. (Note: The Shadow: Borrowing Abby Grace is PG-ish, and Girl Steals Guy is more late-PG-13)
Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation in exchange for a review; I did, however, receive a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Here's some places to find out about the Borrowing Abby Grace series and Kelly Green:
To all my old friends, hi from a stranger who pledges to not be such a stranger, and to any newbies, big hi from a new blogger friend!
How are you all doing? Lemme know in the comments so I can blog hop and say hi back.
Coming up, I'll be letting you know what happened with me and Nanowrimo experience; I'll be posting a book review of a new self-pubbed line of ebooks (look out for this. Should be Wednesday); and I'll just be posting in general soon. If you have any blogging requests, let me know, and I'll be sure to write away about it!
And just to let you know, I tend to put Amazon links to my book within some of the posts, but if you're interested in getting Glittering Ashes from a different vendor, feel free to look at the "My Books" tab above, where I have several links to other places for purchase.
Okay, enough plugging, how are y'all doing? Like always, it's been so many moons since we've spoken. Let me know below so I can blog hop easier!
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Oh Darling" by Plug in Stereo. It's cutesy and indie sounding, no?
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance. Swoooon worthy. So well done it borders on ridiculous. So if you’re looking for a no magic, lovey-dovey romance with some edge (just a slight one), then this is the book for you.
Cover: I like it. You know I normally detest covers with real people on them with this unbridled fiery passion. Well this one is okay. The people look how they’re supposed to look, give or take, and it definitely captures the feel of the book and Perkin’s style.
Plot: The book sounded good to me right off the best. Wacky want to be costume designer in a love story? Sign me up. But then I read a little more about it and was slightly worried about it maybe not being my style. But it was. The pages practically turned themselves, after the first few chapters, and I willingly went along for the ride. Put it this way, I started it last the night before last and had it done by 3PM the next day, and that’s with work in between.
Romantic Element: Yes, there is a love triangle, but this one seems authentic, even though I know that love triangles may be a little overdone for some of you. I still like them IF they’re done well, not just thrown in for some oomph. This one was authentic. Very, very well done. And yes, if you have a hankerin for some Anna and St.Claire (from Anna and the French Kiss), they’re in there, but I felt like they weren’t necessary but nice to have, you know? As far as the guys themselves go, there’s a bad-arse rocker boy, my normal type, and a dorky lovable, dorky, did I say dorky?, adorable guy who is just…adorable. So, I was happy. Perkins went light on the rocker boy, but I still say he was there almost the perfect amount.
Overall: if you even remotely like contemporary romance, Stephanie Perkins should be your go-to. I’ve made her officially mine. I didn’t think I’d heart contemporary romance, but Perkins has made a believer of me, yet again, I might add.
Sooo, have you read it? Are you dying to? What’d you think? Let me know below!!!
Oh, and if you're wondering how my Nanowrimo experience is going, I'm hear to tell you, it isn't at the moment, lol. But I have faith, and there's still time in the month. Miracles have happened before with others I've heard. Let me know how you're doing! (i.e. guilt me back into this thing) :)
Psst: I did not receive any compensation in exchange for this review.
I've just finished my Nanowrimo requirement for the day, again using Write or Die, the online version, which I can't fully explain the awesomeness of.
If you all haven't tried it or heard of it, it's basically a simple online text program where you set the parameters (how many words and how long of a writing period you want), and then you click "write." Basically, depending on the options you chose, you write in this little text box for the period you've set, and if you stop writing for a period of time, the screen turns from pink to red and then (also depending on your settings) a noise will blare loudly from your speakers, encouraging you to continue writing (or you could choose kamikaze mode which will then delete a word for every second you don't write---SCARY, I know). But it does put the "prod" in "productivity" as the site says.
So, I've used that so far (yesterday and today), and today's total: 1724 in 36 minutes. Woot. For some reason, I can really write fast with that thing. We'll see how much I end up keeping, but that's another story. lol. Y'all's comments were awesome! I'm so glad to have blogger buddies doing this with me. And WOOHOO major for Miranda Hardy. 4350 words on day one? ROCKSTAR status! :)
Let me know how y'all are doing thus far in this craziness we call Nanowrimo, and be sure to add me as a buddy if you haven't already (I'm Writtled on there too...)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Way Back Into Love" from the movie Music and Lyrics, because it's friggin adorbs. :) This one is Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant, sigh. (as opposed to the other one from this movie with a singer named Haley and Hugh Grant)
That little button there should have said "Write or Die: I wrote 1709 words in 40 minutes," but it doesn't because it has lost its widgety brain right now. Please excuse it.
