"Know Me Better" is a new weekly meme hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer.
Each week five questions are asked as a way for your readers to get to
know you better. Want to play along? It's easy! Just click the link
above to take you over to the host's page. From there, copy and paste
the meme image into your blog along with the meme code. Link back to the
host and you're done.
Here's this weeks questions:
If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
Could I not do both? Go back then forward? No? okay then, I think I would go back, meet some of the people that have lived, experience some of the great events, see people I haven't seen for years again.
Nickname?
I have many, my main on is 'Barmy_Bex' which is now my screen name. At school it was either 'Bouncy' (i was always jumping about and joined trampolining club there, or 'Chucklebum' - because I was always giggling.
What was your favorite children's book?
When I was very little it was 'The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry & The Big Hungry Bear', then when I was slightly older it was 'The Wind In The Willows'
If you were a super hero what would your kryptonite be?
Sadness, I am a naturally happy person and even when I'm down I try to get back up as soon as possible, but I also cry quite easily - I am very emphatic so feel emotions easily.
Hot or Cold?
Hot, but not too hot, I don't like the cold with all the layers and shivering, I like a nive warm day with the sun shining and fresh air.
That's it for this week. Head over to "I Am A Reader, Not A Writer" to sign up. :D
Title: Another Bad-Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior Author: Joni B. Cole Publisher: PublishingWorks Release Date: 29 Sep 2011 ISBN-13: 978-1935557166
Synopsis
In this collection of twenty-eight "riotously funny and outrageously
honest" true-life tales, author Joni B. Cole manage to mingle low
moments with high comedy; and social awkwardness with social
observation. The title essay was inspired when the author went to
the bookstore and noticed all the bestsellers about adorably naughty
dogs. At first resentful of these other writers' successes, Cole eventually realized she had her own bad-dog
story to exploit--hers in the form of her adorable "Chihuahua Bat," who
won't be contained by invisible fencing and won't let anyone pet the
family cat in peace. Yet from this huffish beginning evolved a tale as
heartwarming as it is hilarious. Self-aware, edgy, and masterfully
crafted, this charismatic collection (including some heartbreakers) is
for anyone who has ever felt over-attached to a pet, stalked her high
school crush, said long goodbyes to loved ones, or tried to talk (and
talk and talk) her way through the ups and downs of life. A wonderful
new addition to a genre best described as humor that matters.
My Review I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was sure what to expect from this book, but the blurb sounded funny and I agreed to read it. It's by no way my usual book, but I've found my tastes have been expanding lately and so I settled down to enjoy. This book is 28 short essays about life experiences. From the adoption of a naughty puppy, to kids birthdays, to business talks. Cole has a great mix of humour and story telling. Each of the 28 essays are quite short so it is easy to dip in and out of, but I did read it in fairly large chunks. I had to read it mostly in my lunch breaks at work, but I found this worked really well with the style - the only problem was I kept laughing which would make me choke on my lunch or spit out my drink, it wasn't a pretty sight. lol My favourite 'episodes' were the Birthday Party, the fake tan and the psycological debate of zodiac signs using word association. You're interested now, aren't you! It's not all laughs though and there are some more sensitive issues that will make you think and want to hug the ones you love. This book offers a great mix and was a great way to spend my lunch time. The dog Eli isn't as present as much as I thought he would be from the title, but when he did feature I wanted to hug him, he sounded so cute, I love dogs (although I have 4 cats!) and Eli was a great comfort to Joni - you could tell he was someone she could turn to.
My Rating I would give this book 8/10. An unusual read, but full of laughter and will make you think. Just don't make the same mistake as I did and try to drink juice whilst reading it!
TEAser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!
Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles!
My Teasers: Another Bad-Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior
by Joni B. Cole
But he keeps me warm in the
middle of the night, and whenever I get all emotional, no
one knows better how to make things right.
Page 34
Any day now, I thought, my kids would hand me
more lists with more Dos and Don’ts—Do not touch us;
Do not speak to us—until eventually they would take out a
restraining order and that would be that.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am a huge fan of 'I Am Number Four' by Pittacus Lore. I got hooked in the story and even loved the film. I haven't managed to read 'The Power of Six' yet as I'm waiting for my copy to arrive, but I know it's going to be good.
Today Pittacus Lore announced the title of book 3 in the series. It is going to be called...
'The Rise Of Nine'
It sounds so good. The book is due to be released in August 2012, quite a long way away, but I bet it will be worth the wait.
In other news, my mum sent me a video link today. It's an introduction to a new Harry Potter documentary and it looks incredible. I can't wait to see more. For now, here is the link to the video for you.
I am taking part in a Blog Hop next Monday (24th October) for a Spooktacular Giveaway so make sure you stop by for the chance to win some spooky prizes!
Title: Delirium Author: Lauren Oliver Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks Release Date: 4 Aug 2011 ISBN-13: 978-0340980934
Synopsis Lena Haloway is content
in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed
about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and
looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a.
love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words
to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid”
community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine,
border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to
best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days
before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man
who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance
blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and
fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure.
My Review I heard so many raving reviews about this book I had to find out what it was all about. I looked up the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting. A society where love is a disease - it's certainly different. So when I say this in my local discount bookshop in the '3 for £5' I decided to chance it. When I first started reading the book I found it a bit slow. Lena seemed very shy, timid and a stickler for the rules. Her best friend Hana was more appealing, a bit of a rebel, full of life, willing to question the world. But as the story progressed I found myself liking Lena, she had an inner strength about her and did start questioning the world. Seeing her make the tough decision to go with what she knows and has been told or to try and find what love really is. The days until her 'cure' are counting down and Lena has to discover what she really wants from life, as she gets closer to Alex her whole world changes. I liked Alex right from the start, there was something so free about him, even trapped within this regimented society, he had such spirit. He is so calm and matter of fact about everything, but you often hear about the warmth in his eyes. I love expressive eyes. He is so good to Lena and you can see how much he cares. I never knew quite what to make of Lena's aunt Carol, I wasn't sure if she really was so tight on the rules or if she did have a softer side - there were hints of it. The society sounded absolutely terrifying and I would hate to live in such a strong regime. Once Lena starts meeting with Alex the pace of the book picks up and you are swept into a whirlwind world of romance and danger, I could feel my heart pounding in excitement and trepidation. I could suddenly see why everyone was so crazy about this book. The last 80 pages or so will have you biting your nails, sitting on the edge of your seat, laughing, screaming and crying. The ending was unexpected, I won't give anything away but I was so shocked. This book will stay with you even after you've finished it.
My Rating I would give this book 8.5/10. A breath taking read that will live within your heart. Just give it a chance to get good when you start.
Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books
and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each
other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all
the participating blogs have to answer. This week's question is: “What is your favorite spooky book (i.e. mystery/suspense, thriller, ghost story, etc.)?”
My Answer: I am a total wimp when it comes to scary stories. I can't do horrors or ghost stories. About the scariest book I have read was 'The Spooks Apprentice' by Joseph Delaney. I read these a few years ago when I was about 14/15 years old and they did creep me out. I still love the series and am hoping to get the new one that has just come out. They are still quite spooky.
Follow Friday
Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.
Q. If you could have characters from a particular book meet and form an epic storyline with characters from a particular TV series, which would you choose and why?
My Answer: ooh what a question, I think I would have wizards from Harry Potter land in the world of Merlin, as magic is banned in Camelot I can imagine some very exciting battles, but the wizards would win them round in the end.
Show & Tell: Where do you grab a book and get lost in it? Show us your favorite spot you like to read at.
My Answer: I tend to read anywhere, I always have a book with me and I can literally lose myself in a book wherever I am. I'm at work in the day and I do sports every evening so I'm out a lot so I've had to get used to reading anywhere.
I read a lot in my lunch break at work in the staff room, But the place I do most of my reading is on the sofa/couch at home.
It's not much, just your standard sofa. I sit curled up in the corner, as you can see it's where I am writing this right now with my laptop on the arm of the sofa.
Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!
Don't forget to enter my 'Savor Giveaway' for your chance to win A signed paperback copy of Savor, A free Kindle eBook copy of Savor or A Savor and Released Bookmark. closes 16th Oct
"Know Me Better" is a new weekly meme hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer.
Each week five questions are asked as a way for your readers to get to
know you better. Want to play along? It's easy! Just click the link
above to take you over to the host's page. From there, copy and paste
the meme image into your blog along with the meme code. Link back to the
host and you're done.
Here's this weeks questions:
1) When you were little, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?
I wanted to be an Olympic Gymnast, then I switched to an actress, then a teacher. I got into Uni to do teacher training but changed my mind 2 weeks before the start of term. Best decision I ever made.
2) Black or White?
White, as it's like a blank canvas, you can fill the space with anything you like. Be creative
3) Favorite Food?
Chocolate Fudge Cake mmm, closely followed by Pizza.
4) You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I would be boring and pay off my parents mortgage and bills, I would then buy us a nice house with a room I could use as my own giant library. :D I would also pay to go to Disneyworld/Harry Potter Land in Florida.
5) Print or Ebook?
Print all the way!
That's it for this week. Head over to "I Am A Reader, Not A Writer" to sign up. :D
I am delighted to be the host for another Blog Tour. This one is for 'The Apocalypse Gene' by Suki Michelle & Carlyle Clark.
In this post you will find a guest post from the authors, my review and a link to a special Giveaway.
First let me introduce you to the authors:
-Suki Michelle is a lifelong Chicagoan
who lives with her paramour, Carlyle Clark. Together they wrote The
Apocalypse Gene, a YA urban fantasy. Suki owns a
medical transcription company and is the proud mommy of one human girl, a
dog and two cats. She had a horse for many years named Make A Wish, but
he passed on to the great green meadow beyond. After earning a BFA from
Kansas City Art Institute, Suki spent several years studying and
teaching meditation. Her training took her to France and Israel, places
she yearns to go back to some day. When Suki isn't writing or working,
chances are she'll be searching for chocolate and dreaming up horrid
things to scare you with
-Carlyle is a burly dude from San Diego. He can look menacing at a
glance, but as soon as he opens his mouth – pure GEEK! Brilliant and
always kind, Suki is eternally grateful for the day they met at an
on-line writer’s workshop. They’ve been together for three years.
Guest Post
BOOKS VERSUS
MOVIES – WHICH IS IT?
Harry Potter, Twilight, Lord of the Rings. It’s a matter of opinion but most
agree, generally speaking, “the books were better than the movies”. Why is
that?
Movies and books have something in common – both offer a place to go, a world
where it’s not only satisfying but safe
to experience the full range of emotion from annoyance to rage, sadness to
grief, ouchies to full-on torture (I’m still not over that scene in Braveheart).
You’re transported to a different reality, an experience treasured by every
culture since the beginning of history. This is powered by creative magic, that
uniquely human phenomenon called STORY.
With movies, the creative process takes place before it reaches the audience. Screenplay
writers interpret a novel’s characters or designs them from scratch. Casting
directors select human canvases upon which the characters will be painted.
Actors breathe life into them, give them body language, vibes, and voice. Once
on screen, characters look the way they look, move the way they move, sound the
way they sound, and the setting is what it is. All you need to do is sit back,
grab a fistful of popcorn (or M&Ms or both), and let the sensory input flow
into your eyes and ears. This is a passive
process on your part.
With books, the creative process is shared
between you and the writer. The writer creates a world, characters, and
conflict. Everything is vivid in the writer’s mind and with skill and dogged persistence
(and hair-gripping, teeth-gnashing anxiety), a good book is produced. The big
difference is that with books, the new reality is subject to your imagination too. This shared
creativity is an intimate thing. When you finish a book, you’ve participated in
the entire creative process. The story could not have been brought to life
without you. This is an active
process on your part.
When an author sends a character out into the big scary world, it’s like the
first day of Kindergarten where parents gather at the bus stop to wipe away
tears and snot (theirs, not the kids’) and watch their overdressed bundles
clamber onto that big yellow monster never to be seen or heard from again
(until later that afternoon). Similarly, writers trust that their babies will
be in good hands with their readers, that they’ll be interpreted as intended
and given three-dimensional life and a real world.
Also, it takes far longer to follow characters through a novel than it does to
watch a movie (unless you’re a vampire. They read really fast). You must trust that you’ll be in good hands, that the storyteller will take you on a
satisfying journey. By contrast, if a movie gets horrible reviews, you might
still go and see it. If it blows, you’ve only wasted two hours . . . and there
were treats (though you’ll need a bank loan to afford them).
To put your mind at ease before you buy The
Apocalypse Gene, go ahead and poke around our website www.theapocalypsegene.com.
Check out the excerpt, read the
reviews. Everything you need to know is up there so you can trust us to take
you safely through our weird, conflicted world.
I wonder, when the movie version of The
Apocalypse Gene comes out (when, not if - I’m an optimist), will it be as
good as the novel? We shall see . . .
Publisher: Parker Publishing
Release Date: July 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1600431029
Synopsis
With Pandemic ravaging
the globe, Olivya's psychic Sight compels her to see auras riddled with
the colors of despair, and now her mother is infected.
Olivya’s only hope is the mysterious Mikah, a powerful Empath who
claims the Pandemic is linked to his clan, the Kindred, and their
brooding, monstrous, Immortal Lord. But can she trust this boy who can
manipulate her very emotions?
With Mikah's aid, Olivya races to unearth Kindred secrets, desperate
to find a cure, only to discover the Pandemic is far, far more than a
mere disease . . .
My Review
I was contacted by the
author and offered a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I wasn’t sure what I
expected from this book, but was surprised by what I got. This was a good
surprise though.
Olivya lives with her
mum in Chicago, but life has shut down as a disease like cancer has taken over.
Medicine doesn’t work and people tend to just shut down. Olivya’s mum has converted their house
into a makeshift hospital.
Her only escape is
Cy-Chi a virtual Chicago. She has created a ‘sim’ of herself and using that she
explores Chicago, takes lessons and meets new people. There she meets Mikah,
and they hit it off.
Olivya has a psychic
power – she can read peoples auras, but is it a gift or curse.
Once she meets up with
Mikah in the real world she realises everything is more complicated than she
first thought. Together they must work together to rid the world of the disease
before it takes over and there’s no one left.
I like Olivya, she’s
feisty, spirited and has a good sense of right and wrong. She is a strong
heroin and can kick some b**t. MIkah is a bit of a mystery, but comes across
quite sweet and caring and also knows what he needs to do. He’s willing to
sacrifice everything he knows to save others. Together they make a great team.
Olivya’s mum is
Fantastic, I laughed out loud many a time to something she said or did, she has
a sensible head on her shoulders but also shows her softer side. You can tell
she thinks the world of Olivya but is torn between doing what is best for her
and what is best for everyone else.
This book is a bit of
a Dystopian Fantasy, as there is some ‘magic’ and dragons involved but it’s
more ‘ancient lore’ than pure imagination. The book seems really well
researched and the writing flows well, pulling you in.
It’s not my usual sort
of read and is a bit morbid in places, but I still found myself hooked to the
page.
Overall I enjoyed the
book and would recommend it. It will definitely get you thinking.
I am delighted to be a host for 'The Promise' by Apryl Baker. This is the first book in an exciting new series ' The Coven'.
In this post you will find my review of the book and a special Interview with Apryl Baker herself. I hope this gets you excited about this book, as it deserves wider recognition. It was very good.
Publisher: Black Matrix Publishing LLC
Release Date: Sep 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0615535562
Apryl Baker Interview
1: Can you tell us what The Promise is about in a single sentence?
Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town,
and still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness
coming for her?
2: Can you tell us a bit more about The Promise and how it came about?
I call The Promise my Post-It Note idea. I was driving home from work and
listening to Theory of A Dead Man’s Not Meant to Be. I passed this little
community called New Salem and the image of a girl sitting beside a gravestone
popped into my head. I couldn’t shake it so when I got home, I jotted it down
on a yellow sticky and stuck it on the wall beside my computer. Over the next
few days, I kept jotting down ideas and before I knew it I had a complete
outline of a book on a wall of yellow, purple, and pink.
It's essentially a story of friendship and the ties that bind us together. Here
is a little blurb that will give you an idea of the story:
Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in the town Coven. When a
stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, NC, everything she thought was
true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her
sister’s death. Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if
the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her.
Her fate lies in the very heart of the secret the Coven protects. It’s the
reason she was born. Now, betrayed on every side, can she find a way to survive
or will she be the catalyst that starts it all?
3: The Promise centers around the world of witchcraft, not Wicca, can you
explain the difference for us, at least as it pertains to your book.
Wicca is a religion involving deities. In the world of The Coven series,
witches practice witchcraft, not Wicca. They use the Elements for their spell
crafting and not prayers to gods and goddesses. They also fundamentally believe
that true magic is neither white nor black, but a culmination of the two. We
get to see both black magic and white magic at work in The Promise.
4: Was it fun writing the scenes between Cassie and Ethan?
LOL, yes. I laughed, I cried, and I blushed. I blushed a lot. They were very
near and dear to my heart. My favorite scene between them is when they are
lying on her front porch kissing and her Dad walks up and finds them. One of
the seventeen year olds who did a test read for me told me when she read that,
she dropped the book and felt her own face flame up...lol. What girl wouldn't
die of embarrassment to be caught making out by thier daddy?
I know I would be mortified! *cringe*
5: If your book was being made into a movie who would you envision in the
leading roles?
Cassie: Emma Roberts
Ethan: Jake Abel
Kay: PHOEBE TONKIN
Jeff: MATT LANTER
I love Emma Roberts as an actress, she would be great as Cassie. Great pick!
6: A lot of authors have playlists for their books. Do you have one? If so,
would you mind sharing a few of the songs?
Here are a few of my favorites and many, many ideas were born out of these
songs. Music inspires a person as much as anything else and helps you to figure
out sticky parts that give you trouble.
Theory of a Dead Man: Not Meant to Be
Dashboard Confessional: Dusk and Summer
Fall Out Boy: I Don’t Care
Thriving Ivy: Angels on the Moon
Buckcherry: Sorry
Dashboard Confessional: Stolen
I actually don't know any of these! *scurries off to do a bit of investigating* oooohhh good!
7: Can you tell us a bit about your road to publication?
It was slightly terrifying...lol. You work so hard on your book. Then you
polish it up and send it off on its merry little way only to have the dreaded
REJECTION letter sent back to you. It was tough getting all those no's, but
with each one, I went back to the book and worked on it. I remember the day I
got the email offering to publish it. I jumped up and down and I swear the
neighbors heard me screaming. It was great. The road here was hard and riddled
with rejection, but so worth it in the end if I can make one person laugh or
cry when they read my little sticky note idea.
8: What is your all time favorite book?
That's so hard. I love so many different ones. I would have to say my favorite
is an old classic, Pride and Prejudice. Though, Kim Harrison's The Hollows
series comes in a close second.
I have to confess I don't like Pride & Prejudice - studying it at school killed my passion for it.
9: What advice would you give aspiring authors?
No matter how hard it is or how often you find yourself wanting to give up,
don’t. When you get told no, go back and just keep working on it. Many agents
and publishers will give you good advice on what they didn’t like about it.
Find the things that are consistent and rework them. Just keep plugging away
and eventually you will find a home for your book. There are great books out
there and soon yours could be one of them.
Also find yourself a great writing group. The people there will help you to grow
and hone your skills to an art truly worthy of the written word. The best
advice I was ever given was to check out www.thenextbigwriter.com. The folks I met
there are the main reason I am published today. They are brutally honest, but
they will support you and give you the help and encouragement you need to
finish your work and make it the best it can be. I owe them a lot.
10: Where can our readers find you?
I'm always in need of followers on twitter and my blog. All are welcome to come
listen to my ramblings and ask questions.
Thanks for that awesome interview Apryl! Are you excited yet? You should be!
Full Synopsis
Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up in the sleepy
town of New Salem, NC, the only non-believer in the tradition and power of the
town Coven. When a stranger comes to New Salem, everything she thought was
normal about her life unravels around her. Ethan makes her question everything,
even her sister’s death in a car crash years ago. As Cassie discovers the full
truth about her heritage, and the clues start to pile up, she becomes
determined to find out if the Coven was actually involved in her sister's
death. What she uncovers terrifies her.
Her fate lies at the very heart of the secret the Coven protects. It’s the
reason she was born. Now, betrayed on every side, can she find a way to survive
or will she be the catalyst that triggers a centuries old act of vengeance.
My Review
I was given a copy of this book in exchange
for an honest review.
Cassie Jayne or CJ as she is known doesn’t
believe in Magic, which is tough when you live in New Salem and practically
everyone you know is part of the Coven. Then she meets the mysterious Ethan and
falls head over heals for him, but can she trust him, what does he really want.
Still hurting from losing her sister and finding it hard to know who to trust,
CJ must dig deep through the many secrets and lies surrounding the town.
I found this book strangely addictive, I
sat down to read a chapter or two then before I knew it I had read 77 pages.
Then when I tried to read something else the next day I couldn’t concentrate on
it, my mind kept wondering back to this one and I just had to finish it.
I like the mix of characters and the air of
mystery throughout. You know something is happening, and that someone is up to
something, but you’re never quite sure who is behind it.
There is a bit of a love triangle in this
book between Ethan – the dark mysterious stranger, and Jeff – the boy next
door. I have to say here I would be ‘team Jeff’. Yes Ethan that has that hot,
mysterious, strong, handsome vibe that has many girls weak at the knees, but
Jeff is so caring, sweet and thoughtful, he has hidden depths and really cares
for Cassie. He’s so understanding and willing to do anything for her. I would
love someone like that.
The plot is great and the pacing if
fantastic, the story really carries you along and sweeps you into the
characters lives. I really hope there will be a book two very soon, because I
definitely want more!
My Rating
I would give this book 9/10. A fantastic,
magical mystery.
I'm gonna start real quick with an announcement.
Derek Landy author of 'Skulduggery Pleasant' is offering a FREE ebook download on the site here until 31st October.
If you haven't read this book, I strongly recommend it, one of the best books EVER!
SO what are you waiting for. Get your free download now!
TEASER TUESDAY
TEAser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!
Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles!
My Teasers: Delirium by Lauren Oliver
"You know you can't be happy unless your unhappy sometimes, right?" she whispers, and her voice is hoarse, as though she's just been crying.
Page 21
"You lied," I managed to croak out. 'Why did you lie?"
Page 61
What are your teasers? Don't forget to enter my 'Savor' Giveaway. International, open until 16th October
