September 21, 2015
I hadn’t heard from my cross-state music-loving buddy AJ Krafton in awhile. I figured she must be busily writing in a cave somewhere. And, of course, I was right.
Ash is back with a paperback release of The Heartbeat Thief, and… well, let’s get right to it. I have a feeling I’m really going to like her song choice.
Senza Fyne, Senzafine: The Musical Inspiration behind AJ Krafton’s THE HEARTBEAT THIEF
I’ve always been inspired by music. Words are powerful things but somehow, when they are sung, they gain an extra layer of strength and intent, especially when the singer pours their heart and their emotion into each note, each line.
I tend to listen to music that is emotionally-laden. My writing playlists lean heavily toward rock and metal—Type O Negative, Blind Guardian, My Chemical Romance, and especially the Italian band Lacuna Coil.
Lacuna Coil’s songs take me to a place where urban fantasy becomes real. Their song “Our Truth” from the album Karmacode even appeared in one of the Underworld movies. What can be more urbanly fantastic than a movie about vampires and werewolves and (quite literally) everything in between?
While I have lots of favorite LC titles, the top of the list is Senzafine, one of their Italian-language songs.
Senzafine is the Italian word for “without end” or “endless”. It’s the word that inspired the main character’s name: Senza Fyne. It also told her story.
It wasn’t only the title that inspired the character. The lyrics themselves and their underlying interpretation accurately portray the internal struggle Senza experiences and is the perfect companion piece to the story.
This video of Senzafine contains an English translation of the lyrics so that you can enjoy the song, even if you don’t speak Italian. (It also has live clips of LC, which makes me very happy. I love seeing them in concert!)
While the provided translation may not be perfect, it does get the gist of it. The female singer expresses her desire to break free of her life, her destiny. The male voice sings of darker things, the force that fights against the female. There is a constant battle between good and evil and the female admits that is sometimes hard to choose between them. There is also the realization that she must be prepared to live alone, dependent upon only herself.
And that, to me, sounds very much like the symphony of Senza’s determined heart.
Playing opposite to Senza is a tall, mysterious stranger who teases her with secretive smiles and suggestions of magic. From their first meeting, he calls her bien-aime, which is French for “beloved”. When she demands his name, he listens to the tolling of a nearby church bell before calling himself Mr. Knell.
But he has an older name. A much older name. And it will take Senza a very, very long time before she realizes just who he truly is.
The song “Senzafine” fits him, too. One particular verse fits Senza’s dark seducer perfectly. In fact, I believe the last lines belong to him.
Non c’e scelta senza me
Non c’e vita senza meThere’s no choice without me
There’s no life without meAnd Senza utterly believes him.
I hope you’ll read The Heartbeat Thief and keep these words somewhere in the back of your heart. And when you finish, and you close the book, think back upon Senza and her struggle to escape her destined life. Think back upon Knell and think back upon those last lines. I hope you’ll find them as deliciously poignant as I do.
Most of all, think back upon your own feelings, and firmly resolve to resist destiny’s plans for you and choose your own, instead. The song will still be there to inspire you on your journey.
I’d never heard that song before; guess I’m only a casual Lacuna Coil fan (sorry, Ash!).
Ready for the book description? I sure am.
Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.
In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her. But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death—and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.
So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible—he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…
When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death—but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.
From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…
How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?
Yeah, this is cool stuff. What an original concept.
Get your copy now.
Amazon universal link to The Heartbeat Thiefhttp://viewBook.at/thief
(redirects international users to their local Amazon domains)
Aargh! What IS it with the Amazon exclusive books???
But remember: if you do pick it up, a few words in a review is a great way to show support for a book that touched you — good OR bad. (but it won’t be bad. It just won’t be.)
September 14, 2015
Okay, so I’ve exchanged only a few e-mails with LD Rose, but when you see her song, you’ll see why I like her immediately. I won’t hold you up; let’s get to it.
First off, I want to thank Susan for having me on this awesome blog! When I came upon this feature I couldn’t resist submitting my debut novel, since music and writing are intimately connected for me.
