Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books coming in 2013

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Here’s a list of books I can’t wait for in 2013! Top ten Tuesdays is as always, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish.

1) The Iron Queen, by me. I’M really excited to see how this book will turn out. It comes out in May, wish me luck on making my deadline. I’m one chapter away from finishing my third draft and then the fun part begins.

2) The Rising by Kelley Armstrong. I love Kelley Armstrong, and while Chloe’s pov is still my favorite, Maya kicks some serious but.

3) Omens by Kelley Armstrong. I look forward to the first of her new young adult trilogy. Yeah, I’m obsessed, I know

4) Ever After by Kim Harrison. I haven’t read A Perfect Blood yet, but I imagine it’ll be good.

5) Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. No, I haven’t read the first one yet, but I will 🙂 And I’m sure it’ll be good.

6) With all my soul by Rachel Vincent

7) Loki’s Wolves by Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr (OMG!!! Both of them!)

8) The House of Hades by Rick Riordan. I LOVE his series

9) Shards and Ashes, it’s an anthology with pretty much everyone I like in it

10) My Name is Rapunzel by K.C Hilton, don’t know a lot about this one, but it looks good.

W…W…W Wednesday

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WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. All you have to do is answer these 3 questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Claire, once again, eagerly awaiting the next installment
Including a quote since I don’t do Teaser Tuesday. Alex to group:
“The only way you could make enough money to hire Magus by selling lemonade is if you put meth in it.”
2. What are you currently reading?
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison, and since I don’t do Teaser Tuesday, I’ll include a quote here:
Jenks to Trent on Family: “Rache is like the little sister. Ivy’s the big sister. I’m the uncle from out of state, and you’re the rich nephew no one likes but we put up with you anyway because we feel sorry for you.”
3. What do you think you’ll read next?
An arc of Dirt by Kim Ridly. Looks really interesting!

Top 10 Tuesdays

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Today, instead of following the Broke and the Bookish’s lead and posting the top ten books/authors I’m grateful for, I’m posting the top ten things I’m thankful for. I never got started on the Facebook thing because this month was so crazy, and this is my way of making up for that. So here goes:

1) My daughter. I’m so lucky that she’s happy and healthy. It could be taken away in an instant. Earlier this month, a toddler in my city was outside playing with his friends at daycare and was struck by a falling tree branch. He’s been in the hospital fighting for his life ever since. He’s doing much better now, but there still evaluating his brain damage and trying to figure out what the rest of his life will be like. He was lucky, and I’m grateful for that, but it just shows how fast everything can change. My daughter was playing outside at her preschool that day in the same city. It could happen just like that. So I’m going to treasure every single moment of my daughters life. Even if nothing crazy happens, she’s only three once.

2) My family. My daughter is a treasure, my husband has been incredibly supportive during this hectic month, my mom has done SO much for us, and every other member of my family has really come through for me. Thank you all. I wish I could see you all for thanksgiving.

3) Our health. Yeah, okay so I’ve had what feels like a never ending cold for months now (I do get better, then I catch it again) but it could be so much worse than the sniffles. We’re so lucky compared to most.

4) Our relative wealth. It’s really hard to keep perspective sometimes, because we’re not doing that great this month. My husband just started a new job so we’re in that gap between paychecks, I’m still in school, and random things keep happening (broken microwave, need car maintenance, you know how it is, when it rains, it pours) but hey, I own a microwave and a car. I can eat every day, and I’ve got a roof over my head. It could be worse.

5) My friends. I have amazing friends.

6) My writers group. Yes, technically friends, but they deserve a second mention. I have an amazing writers group. My books would be nowhere near as good without their feedback, and where else could I find a group willing to slog through three drafts of multiple books in a series and be consistent in their criticism. Seriously, they’re awesome.

7) The Morgans. Triple mention for these friends in my writers group. Stephen and Meagan Morgan have been with me through the entire application process to UGA’s PhD program, kicking my but in gear to study for the GRE Subject test in English Language and Literature, reading and critiquing multiple drafts of my statement of intent, critical writing sample and resume. We’re going to get in guys, and it’s going to be awesome.

8) The staff at Musa publishing. My book has been selling and my second book comes out next month. My editor has been tireless and extremely patient with my hundreds of emails. I couldn’t ask for a better team.

9) My mentor teachers at the school I’m student teaching at. I couldn’t have gotten through the last month without them.

10) Good books. It’s free therapy when you do silly things, like finish up finals and do a unit plan in the same month your edits are due, while applying to a PhD program, writing a third book, holding down another job, adjusting to my husbands new work schedule and parenting a three year old at the same time.

There’s more. Much much much more than could ever fit in this blog

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’d want on a deserted Island

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As always, top ten Tuesdays are hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks top ten books are the top ten books I’d want on a deserted island.

I can’t play along with this one. See there are only two scenarios I can see myself being on a deserted island.
Scenario A: It’s by choice, which wouldn’t happen unless I had electricity and a signal for my cellphone. I’d never need to choose only ten books because I have every ereader app there is for my phone and ipad, and I own WAY more than ten books.

Scenario B: It’s not by choice. My plane crashed and I’m struggling to survive. In that case I imagine books would have to be boring and practical, like, how to identify edible plant life and build things type practical. Yuk.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

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It’s my husbands birthday today! So I’m taking the day of from writing and everything else to help him celebrate in style. I am so proud of him. Earlier this year he was diagnosed with diabeties. It was a major reality check. Within the next couple of months he lost over a hundred pounds and made exercise and dieting a major part of his daily routine. Like… he’s pretty much always exercising. He’s no longer diabetic, and is really much healthier than he’s been since I’ve known him.

Now if only I could get as motivated to lose weight as he is.

Happy Birthday Sweetie! Have a great year.

Thursday Review: Tournament of Chance

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Tournament of Chance is a fantasy novel by S.G Rogers. Here’s the blurb

When a beautiful commoner enters the Tournament of Chance archery competition, her thwarted victory sparks a revolution in the oppressive kingdom of Destiny. Although Heather never believed the legends about the restoration of Ormaria, after three shape-shifting Ormarian wizards awaken from a long magical slumber, she joins their perilous quest to regain the throne. Heather battles vicious predators and angry trolls to free the wizards’ magic, but at a horrendous cost. She is unexpectedly torn from the arms of the man she loves and hurled back in time to fulfill a prophecy not yet written. The ensuing maelstrom tests Heather’s survival skills, wits, and endurance. Will she become an unwritten footnote in history, or can she trust the magic to lead her back to her one true love?

Yeah. I included the blurb because there is NO way I could sum up this story without major spoilers, but OMG, this story was SO good.

Rogers deftly wields a plot line that would take me three books to see through into one. It’s fast paced and fascinating! There were spots I wanted it to slow down a bit to get more of a reaction from the characters but that was mostly because I didn’t want it to end. I loved Heather, and Dane, and Jo, and Shimmer, and… You know, I loved everyone. This was a completely developed world. The time travel aspect was really interesting, and I really liked the way magic worked in this universe. I’ll be on the lookout for more books from this author for sure!

W….W…Wednesday

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WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. All you have to do is answer these 3 questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. It was awesome!
2. What are you currently reading?
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clair. So far so good!
3. What do you think you’ll read next?
An arc of Dirt by Kim Ridly. Looks really interesting!

Top Ten Tuesday: Least favorite characters

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and the Bookish:

This week, my least favorite characters.

1) Bella Swan. I like the Twilight books, I do. But I HATE Bella Swan with a passion. It’s no reflection on the author. She’s a very realistic character. So realistic that I knew someone just like her. She’s SO passive and needy. I wrote an article on truu about how Twilight would be a great way to talk to teens about co-dependent relationships.

2) Sturm Brightblade from Dragonlance. He’s such a kill joy.

3) The adults in the Percy Jackson books. I know the humor in the stories is what makes it relatable to the middle grade audience, but I feel like every time the book is getting really interesting some adult character says or does something so off the wall and weird that it pulls me right out of the story. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE that book series, and it an amazing example of great writing. I think it’s just a consequence of not being the intended audience.

4) Shay from Uglies. Ugh, I can’t even get into it. Uglies is one of my favorite series, I just hate Shay.

5) Faye from Secret Circle. I reread these books recently and could not believe how much this character annoyed me. I mean seriously, Cassie’s house is actively burning down with her mother trapped inside and Faye decides that’s a great time to shout out that Cassie kissed Diana’s boyfriend? How self involved do you have to be? Furthermore, really? The rest of the group bothered to listen to anything she was saying at that moment?

Everyone should read that book series though, it’s fantastic.

6) The main character from The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I don’t remember her name, but I remember actively hating her. She pretty much gets everyone in the book killed so she can swim in the ocean.

7) The dog from Parker Blue’s “Bite me” series. I might have actually liked the dog had it’s telepathic mind link dialogue format not be SET TO ALL CAPS. It’s a talkative character and I was so distracted by it SCREAMING at me throughout the second book that I couldn’t finish it. Love the first book in the series though.

8) The principal from Matilda. There are certain books and movies I’ll never again be able to watch because I’m a mother. Matilda is one of them.

9) Mr. Darling from Peter Pan.

10) Caroline from Vampire Diaries, the book version, not the show.

Character Interview with Hades and Persephone

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These fun interview questions were written by Martha. It was my first “live” interview and it was a blast! You can see the interview where it was originally posted, here:
Character Interview with Hades & Persephone!

 

Welcome Persephone and Hades to booksbooks&morebooks! I am very stoked to have you both here with me to answer a few questions. I loved your story of love, coming into your own and life in the Underworld.
Now Hades lets start with you. When you figured out that Persephone was in danger from those very evil souls, what was the first thing that crossed your mind?
Hades (souls): The very first thing? I had to save her. I was worried she’d get hurt and I was afraid I wouldn’t get there in time. I don’t get scared very often. Pretty much never until I net her. And as weird as it is, that made me mad. I knew I had to save her of course, but she had the whole Underworld to roam safely and she ends up in Tartarus? It’s literally the only place in the entire Underworld that she could get hurt.
That makes sense. It’s hard keeping a stubborn person out of danger. *cough cough* Persephone!
Now Hades, why did you think that making Persephone your wife would be the best way to keep her away from Boreas’ reach? Was that really the only reason at the moment or was there another reason? *Quizzical face*
I don’t know. I think about that a lot. On the one hand I didn’t exactly have a lot of time. Boreas’ last victim nearly drowned herself in the Lethe trying to escape the memories of what he did to her. Persephone wouldn’t have had the luxury of dying. Cassandra told me what was happening and taking her to the Underworld was the easiest way to make sure she was out of harms way. My “plan” was just to pop up to the surface and evaluate the situation. Had it not been her… I don’t know, I might have tried harder to find another way.
Persephone: but even in retrospect, there wasn’t another way. I’m not exactly complaining about the arrangement.

 

Hehehehe I wouldn’t mind either Persephone. *blushes*
So Persephone how does it feel to be married to the Hades? I mean he’s the master of the Underworld. And at so young an age?
Hades: Marriage with the gods is mostly political. It’s not like–
Persephone: We’re not– I mean we haven’t– Erm what I mean is–
Hades: there’s a pretty significant age difference–
Persephone: I guess you could say its weird. It’s really really weird. We’re kind of figuring this out as we go.

 

*trying not to laugh* Ohhk.
Persephone describe Hades.

 

He’s not what I expected…
Hades: *groans* thank the gods, what was it you said? Something about expecting me to be all disfigured and twisted like my dark and evil soul?
Persephone: you were supposed to have flaming blue hair too. But I don’t just mean the way he looks, which incidentally… Wow!
Hades: *grins*
Persephone: he’s also really full of himself. Its pretty annoying. But He’s nice. He cares about people. He works really hard to make the underworld nice for the souls and he cares about his friends…. He’s gone above and beyond for me, and he’s honest. I mean beyond the not being able to lie thing. I trust him. Absolutely.
Trust is very important! Especially when two people are married. Now Hades it’s your turn. Describe Persephone. Be honest now.
Well she’s blonde, about five foot, has green eyes, and wears lots of skirts.
-.- very descriptive Hades. No really what is Peraephone like?
She’s… I don’t know, good. Better than the lot of us anyhow. She cares about people, not how she can best use them, and I don’t have to try to interpret everything she says. She’s like… light or air or something necessary. I can’t imagine– anyway, you get the idea.

 

Hades and Persephone. This question is for the both of you: what is next? What is going on with you two at the moment?
Hades: We’re going to be pretty busy dealing with… Something we’ve just discovered
Persephone: *under her breath* you have no idea…
Hades: I don’t want to go into too many details, but that… Project is going to take precedence over anything else.
O.O ahhhh I’m so excited! And very intrigued!
Thank you Hades and Persephone for answering my questions! I hope to read more from you two soon.
Thanks! 🙂

Thursday Review: Walking the Dog

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Walking the Dog, by Linda Benson captured my attention this morning and kept me reading until I finished the last page. I finished it in one sitting, which is no easy feat when you have a three year old wanting crazy things, like breakfast.

Walking the Dog is intended for a middle grade audience, though I think the story could be enjoyed by a much older audience. Jared Westen is an average sixth grade boy who struggles in math and is really annoyed by his little brother (I was with him there). Everything is going great for him until he notices Sophie Best.

She’s beautiful, even with the scar on her face, but his parents don’t want him to hang around her because she has a troubled past. Jared finds a way around this by volunteering to walk dogs with her at the animal shelter.

I enjoyed the book, and I was really surprised at how riled up I got reading it. I hated his parents. Hated them. His mom expects Jared to watch his little brother all the time, and at one point in the book says something about how it’s his responsibility not to let anything happen to him. You know whose responsibility it is to make sure nothing happens to a child? The parents. Period. When his little brother goes missing later in the book, I was kind of hoping Jared would say something to his mother like “you lost track of him? But he’s your son. He’s your responsibility, how could you have let this happen.” Which if you’re wondering is verbatim what his mother said to him at a point in the book. Their stance regarding Sophie was ridiculously selfish and unfair. And had their actions been presented in a favorable light, I wouldn’t have enjoyed this book. But they weren’t, so they put me strongly in Jared’s camp.

I think this was a great read, and Linda Benson is definitely an author to keep an eye out for. I think her name is going to get pretty well known if she keeps releasing books like Walking the Dog, The Girl Who Remembered Horses, and Six Degrees of Lost.