I feel pretty good. I didn't think I'd get anything done today seeing as I normally work in the morning and not at all. So yay for me. lol. How are you all doing with Nanowrimo? Let me know below, and yay for everyone doing it general. I <3ed the comments, and I should be able to blog hop soon. Right now this is just me popping in!
Psst, in case you were curious. It's not sci-fi. It's a "contemporary romance, who knows what" thing. Haven't done contemporary before. Hmm. We'll see how it goes :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "I'm Not Dead" by Pink :)
To those who celebrate it in some fashion or another, Happy Happy Halloween (Super Station, as my Dad would sing, in reference to some old scary movie I know nothing about....).
If you don't celebrate it, Happy Monday to ya :) I think that covers everyone.
What have I done today? Work related business, took my brother to school, felt guilty about random writing related things (but not guilty enough to rectify those situations...). As you can see, I'm one busy lady lol.
I planned on scrounging up an outline for this Nanowrimo business. If you don't know what it is, it's basically people promising to write a complete (ish) novel from beginning to end within the month of November. I've never done it before. I've lurked on the forums, though, which I have already said on here are made of amazingness. And Awesomeness. With.A.Capital.A. It's just all so inspiring, but this time I'm doing it, with no forseeable plan as of yet.
But all of that could change when I get off of here. It totally could. I have a hankerin to write the Sci-fi ish book that's been catching my eye on my big ol' list of things, but then again, winging it sounds fun. So, after I get off here, I'm going to look around the forums, get inspired, and make a decision to wing or not to wing. lol.
I am excited about it, though. And I want more writing buddies on there, so add me if you haven't already: Writtled :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Ohio Is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights. Why? Because I used to run to this song, and I like it, and that's all the reason I need :)
lol. Okay. I did it. I signed up, y'all. My name is Writtled on there too, because I like to be all consistent....I can't believe I signed up, but I have to believe it because I've announced it to the world and all of you awesome blogger friends that I've neglected. I know. I need to work on that.
But other than the awesome news that is Nanowrimo, I have some book reviews coming out soon. One romance of the adult variety that I'm finishing up now, some YA (duuuh), and 2 YA book review requests I've received. [As a side note, I am open to review requests; just check my review policy before you ask :)]
And for anyone who's interested in what I'll be writing for Nano---I'm not sure yet. I might wing it for fun, or do one of the many plots I have a plot list. I'll, of course, let you know about my progress, and look forward to the book reviews and hearing more from me soon. Let me know how all of y'all are doing below. I miss everyone!!
Now to leave you with a song to write by, because it's soooo overdue, "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People. Why did I choose this song? Because I just asked my fiance for a song to post, and he responded with that one, his current fave. :)
Psst, don't forget about my baby, Glittering Ashes, which I am recovering soon, after I make the new cover and get y'alls votes, that is....
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Hobby YA. Lennie is a musician, of the clarinet variety, as well as a poet extraordinaire (the book doesn't say that; I did.).
Cover: I got the green/nature-heavy cover, but I prefer the cover I've usually seen with it, the heart in the sky that is everywhere. If I hadn't seen the sky cover, I wouldn't have been as eager to read the nature version, personally. Also, I feel that the heart/sky cover is more fitting for the book than the nature.
I do not own this cover from Goodreads; I am using it for review purposes only. Click cover for link to Goodread source.
Plot: The pacing was good. If the text ever bogged you down (so rarely did that happen, that I'm pretty much going to say it doesn't happen), you get a breath of fresh air with Lennie's poetry at the beginning of each chapter. And the poetry is good and informative-- not just pretty for pretty's sake, but the poetry actually furthers the plot, i.e. gives back-story and such.