My debut dark PNR, RELEASING THE DEMONS, is actually named after a song: “Releasing the Demons” by Godsmack. The novel is about reaping vengeance and falling in love at the most unlikely of times. But this song relates mostly to the hero, Blaze, a former prisoner of war who’s still trying to put himself back together. When his torturers return to the Bronx for him, all of Blaze’s hard work at recovery falls apart as he hunts down each and every one of his enemies and serves them the karma they deserve. As a vampire-human hybrid, he constantly wrestles with both the leech and the normal inside him, and he isn’t quite sure which one will dominate his desires, particularly around the heroine, Valerie.
Oh, Sully. *fans self* Have you heard his solo album? Sinner’s Prayer, baby.
Oh. Ahem. Books. Releasing the Demons, by LD Rose. Here’s a closer look at what it’s about:
Blaze Knight has been through hell and back, but the nightmares aren’t over yet.
Five years after Blaze was maimed by Cyrus Chimola, a powerful vampire with a penchant for torture, he’s still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. As a genetically engineered mercenary with the ability to bend fire to his will and to see in infrared, Blaze’s mission is to protect what’s left of humanity. When Chimola and his crew return to the Bronx gunning for Blaze’s blood, Blaze is forced to face the demons of his past. Hell-bent on revenge, he seeks the help of Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective who manages to steal his heart and save his life in more ways than one.
Motivated by her sister’s gruesome death, Valerie has made it her life’s goal to bury every vampire in the ground where they belong. When she brings in Blaze Knight for suspected murder, she discovers he’s not only innocent, he isn’t a man at all—he’s a half-vampire hybrid working with a band of brothers for the U.S. military. Valerie has a hard time trusting anything with fangs, yet she quickly falls headlong into Blaze’s life, a life full of darkness and horror she can’t even begin to fathom. The bodies are stacking up, but Valerie can’t seem to let go of this hybrid, a beautiful monster filled with pain, rage, and passion unlike anything she’s ever known.
In a world where the line between good and evil is blurred, Blaze and Valerie will find danger at every turn, risking everything they’ve come to know and love, including one another.
Apart from the song, I’d totally read this. I like the idea behind Blaze although I still think the ultimate slayer-vamp pairing is Angel and Buffy. Yeah, I’m old. We knew that. So do my knees.
Need a copy? Exclusive to Amazon, I’m afraid.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: writerldrose.com
Facebook: facebook.com/writerldrose
Author page: facebook.com/ldroseauthorpage
Twitter: twitter.com/ld_rose
Goodreads: goodreads.com/ldrose
Pinterest: pinterest.com/writerldrose
Tumblr: writerdoc.tumblr.com
June 29, 2015
Haley Whitehall is back here at West of Mars! Yay, Haley!
I love that cover. I also love repeat visitors. And since we all know the drill, let’s get right to it: Haley, what song makes you think of your new book, Alpha’s Voodoo?
I’d like to thank Susan for letting me step into the spotlight once again. It is always a pleasure to be on West of Mars. I’ve recently had a book birthday. My new release, Alpha’s Voodoo, is my first historical paranormal romance. The interracial novella is set in New Orleans in the 1850s, and my story delves into Voodoo. In fact, the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau plays an important part. Both the hero, Mark Afton, who is secretly a wolf shifter, and the heroine, Violet Creed, think they have been cursed. But have they?
When I was trying to think of a playlist for Alpha’s Voodoo, lots of songs with witchcraft and magic came to mind, but I don’t consider Marie Laveau a witch. In my erotic romance, she is more of a matchmaker.
I finally came across the perfect song Voo Doo by Rachel Sweet. The music video is a little creepy, but I like the lyrics. “Cause I’m caught in your magic spell. It’s such a spooky romance.” With Mark being a wolf shifter, he can indeed read Violet’s mind. See, the song lyrics were perfect!
For different reasons, my hero and heroine are afraid that their attraction to each other is not natural. If a spell is causing these strong feelings, what should they do?
Alpha’s Voodoo is the first book in the Bayou Pack series. Mark and Violet’s story will slowly unfold one book at a time.
Wow. That song has a very ’80s feel. (and the video has a very ’80s look, too! Think there’s a reason?) I’d have thought of Godsmack, myself, but … it’s always fun to be exposed to new stuff. Even if it’s very ’80s. (or maybe *especially*)
I would read this. I totally would. Here’s why:
With her reputation in tatters, debutante Violet Creed is forced to exchange her life of luxury for one of uncertainty. Mark Afton wants nothing more than to take his rightful place as the leader of the Bayou Pack, but he needs a mate. Is Violet Mark’s destined mate, or is their attraction merely Voodoo magic? Haley Whitehall is pleased to present Alpha’s Voodoo, Book 1 of her hot, new, paranormal romance series, Bayou Pack.
Are curses real or merely imagined?
Violet Creed is a colored New Orleans debutante. She was brought up with servants and a strict set of rules regarding propriety, and her papa never approved of her interest in Voodoo. One night she sneaks out of the house and attends one of Marie Laveau’s gatherings—where she loses her virginity and her reputation. Turned out by her papa, Violet is destined for a life on the streets until Madam Dawn saves her.
Cursed to live as a wolf shifter, Mark Afton is a wealthy lawyer and heir to the Bayou Pack. Unfortunately, he can’t take over leadership from his uncle without a mate. Wanting to escape his mother’s endless matchmaking attempts, he accepts Madam Dawn’s invitation to sail on the maiden voyage of the Southern Rose and enjoy the pleasurable company of her ladies.
One of Madam Dawn’s recent hires catches his attention. He is drawn to Violet immediately. Could she be his mate or is their attraction merely Voodoo?
Maybe it’s the whole Godsmack thing. I don’t know. But I’d totally read this.
If you agree, go pick up a copy.
Haley loves to connect with readers. You can find her here:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HaleyWhitehall
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LightonHistory
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752677.Haley_Whitehall
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/haleywhitehall/
Website: http://haleywhitehall.com/
Blog: http://haleywhitehall.com/blog/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Haley-Whitehall/e/B0078EO6CE/
April 13, 2015
Hey, folks! Let’s welcome Susan Fox to West of Mars today. She’s got the latest of her Caribou Crossing Romances to share with us today, Love me Tender.
Do you NOT love that title? Fits right in around here.
Let’s get busy. Susan, what song makes you think of your book?
What song makes you think of your book?
That’s an easy one! Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender,” the song the book is named for.
The Caribou Crossing Romances are each named for the title or lyrics of a song that’s particularly meaningful in the book. For this story, the song first plays after a wedding reception, when all the guests are gone. As Cassidy and Dave are leaving the hotel, they notice that there’s still a light on in the bar where the reception was held. When they go to turn the light off, they find that the bride and groom’s love songs soundtrack is still playing. Cassidy and Dave’s first dance is to “Love Me Tender”—and so is their first kiss.
Cassidy’s a drifter, a free spirit who never wants to settle down, but she does appreciate a fine man when she sees one. Dave, a single dad, has been heartbroken since the woman he loved died three years ago. And yet, with Cassidy, he finds himself coming to life again.
Here’s how things go that night.
“I like to dance,” Cassidy said softly. “But I’m always working.”
He swallowed. He was vaguely aware that Faith Hill had given way to Elvis Presley singing “Love Me Tender.”
“I’m not working now,” she said, tugging his jacket and tie away from him, then tossing them over the back of a chair.
When he didn’t say anything, she prompted, “This is where you say, ‘Cassidy, would you like to dance?’ ”
Was she flirting, or did she just want to dance? Though the need to hold her in his arms was painful, he couldn’t shape the words or even move toward her.
That didn’t discourage her. “And then I say, ‘Thank you, Dave, I’d love to.’ ”She stepped forward and some muscle memory or instinct or pure blind need had him raising his arms so she could step into them.
