Every time I make better bread it seems! Check out this full sized slice. You can definitely make sandwiches out of this baby! The secret? More flour and the longer cycle in the machine.
Book Review: Level Up: A Geek Romance Rom Com, Book 1 (Fandom Hearts) by Cathy Yardley
Level Up: A Geek Romance Rom Com, Book 1 (Fandom Hearts) by Cathy Yardley
A Chick Lit Humor Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (12/30/15)
Summary:
“…relationships are problematic. Careers last. All I obsess about now is work and my fandoms.” (Kindle Locations 55-56).
Tessa Rodriguez is ready to level up in her career, but as a female video game engineer amidst a male-dominated field, she’s pushing at the glass ceiling. Her roommate happens to work at the same video game design company and tells her if she were to be more social she’d fit in more with the guys and they’d probably accept her as one of them. Adam, her roommate is still recovering from his last breakup, a year ago, and his guy friends bet that he can’t find a girlfriend before they fill the open position in the company. A job that Tessa wants is available! Can she snag it or will getting involved with Adam put them both behind?
Keywords:
Introvert, Friends, Romance, Roommates, Library, Gaming, Programming, Career, Video Games, TV Shows, Fandoms, Video Game Engineer, Deadline
My Review:
What an adorable romance! Both main characters were full of personality and quirks. Tessa is shy but opens up immediately when she enters into an accepting environment. In real life, a shy girl would probably not interact as well as self-proclaimed introvert Tessa, but I loved how open she was to being around others and rooting for them. Tessa shows extreme loyalty and devotion!
Adam is the geeky, attractive nice guy. He is the whole package without being over the top! He displayed uncharacteristic respect of his roommate Tessa, which I very much appreciated.
I did not get all the geek references but enjoyed them all the same! This contemporary little romantic comedy was very enjoyable and well put together if a bit dependent on certain situations to occur that wouldn’t normally happen. I especially loved the characters and the setting.
This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on December 30tht, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00
Links for more information:
Book Review: The Heaviness of Knowing (The Conscious Dreamer Series Book 1) by Sharolyn G. Brown
The Heaviness of Knowing (The Conscious Dreamer Series Book 1) by Sharolyn G. Brown
A Science Fiction Novel published by Sharolyn Brown (07/01/16)
Summary:
“Do not let your fear make you dumb to what you know is the truth.” (Kindle Location 796).
Roxal lives in the safety of a compound on Trebor, where her planet has been destroyed, but she has a chance to save the parallel world of Earth through Dream Travel. Roxal connects with an Earthan woman named Lauren in her dreams to influence her work so that Earth can be saved and not meet the same fate as Trebor.
These are all lies. Treboran Keepers want to take over Earth through influencing Earthens using Dream Travel and Roxal and Lauren are both very important cogs in this mission. When Roxal finds out and comes to terms with the lies, she agrees to help. Lauren will also have to come to terms that aliens are trying to use her to take over her world.
Keywords:
Dystopian, Totalitarian, Slaves, Gods, