(B) Books! Duh.

Books. It’s why I’m here. It may be why you’re here. This blog’s purpose. Books. (Sigh)

I don’t know about you, but I thrive on the turn of a page, the anticipation of a great cliffhanger, the perfectly constructed cover, the long-awaited new release… Books. They’re the faithful friends who are there to bail you out of jail when you do something bad. They’re the ones to make you laugh in those times when glum is all you feel. They can put a smile on even the toughest of those with a horrible case of Resting B*tch Face. They can make you cry. Make you snicker. Make you think. They can influence your day. Illuminate a dark moment. Or darken the light.

Books can change your life.

I’m a book lover. A collector of words. A turner of pages. I use napkins as bookmarks. Sometimes a Post-It Note. Occasionally an invitation or a picture. Never a dog ear. Some are a little bent in corners after late nights in bed, falling asleep with a book on my chest. Some pages are worn from plenty of rereads. Even a few have some crinkles due to being caught in
the rain or the path of a spilled drink.

My books are loved. They are family. Friends. Enemies. Mentors. An escape. A reminder. Inspiration.

Today’s post for the A-to-Z Challenge is brought to you by the letter B!

#BookBlogWriMo Days 14-17

In case you haven’t figured out by now, I love books. Beyond love books. I breathe them in, eat them up, and bathe in their goodness. I clothe myself with their pages and dance to these page-turning rhythms.

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit wordy and dramatic, but it sort of covers how much I love books.

I’ve been pretty lucky along the way to be able to get to know some really talented authors. Obviously, I’m really close with Michele. Editing her books has been a dream and she’s incredible to work with. I’ve also been able to get to know Mindy Hayes, author of the Faylinn novels and the Willowhaven series. Lastly, I don’t think there has been a release of Lindy Zart‘s that I haven’t jumped on. It’s always exciting to see her new teasers for works in progress and I enjoy being one of the first to read and review her books.

There are definitely others, but those are the three who stand out right now. Hopefully over the next year I will be able to create some new friendships and partnerships with other incredible authors. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out each of the authors linked here. Their styles are diverse, with many genres and unique stories to choose from.

I tend to do better with a schedule, though I have been known to review books at leisure. I enjoy hopping on a blog tour to review books, as this introduces me to books and authors I may not have read before. I like the structure of a tour, but I also enjoy the freedom of a self-driven review. I have a few self-driven reviews coming up the pipeline, but then again there are some great tours coming up too!

I’ve altered my review system over the past year, but my review process has remained pretty much the same. You can view last year’s post here.

As for my system – If you don’t remember, I had a pretty hefty undertaking with each review I was writing. I’d write at least a five section review, elaborating deeply on characterization, dialogue, visuals, plot, and the ending, all leading into a score. I’d add up the points out of five for each, with the highest being 25. This was simply a bit much for me. I recently changed my process to be an overhead review, touching on each part easily, but not separating each subject, and averaging each of the scores in a breakdown at the bottom. Check out my review for Mindy Hayes’ Kaleidoscope for quick reference.

I like this system far more and it gives readers a much more one-stop shop.

Thirty Days of Thanks – Days 14-17

I am thankful for warm and soft chocolate chip cookies, photographs, winter clothing, and Netflix.

#BookBlogWriMo Day 4 – Why Do I Read?

Why Do I Read?

Reading is a gift. I get to travel wherever I want, be whoever I want, and escape whenever I want. The stories I get lost in are the ones that give me relief from the every day. I read because I can. Because I was raised with the written word as a friend and encourager.

I find joy in discovering those novels that leave their mark on me, imprinting and causing me to think about them for days. I love to read because I enjoy the taste it leaves in my mouth. I crave reading like an alcoholic craves her/her next drink.

My world makes more sense because of books and literature of any kind.

Thirty Days of Thanks – Day 4

I am thankful for books. Gosh, there are so many reasons why. Books saved my life, my sanity, and my heart. They allow me to do all of the above, to travel to places I will never actually go physically, and to exercise my imagination. They are a gift that keeps giving and I am addicted to owning them all.