As Cassidy raised her arms and twined her hands around the back of his neck, as she pressed the front of her body lightly against him, his blood stirred. Oh God. Small, firm breasts lightly brushing his chest. Curved hips swaying gently as he and she shuffled in place. The heat of her back through wrinkled cotton, the total femininity of a bra strap under his fingers.
Later in the book, after Dave’s and Cassidy’s lives and relationship have become very complicated, that same song is on the radio after they’ve had a fight, and it helps them regain perspective and apologize to each other. And later still, Dave realizes how that song speaks to his love for her.
Yep, easy song, indeed. If only they were ALL that easy!
Here’s the description:
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest—and loneliest—guy in town. He’s had his heart broken more than once, and he’s determined not to let it happen again. So it’s no wonder he’s wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing—and nights with its handsome hotel owner—makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
Buy links
Personal links
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Remember, the Featured New Book Spotlight is open to any author with a book that’s new to our readers around here. Got a book? Got a friend with a book? Send ’em over. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s free.
March 12, 2015
I’ve noticed a trend over the past few years. When I see an author’s name used in a book description, it’s surrounded by commas. Grammar be damned, that author’s gonna use a comma.
Don’t damn your grammar. Write it properly.
Which means… Instead of…
When sexy artist, Kerri Broadhead, meets ShapeShifter guitarist, Mitchell Voss, in a grocery store…
the only comma should be after the word store.
Or I’ve seen this lately, too:
Kerri Broadhurst, meets ShapeShifter guitarist, Mitchell Voss…
Still wrong! You’re not going to write
Dog, meets banana…,
Right?
Right?
So… don’t put a comma around character names.
NOW. There’s an exception to this rule, and that’s when you are singling out one person among a group of people. As in:
One of the guitarists, Mitchell Voss, stood out from the others.
Or
His sister, Sally, was the only one of the three who said the right thing.
This time, you’re telling us who the only sister was. You’re naming the person in question. Or… singling one out of a group.
Otherwise, lose the commas.
Are you unsure if your commas are in the right spots? Remember, we at West of Mars offer back cover copy services at varying levels. Starting at ten bucks, it’s money well spent if you care enough to look your very best.
And if you don’t care enough to look your very best to your reading public, why are you publishing? Show your reader some respect. Care. And have someone look over your ancillary materials — so you do look your very best.
March 7, 2015
Know how you went and downloaded all those free books as part of Read an E-Book Week over at Smashwords?
We authors appreciate the interest. We really do.
So… why not say thanks? No, not an e-mail to the author. Well, not directly to the author. Make it an open letter. “This is what I liked. This is what I didn’t. But thanks for making your book free so I could read it and tell the world what I thought of it.”
And then post it at Smashwords. Amazon. B&N. GoodReads or Shelfari or Library Thing. Or all of the above.
Your few words can make a big difference.
Go on. You really can do this.
March 2, 2015
So 2015 has gotten off to a rough start for me, unfortunately. Lots of technical problems, and I really hope this isn’t an indication of how the year is going to go.
BUT we have friends to help promote (don’t forget about Lines of Distinction, too!), so let’s focus on the positive.
Like returning friend Haley Whitehall, whose new book, Civil War Valentine, came out a few weeks ago and would love to be read by you. If books could love things, that is.
I’d like to thank Susan for welcoming me into the spotlight today. My newest release Civil War Valentine is a sweet ghostly romance that shows the timelessness of love. There are a lot of Valentine-themed songs out there, but the one that fit the tone of my book best was Valentine by Kina Grannis.
Recently divorced museum curator Charlie Bristol is not looking forward to her first Valentine’s Day once again single. She’d rather hide and forget the holiday all together. Unfortunately, she is in charge of the travelling Valentine’s Day exhibit. Forgetting Valentine’s Day is not an option.
When she receives donated Civil War era valentines for her exhibit, strange things start to happen. This story brings out the magic of the holiday. I hope it makes you smile just as watching the music video Valentine by Kina Grannis makes me.
I dig this concept! How about you? Kinda mystical and romantic and magical all at once.
Here’s the official description:
Charlie Bristol comes to Seattle to set up a traveling Valentine’s Day exhibit. The director of the museum surprises her with a package of Civil War valentines from an anonymous donor. She is touched by the heartfelt messages. Does such powerful love still exist?
During a nap she dreams she’s alive during the Civil War and meets Elliot Lowery, the author of the valentines who mistakes her for his fiancée Charlotte. She and Elliot negotiate the murky waters of wartime romance. When she wakes she’s still under the dream’s spell and Valentine’s Day love is in the air. Can love work some miracle time and death cannot overcome?
This is one I want to read just to be able to close my eyes and sigh, you know?
Pick up your own copy.
Smashwords *Referral link
Connect with Haley, too. We authors love this.
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Amazon Author Page
January 1, 2015
Welcome 2015!
I gotta say, 2014 wasn’t so bad. It was tough and the start was definitely rough, but overall, my mantra of Only the Good continues to be realized. I’ll take it.
So to give back, I decided to introduce a new promotional feature here at West of Mars, for authors of all ilk. It’s called Lines of Distinction, and you can read about it to your heart’s content, if you are so moved. Which, of course, you should be, since it’s all about benefitting you, your friends, and even random strangers, if you’re so moved.
Promo should be easy and fun for authors — and inspiring for readers. So join me and submit your own Lines of Distinction.
Let’s make 2015 a great year, full of fantastic fiction.
June 4, 2014
Rocktober is approaching, just on the far side of the summer that’s sprung on us when we were still recovering from that awful, brutal, horrible winter. (Gee, Sooz, tell us what you really thought of it!)
Actually, Rocktober is just an excuse. I’ve been contacted by a number of Rock Fiction authors who’d like to get extra reviews for their books, so I figured that since this is the home of Rock Fiction, what better place to put out a call for reviewers?
If you’re a Rock Fiction lover — and I mean lover, not necessarily expert — drop us a line and let’s see if we can hook you up with some of the best Rock Fiction out there. Can’t promise there won’t be clunkers, but you ARE free to leave a review saying why a book is a clunker.
If you’ve never reviewed or need help, holler, and Susan and the West of Mars Editorial staff would be glad to help you craft some well-written reviews. The thought-provoking part? That’s all on you.
May 3, 2014
Ready?
New cover for Demo Tapes — Year 2!
Go on. I dare you to tell me Lakota Phillips doesn’t know my band and my books. I DARE you.
March 31, 2014
Giselle Green found me earlier in the year, and it’s a good thing for all of us — me, Giselle, and you — that she did. Her new book, Finding You, just went live today. It’s the sequel to Little Miracles, which is a great women’s fiction read or a book club book. So is Finding You.
Which brings us to the reason we’re all here: Giselle, what song makes you think of your book?
The first time I heard the song Burning by Einaudi (from: In a Time Lapse) – I \\\’aw’ the most important and emotional scene in my book unfurling in my mind’s eye. I’d been wrestling with where the main focus of my book would lie, but on hearing this I knew in a heartbeat where it would be.
Finding you is a sequel story to the aftermath of a child abduction. The toddler is back with his rightful parents, and yet he is desperately unhappy. Things are not right. The music expresses perfectly the anguish of his mother Julia who in the previous book has risked everything to recover her stolen son. She faces the unthinkable scenario: could it be that her little boy may now love his ‘other mama,’ Illusion, better than her? In Julia’s mind, nothing could be worse.
And yet, increasingly, she is coming to believe that she must take him back to Illusion, because her son is so unhappy and she believes nothing else will console him. She loves him and she is desperate. This is where my crucial scene – and this song – come in. The music is so sad and at the same time so hopeful and uplifting.
Every time I hear it, I see them: they’re on a beach in Spain and it’s early morning, sun just coming up: Julia has brought her child to the place where she knows Illusion will be. She both longs to discover the solution to his unhappiness and dreads it. Then they spy Illusion. Breaking free, the child runs straight towards her. For one moment, Julia, empathic, is as one with her little boy: he’s running towards the one he loves, she believes. He’s free, arms outstretched, he looks joyous. To me, the song is resonant of the mother’s grief, her sacrifice and the simultaneous expression of her love – Julia is prepared to forgo her own happiness for his. She already knows that her son’s father will never forgive her for taking their child back.
What happens next, is not something Julia could have predicted. But all that belongs to other scenes and other songs. Listen to this one – and see if you agree with me about how incredibly moving and powerful it is.
Here’s the book description:
Julia and Charlie are ecstatic to be reunited with their stolen child, Hadyn. A year after he was snatched from a beach in Spain during a family holiday, they had feared that he would never be found alive.
Now the couple are eager for their lives to return to normal – but something is very wrong. Hadyn is still in many ways a ‘lost’ child. He seems to have been badly affected by the abduction, making it impossible for the family to simply pick up the pieces and move on.
In their efforts to unravel exactly what happened to their son and to find a cure, Julia and Charlie clash as to the best way forward. As their own insecurities surface, their relationship comes under threat – a situation not helped by the appearance of a former lover who is only too happy to rock the boat.
As dark secrets are uncovered, the couple’s love for each other is tested to its very limits, and they begin to doubt that they will ever be able to help their troubled little boy…
Until, at last, they stumble across an unexpected truth. A truth that might be the only thing left that could save their family.Emotionally intense and deeply moving, Finding You will grip you from the very first page.
Having already read this, I can say yes, it will grip you. It’ll haunt you, too; this is one of those books I keep having flashbacks to. Read it and you’ll see why (and no, you don’t have to have read Little Miracles first).
Buy a copy:
Amazon.com
Amazon.uk
Connect with Giselle:
Facebook
Website
February 11, 2014
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!
December 10, 2013
Alanna of Trebond isn’t happy. Her father is sending her off to learn how to train her Gift, while her twin, Thom, gets to go be a knight at the castle of Tortallen. When Alanna and Thom switch places, Alanna is thrilled at the thought of being a knight. What isn’t so thrilling is all the work of 7-8 years of training. And the part of hiding the fact that she’s a girl. Join Alanna in her training to be a true knight in Tamora Pierce’s new quartet, The Song of the Lioness: Alanna; The First Adventure.
I think that this book, like all of Pierce’s books, is just amazing. It’s the perfect mix of adventure and life at court. All the scenes flow seamlessly, and the storyline is fascinating.
If you like my review, read Alanna; The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce!!!
August 8, 2013
Mary and I have been plotting.
After all, Rocktober is drawing nearer — can’t you feel the weather turning? See the NFL players out on the training fields? — and I’ve been asked by many clients and friends to develop a really cool promotions department at West of Mars.
Really cool may mean falling on my face before I get it right, but one easy way to start is with Rocktober, the month-long celebration of all things Rock Fiction.
I know you want to join in. I need bloggers and authors, but if you’re a reader who wants to get a review of that Rock Fiction novel you’ve been dying to read, I’ve got room here for you.
Drop me an e-mail and we’ll talk. I’d like less of a free-for-all this year. Pick a date and commit to it, please!
And wait until you see the cool touches we’re going to give you for rockin’ out with us this Rocktober. Fifty-three days left. Can you stand it?
(Need some ideas for Rock Fiction titles? Check the Rock Fiction page here at West of Mars! I’m updating it as soon as I come across new titles, so if you have any suggestions that aren’t on the page, leave them in the comments here or on the West of Mars Fans page at Facebook.)
August 5, 2013
Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, and loves helping mortals find their match. So, she decides to give her friend Athena a makeover. Hair, clothes, makeup, the works. When the 4 goddesses go to a party on the godboys’ floor, Aphrodite starts to get a little jealous when her crush, Ares, takes an interest in Athena. On top of that, she has to deal with one of her dozens of admirers, Hephaestus, and a strange request for help from a mortal named Hippomenes.
I think that this book represents many teen girl problems: BOYS!!!!!!!! The authors make the characters seem like real teens; dealing with difficult crushes, and jealousy when your friend attracts the boy you like.
If you like my review, read Goddess Girls: Aphrodite the Beauty!!!
June 25, 2013
Hello everyone!
Last week I was out of town, away from all technology, thus being unable to post. But here is Behemoth, the second in the Scott Westerfeld series. Jump in!
Behemoth: Scott Westerfeld
🙂 out of 😀
4/5
The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers.
Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan’s peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what’s ahead.
Immediately after Leviathan, our story picks up. The Clankers have revealed a new Shocking weapon, one that will bring the Darwinists to their knees. However, the Darwinists have the Behemoth, their fierce new weapon. But the Ottoman Empire is one who remains neutral, and they WILL be a turning point in the war, if the Darwinists can gain their trust.
I have read a lot of series where the books run right into each other, and most of them have been either bad, or awful. This book, by those standards was amazing, not only in the fact that the two books ran right into each other, but the book itself was amazing. Next week, we have the series finale, Goliath, and then we move on to a new series. Most likely the Bartimaeus series, but if I get any other ideas, we will delve into that.
See you next week,
Your Friend at TBR
June 4, 2013
Ok, everyone. Sorry it has been so long, but I have just forgot to post, but will have posts more regularly as summer rolls in. Again, sorry. I wrote this post a while ago, but never posted it. So, I bid you best reads.
Well, It’s here.
Department 19, book TWO! The Rising. Amazing. excited. Lets get it before I can’t type.
Department 19: The Rising
😀 out of 😀 (5/5)
91 DAYS TILL ZERO HOUR.
THAT’S 91 DAYS TO RUN.
91 DAYS TO HIDE.
OR 91 DAYS TO PRAY FOR DEPARTMENT 19 TO SAVE YOU…
After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula’s stolen ashes.
They won’t be waiting for long.
Vampire forces are gathering. Old enemies are getting too close. And Dracula… is rising.
12 weeks after Lindisfarne, The department has picked itself up and most who went survived. But all who went changed. And Valeri Rusmanov has been working Dracula back to life, and the vampires and becoming bolder, and they are leaving graffiti on all the walls. He Rises 91 days to slay Dracula, because after then, Dracula becomes the world’s dictator and all the humans will be non-existent. Unlikely alliances will form, all to bring down these monsters.
Holy Heck in a handbasket. To make this simple, Department 19 blew almost every other book I have read out of the water. The Rising blew the first one out of the water. Yeah. So, next week, I am trying something new. I am going to give a “Reccommended Reads/Recently Read,” and we’ll see how that goes. After that, I will do the Leviathan Trilogy BY Scott Westerfield, and Then Mortal By Phillip Reeves.
See Ya next time,
Your Friend at TBR
April 30, 2013
Hey everyone,
Today is my recommended reads post. All of these books are really good, so read some!
Artemis Fowl Series- Eoin Colfer
All Books I have reviewed, for the most part
Holes- Louis Sachar
Rick Riordan- I will not read him, but I know he is really good
Margaret Peterson Haddix, Amazing author
I, Q- Roland Smith
Jerry Spinelli
Evil Genius- Catherine Jinks
Alex Rider- Anthony Horowitz
Eragon-
Maximum Ride- James Patterson WARNING!! When Reading a James Patterson Book, look under his name. Patterson Has many people writing under his name!
Eoin Colfer in general
Dan Gutman, Sports
Jack Gantos
HIVE- Mark Walden- LOVE IT!
Rangers Apprentice- Never read it, but have heard nice things about it.
Warriors- Erin Hunter
The Mostly True Story of Jack
Thanks for reading,
Your friend at TBR
February 12, 2013
I did this last time I had a readalong — I absolutely devoured the book.
On the one hand, this is good. I’m picking good stuff right now (although the streak’s got to end at some point. Hopefully not soon, though).
On the other, are you guys able to get the book? Are you really reading along? Or am I totally outpacing you?
February 4, 2013
Susan Taylor came to me for editing help. Before we could blink, she had the book under contract!
The only sad part about this story is that I didn’t get to work with her more.