The Romantic Element: AWESOME POSSUM ALERT! There's a love triangle, but done SO well. It doesn't seem forced; because it was too busy seeming awesome. AWESOME. <3
Overall: Get. This. Book. I really dug it. You know when you read a book that's done so well it seems like it's its own reality? This book achieves that. Maybe that was a confusing way to say it…What I'm trying to say is that the characters are super authentic; the grief is really real; the romance is kicking in full gear; and it's literary enough to give you a satisfied feeling. High marks all around. I mean, I had heard it was good, so obviously I was distrusting, but it has been confirmed, people. It has been confirmed. :)
Did you read it? If so, what'd you think? If you didn't, do ya' want to? I HEARTED it. :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "5 o'clock" by T-pain feat. Lily Allen and Wiz Khalifa. How in love am I with her voice? The answer is very to undenyingly.
Happy reading and writing, y'all! And of course, I'll be sure to keep the reviews coming, and I'll update on my WIPs as the updates come! (That includes whenever I make those Glittering Ashes covers!)
I did not receive any compensation in exchange for this review; however, I do have an affiliate link in this post.
I would have had this up yesterday, but I had computer issues (whomp, whomp). Eh, what can you do?
Anywho, I wanted to let y'all know that I've though I've been M.I.A, I have been lurking via other devices; so I haven't missed lots of y'all's awesome blog posts! Woot. Good news, right? But I can never stay silent that long, so...HERE I AM! lol
Okay, enough dorkiness for a minute. lol.
I wanted to update y'all on what I've been up to and what I am contemplating at the moment.
1. I have been chugging more non-fiction than YA. I know, craziness! (think: advice, food trucks, and learning newb skills) But whenever I completely finish something, I'll review it, of course.
2. I want to design a new cover for my baby...I mean...my book, Glittering Ashes. So, if I do that, or do several, I'll be sure to let y'all see it and maybe ask for your help if I'm stuck making a final decision. You'll help me, right? right? Right? Of course. I look forward to it.
3. I'm seriously contemplating Nanowrimo this year. Seriously. Normally I'm a lurker on the forums, because the forums are beyond amazing. I mean, people talking about everything to do with writing for months leading up to Nanowrimo and months after? It's a dreamland. Check it. If I do decide to do it, I'll let y'all know so you can yell at me encourage me to stick with it and be awesome. Are y'all doing it? Lemme know below.
4. Also, to get my writing fix, I've been listening to Mur Lafferty's podcast "I Should Be Writing." It's awesome possum. Y'all should have a listen. It's always good, especially Good Cop/Bad Cop, but that's just imo.
5. Also also, "On the Page" is another great podcast, if you're interested. It's all about screenwriting, but story is story, and making a good one is hard so why not get all kinds of advice, no? It's good.
HA! Now I feel slightly less bad for being so absent because I'm sharing all kinds of linky love! Okay, I only feel very slightly less bad, but it's a start.
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Sure Thing" by Miguel. OhooOh OhooOh! It's laid-back cool. <3 Enjoy, muchly.
Two things: 1, I've contacted the winner of Glittering Ashes from The Book Rat giveaway. (Huge thanks to Misty for having me!) So hopefully I'll hear from her soon so that I can get the book to her :)
2: Today, I'm lucky enough to have Damyanti on my blog. I interviewed her some great writing questions, and she gave me some great answers! I know you guys will like it, and Damyanti said she'd be around to answer any questions you might have. So comment away! (Her answers are in purple :) )
1. When did you first get bit by the writing bug? Was there a particular work that inspired you to want to write?
For as long as I remember, I've always made up stories in my head. I never had the courage to write them down...I battled low self-esteem for the longest time in my life, and it took me decades before I could give myself permission to write. I started writing seriously about three years ago.
Every writer I've read till date has inspired me to write, it is just that I did not have the courage to work on that inspiration.
2. What made you choose to write short stories? (I know you mentioned doing it for a challenge last April, but I thought it'd be nice to explain it briefly for people unfamiliar with your book)
Again, I would say lack of courage. I was, and still am, afraid of the amount of time and sustained effort needed to write a novel. I'm convinced I don't have it in me, I'm not good enough. (I don't know if it is wise to admit that, but it is the truth.)
It has sometimes taken me an year to write a short story, so I've been terrified of attempting a novel. Other than that, I find that in short stories I can create an entire universe in a few thousand words, and get my point across: the moment of epiphany, or the ironies in our everyday existence, whatever. I'm now working on a novel (two, actually, but the other is dormant right now). But I'm still more comfortable writing short shorts, like in A to Z stories of Life and Death, or longer short stories, some of which have found publication in print anthologies.
A to Z Stories was born during the A to Z Challengecreated by Arlee Bird and supported by a few other awesome writer-bloggers. I wrote 26 short shorts in the 26 days of April 2011, and on the suggestion of a few of the regular readers, I decided to edit/ rewrite them into a book.
3. How do you get down the words? Pen and paper? Word? Specific writing programs?
I'm a big pen-and-paper fan. I start most first drafts that way, then move to Word on my Mac, then back to pen and paper to write through any knots. I'm thinking of getting Scrivener for my novel(s) because I have a feeling it would help me keep track of different things.
4. Do you try to write during a certain time of day? If so, what time? When do you feel the most inspired?
I write in the mornings---I call it my daily practice. But other than that I write pretty much any time of the day I can wrestle my monkey mind into submission long enough for me to write a scene, or a piece of flash fiction.
5. Do you have another project in the works? Is it a short story collection? A novel? What genre does it fit in?
I'm right now working on a literary short story collection for which I plan to seek traditional publication. My novel WIP is a sort of literary mystery thriller. Of course I keep writing pieces of flash fiction, here and there, hoping they will be part of the next A to Z e-book.
6. What is the best writing advice you've ever received?
It was given to me long ago, by my father. He said: write something everyday, even if it is a grocery list. I've never regretted following it.
7. How would you encourage a would-be writer who's scared to get started?
I would say what someone said to me: 1. A first draft does not need to be perfect. 2. You wouldn't know if you can be a writer if you don't write, so go ahead and give it a try. 3. You'll write crap in the beginning, but that's fine because the crap needs to clear out before the good stuff begins.
8. What has been the best part of deciding to self-publish?
Meeting other writers and book-lovers (like you, Kelley!), and becoming friends with them. This book has brought me more love and friendship than all my three years of blogging, and I feel blessed.
Another aspect has been the learning curve...and considering I decided to e-publish in order to learn what it is all about, I can declare my experiment successful.
9. What has been the hardest part of deciding to self-publish?
The hardest part would have been the formatting. But it wasn't, because my tech-whiz husband stepped in and formatted the book well enough to get it on the Premium list on Smashwords at the first go, and also on Amazon without a hitch.
10. Are you planning to continue to self-publish in the future or try the traditional publishing route? Or both? And why?
I'll try both.
I've been traditionally published before, and see no reason not to try and get publication that way.
Self-publishing would always be e-books for me, because that is a great way to get to know more people, and get my work out there.
I don't understand the obsession writers have with getting published, first and foremost, regardless of their quality of writing.
To me, the most important thing is to keep writing, improve my craft, and keep submitting for publication. A writer writes, and then hopes for publication: each rejection is a spur to write more and write better. After all, an established writer is no different from an unpublished one (at least in one aspect) : both aspire to write better and reach a bigger audience every day.
Just want to take a minute to thank you, Kelley. It means a lot that you stepped in to interview me, and spent so much time in drafting such detailed questions. I've tried to be as honest and helpful in my answers as I can. Thanks also to each and every reader of this post. If you have comments or questions, I'm here to answer them.
Her Bio:
Writer Bio: Damyanti lives more in her head than in this world, adores her husband, and loves her pet fish and plants. She is an established writer for magazines and journals. Her short fiction has been published in the Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, Muse India and in print anthologies by Marshall Cavendish, Monsoon Books, and MPH publications. Her book, A to Z Stories of Life and Death, is available for download KindleSmashwordsNook and Diesel.
HUGE thanks to Damyanti for taking the time to stop by my blog! I really appreciate it! You guys should definitely check out her book, if only because I love her cover :)
Now, I feel like I haven't gotten a chance to talk to everyone in forever (because it's kind of true), so let me know below how you're doing and what you've been blogging about WHILE you say hi to Damyanti, that is. :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Work Out" by J. Cole, because I get excited when this comes on the radio these days. Do you?
Happy reading and writing, and have an awesome possum weekend!!!