I’m feeling a bit nostalgic when I think back to the beginnings of this blog; books are where it all began. I’ve been reading since I was very little, I started very young and haven’t been able to stop since. Books make my world go round and I can’t ever have enough. Of course, I prefer those good ol’ sturdy paper copies, but I’m warming up to my Kindle. There’s nothing like that smell of book, mixed with the crinkling of paper as pages turn. The first page is the first step into a new adventure. I’m thankful for such a wonderful escape. It’s like the Pagemaster – I can choose if I want fantasy, horror, adventure… humor, serious, psychologically thrilling… it’s all at the tip of my fingers and I’m very fortunate to own so many wonderful books. My collection grows all the time as my husband and I fill out bookshelves with everything we love, and even some we don’t know yet.

Hey.. if you’re ever looking to pass on some amazing books, keep me in mind.

Feeling a bit bookish…

This is a really exciting time in my life – as I’m expecting my first little one on about 10 weeks. Time has flown by, potentially at warp speed.  My belly is out to there and I’ve been a bit sleepy. Baby is kicking and squirming up a storm these days, which I love! My book-themed baby shower is next weekend and then we will get to go house on our literary themed nursery preparation. Pictures and posts are surely to come about those!

The best thing about this huge bump is that it makes a great table for things like ice cream, cereal… and books! It’s the perfect place, though the baby has started pushing back on the books. Maybe that means he’s excited to read? Wishful thinking? Let’s hope not. :p

I started my leave from grad school this month, so I’ve had a lot of time to read! This week I’ve worked through two books, so that means two reviews are coming this weekend!

I’m looking for some good ideas for decor for the book nursery – what are some of your favorite childhood books? Book quotes? etc.

What have I been up to lately?

Life sure does have a habit of hopping in the way of, well, life. At least that’s how it was for the first few months of this year. This life, however, is one I’m so excited about. I’ve been “growing a baby” since January and I can’t wait to meet him. While this little bundle of crazy kicks and internal snuggles is growing, I’ve also been doing some other fun things.

I’ve been working my regular job and continuing my grad school work slowly but surely.

Beyond that, I’ve been working my fun job! Editing! Earlier in the year, I edited Michele’s newest book Into The Fire. This book is so well-written – you can read my review on Amazon here. The last couple of months have been spent doing a cover-to-cover re-release edit of both of Michele G. Miller’s Prophecy of Tyalbrook books. Let me start out by saying that Never Let You Fall was my first introduction to Michele. I got it for free as a special deal when I got my Kindle and figured “Hey, why not?” Prior to this I really hadn’t read much indie work… then BAM! I met Skye and Xander, and then searched Michele’s author page on Facebook. The rest is really history… At this point, I’ve edited five of her books on some level.

Now I’m back at reading again and it’s wonderful.

For those of you who visit my blog regularly, you may have noticed there has been a significant face lift. I’ve edited my pages, added surveys for book review requests and editing service inquiries. I also added a glossary of the reviews I’ve posted to this blog. I’m liking it thus far.

 

What have you been up to? Are you reading anything interesting? Share below!

Book Review – Smother by Lindy Zart

Smother
By: Lindy Zart
Publication Date: 5/12/2015
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Blurb:
You won’t like me.
I am not the nice girl.
I am not your friend.
I don’t care about you, but most of all, I don’t care about me.
Go ahead, hate me.
We all have secrets.
I have them as well—dark, terrible secrets.
The only time I can breathe is when I forget.
I need to be numb. You don’t want to know how.
But as long as I can breathe, the past cannot smother me.

*~*

I appreciate that I can always count on Lindy Zart to deliver a great story. I know that when she’s working on a project, one of her many WIPs, it’s going to be something good. And they’re all so different from one another, keeping her readers on their toes, that we don’t really know what to expect next.

I’ve been a little busy lately; between editing, school, my full time job, and growing a baby so I really haven’t had as much time to read as I’d like… but I made it a point to bump Smother to the top of my list. This was a “before bed” read – you know, the kind that you’re already tucked in tightly under the covers, between the walls of your pregnancy pillow, and you tell yourself “Just one more page” and swipe your finger across your Kindle about 25 more times, repeating this mantra as your eyes droop closed? Ya, this was that kind of read.