Read on, MacDuff!
Song: Snow Patrol, Lifeboats – A Hundred Million Suns
I actually found this song after Secret Desire was contracted but it couldn’t be more perfect. From the super lyrical quality of writing and sensual feel of the melody, it’s almost like having warm caramel poured over…well you pick a body part.
Lifeboats speaks about dreams and waking to take action, between singer and lover. “Flashed up in my wildest dreams, like red blood streams, stretch out like vast cracked ice.†Claire’s imagination, thoughts, and dreams are bombarded by images of her lost love, Dustin Murray. Images she can’t control. She and Dustin were in love since childhood. Their veins are like great forest trees. Those types of roots forge personalities and life choices.
Secret Desire opens with Claire writing an erotic story alone inside her apartment in Seattle. The kitchen setting is cold, damp, angular. The line from Lifeboats: “Silence eats us from the inside†is pinnacle to the Claire’s Elizabeth Kubler Ross avoidance to conflict. She ran away from love that keeps her pinned, spinning, and fantasizing, and she can’t move forward or back. Her parents are killed, forcing her to deal with her life.
“Wake up wake up dreaming only leads to more and more nightmares†is a great line that frames Claire’s life. It’s exactly what she does as a writer and lover. She succumbs to a man who is the exact opposite of the hero in her stories only making her feel more lost and alone. The proverbial nail in the coffin scene.
“I meant no harm but I only get to say these words too late†speaks the lie existing between Claire and her lost love, Dustin. Backstory or the past inciting incident, occurs when Dustin was tricked by Fran, Claire’s identical twin sister. Fran is competitive to the ninth degree. Dustin tried to enlist her help in gaining Claire’s affection in high school. Unwittingly he threw down a gauntlet, provoking Fran into proving her twin sister was nothing special. This wedge became the reason why Claire left for California to get away from life back home in Mill Spring, NC. But as we know, fleeing trouble never works. Our luggage just becomes heavier as we travel.
“Snap out of it you said it in a way that showed you really cared.†This line speaks to the point when Dustin decides since Fran is coming back to assist Claire with the estate of their parents, he’d better tell Claire the truth of what happened. And he does without sugar coating what type of sister Fran actually is to Claire. This becomes the moment when Claire and Dustin reconnect emotionally and physically.
“Send your lifeboats out for me†is the action required to rescue Claire. Dustin reaches out to her, finally divulging the truth about what happened before she left home. With the truth, Claire is freed from feeling lost in love and in life. She gains the strength to take hold of her life, letting go false expectations, and is ready to say, in essence, “I write erotica…†Her moment of reckoning on her character arc: this is who I am…take me or not.
Be sure you give this a listen, if you haven’t yet. It’s melodic and haunting, all at once.
And look! Susan made a playlist and video, just for the book. She loves music as much as I do, it seems.
Ready for the blurb? I am!
IF YOU PUBLISHED AN EROTIC NOVEL, WOULD YOU USE A PEN NAME OR NOT?
Claire Robertson is a journalist living a vanilla life. Except when she’s alone at night where she wields her writer whip and stilettos within her erotic writing and fantasies. Tragedy blindly strikes when her parents are killed, forcing Claire to return to her hometown, and confront her past. And that past includes Dustin Murray, an old flame she ran away from when things became complicated.Her life comes apart and she sends her editor the “wrong†story by mistake. One of her hot novels.
Amidst chaos, Claire must decide between returning to her safe life back in Seattle or risk an adventure, ensuring her smoxy fantasies come to life. Dustin has his own plans and isn’t about to let Claire go. Not when he proves he can handle her life and ALL her bedroom fantasies.
Love sparks, igniting the flame within Claire’s heart
forcing her to choose a life stuck on slow-bake or one that SIZZLES
WOW! Having been on the receiving end of the wrong manuscript, I can say it does happen, folks. This isn’t as far-fetched as you’d think.
Buy a copy!
AMAZON
ALL ROMANCE E-BOOKS
KOBO
BARNES & NOBLE