I love Smother. Beyond love. There’s something about a darker novel that takes you to a different place. I don’t often opt for the darker stuff, but I’m so thankful I did with this one. Zart conveys the struggles of the effects of the past on a person with grace and realism. The past can haunt us in so many ways and how that manifests itself is different with each person. Zart does an excellent job building the characters in this story and really driving their flaws home. I went into this novel with preconceived expectations, “You’re going to hate the main character at first.” However – it was quite the opposite. I was intrigued and wanted to know more. And boy did Zart deliver! The details are all there, the darkness doesn’t have many flecks of light, and the dialogue is shifty and true to reality. Each character has their own speech patterns and pesky little habits that make them stand out, or blend in.

Another thing I found to be intriguing and wished there was more of was the use of art and pictures to depict what the mouth is unable to say. This story is truly a showstopper and is rough around the edges (in such an excellent way), just like the characters. The notion of only allowing ourselves the things we believe we deserve hits each of us in some way; most of us have been in a dark place because of one thing or another. Those dark places can remain dark for a day, a week, years, or even a lifetime. Good doesn’t always manifest itself from bad, we need to feel we deserve it and accept it. These are the challenges so many face, and Zart’s Smother makes you think so much deeper about these notions.

Great job, Lindy Zart! Can’t wait for the next one.

*~*

The Final Countdown

Characterization – 5/5 Stars
Dialogue– 4/5 Stars
Plot – 5/5 Stars
Visual Imagery – 4/5 Stars
Ending 4.5/5 Stars

Total: 4.5 Stars

 

 

Book trailer link:

Goodreads TBR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23657398-smother

About the author:

Lindy Zart is the USA Today bestselling author of Roomies. She has been writing since she was a child. Luckily for readers, her writing has improved since then. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two sons, and one cat. Lindy loves hearing from people who enjoy her work. She also has a completely healthy obsession with the following: coffee, wine, Bloody Marys, and pizza.

You can connect with Lindy at:

Lindyzart@gmail.com

Twitter.com/lindyzart

Facebook.com/lindyzart

Lindyzart.com

Listen to the playlists for Lindy’s books on Spotify.com

Get an eBook autograph from Lindy at Authorgraph.com

F: Finders Keepers

It’s no secret. I love books. I’m not the only one in my family who has this love of books. It was passed onto my by my family and hopefully my husband and I will pass it onto our little one(s). I dream of owning a house big enough that I can dedicate an entire room to the smaller scale replication of the Beauty and the Beast library. (Lofty dreams, eh?) This type of book collection growth can be a costly hobby unless you know where to look. I am a HUGE fan of used bookstores, those little hole in the wall places that have wonderful deals and great finds. Yard sales are also another place to find a treasure trove of fun books. I like to look at this type of purchase as a kind of adoption, if you will. I’m adopting these previously owned books and bringing them into my family for future love.

Until I own that massive, drool-worthy library with built-in bookshelves along all of the walls, I should probably make sure there’s a bit more shelf space in my house, huh?

#BookBlogWriMo Day 22 – #ShowMeYourShelves and Thanks

#BookBlogWriMo Day 22 – #ShowMeYourShelves

I love books. I want all the books. Every bit of them. My collection is constantly growing. We’re definitely in dire need of another full-sized book shelf. Heck, I’d settle for the library in Beauty and the Beast. Then we’d be all set!!

#BookBlogWriMo Day 15/16 – My Favorite and Least Favorite Things about Blogging [and Thanks]

#BookBlogWriMo Day 15 and 16!!

So, I was out of pocket all day yesterday, thus you have a two-in-one post!!

My Favorite Book Blogging Things

• Getting to read – Well, I’d hope this was one of my favorite things about this process, otherwise doing it would be silly!!
• Meeting new people – I’ve met so many great authors and bloggers through this process. Having the chance to become an editor for one of those authors was even greater and that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have this blog. They’re something great about being a part of this community; we all understand the addiction.
• Discovering new favorite authors and books – Oh my. My Kindle has SO many great books on it. I’m always finding new great books on BookHub and through book tours and recommendations.
• Free books – Ah, does this really need explanation? This is a wonderful perk.
• The opportunity to do what I love – I went to school for English and Journalism, so I’m happy to be able to put that to good use. I enjoy doing this. It’s fun, productive, and educational.
• Having the chance to read books before release – Another great perk! It’s what I’d imagine going to a movie premier would be like – just without the celebrities and photo ops!

My Least Favorite Book Blogging Things

• It can get expensive – Oh yes. Once you get hooked on an author or book series, stopping the chain of purchase is very difficult.
• Over booking – This is so easy when there are so many great opportunities to review so many great books. I’ve recently taken a look at my methods and cut back a bit so I can get my ducks in a row.
• Not having enough time to read everything – The plight of all major book worms.

30 Days of Thanks – Day 15 and 16

I am thankful for great friends. It’s always wonderful to look forward to fun get togethers with friends [and family.] Friends are the family we get to choose for ourselves.

I am thankful for public transportation. Sure, driving is great – but public transit allows for decompression time!

#BookBlogWriMo Day 12 – Advice for Newbie Bloggers and Thanks

#BookBlogWriMo Day 12 – Advice for Newbie Bloggers

• Make sure you have the time to dedicate to blogging. It’s such an easy “hobby” to lose track of and forget about.
• Come up with a theme of some kind. I am a book blogger, but I will begin dabbling in other things at some point. I used to be a writer, so I’m hoping to bring that back out again. Some people have cooking blogs, some have scrapbooking, some have parenting advice… the list goes on and on.
• Decide if you want to write for an audience or write for yourself. This will give you focus instead of being all over the place.
• Join Facebook groups that have to do with your theme. I am a part of The Book Blogger’s Resource on Facebook and this page has helped me immensely as I’ve decided the path I want to take this blog.
• Don’t try to do too much at once. It’s so easy to get caught up in the fun of signing up for blog tours and things (especially as a book blogger), but you are one person. If you are starting your blog with multiple people, plan it out. I do this alone, so my time is far less. Keeping a planner helps keep everything in line.
• Schedule posts in advance. Or at least try to plan out what you want to post about. This is something I’m working on improving. It’s a work in progress. 🙂
• Network – there are so many people out there who do what you do, do what you want to do, and can help you grow. There are great friends to be made, as well. I’ve met so many wonderful people through this blog that I wouldn’t have originally.
• Stay true to you. If you don’t want to post about a specific subject or market certain product, you don’t have to! I don’t post certain things on here even though I know it will bring in more of an audience. It’s just not my thing. If you want to gear your blog to only cooking desserts, well power to you! If you only want to do cover reveals on your blog and you will NOT post reviews, go right ahead. 🙂 You do you, kid.
• For the love of all that is loved, please check your spelling and grammar. There is nothing less sexy than a poorly produced post.
• Keep a journal – either a real one or in your phone – to plot down ideas for posts. I used to find myself coming up with great ideas, but didn’t have anywhere to put them. Now I have Little Red – my mini journal that I keep track of everything in, from book reviews to blog post topics to story ideas.
• Try to post at least once a week. This was something I struggled with and that’s why I try to sign up for a blog tour a week. I tend to lag behind a bit or hit a slow patch, but I’ve been adjusting. Looking back, I’d definitely have planned out some more posts in the beginning before I launched. Non-blog life does get in the way, of course. That’s ok. You don’t HAVE to post a certain number of times, but it’s better if you want to have consistent follows.
• Do what you love so that you love what you do. If not, then what’s the point?

30 Days of Thanks – Day 12

Today I am thankful for journals. I’ve always had one, ever since I was little. I started collecting them a few years ago and haven’t stopped. I’m picky about my journals because I want to make sure they have a purpose in my collection. Sometimes I write in them, sometimes I give them away as gifts, and something they just sit there like something beautiful on my journal shelf. Journals are a wonderful place to jot epiphanies, keep your secrets, water your ideas, and keep the brain juices flowing. They’re a friend to look back on after many years, and they’re an enemy when you don’t want to remember. They’re small enough to tuck away until the time is right, and they’re a lifesaver. They’re that thing your little sister tries to find under your mattress to read your deepest adolescent secrets, and they’re the thing that you can trust when you’re little and don’t know who to turn to. They’re what you tell your first crush to and they’re what you throw across the room when you’re really angry. Journals are pretty awesome. Unless there’s an angry wizard soul hiding in one… then you’re in trouble.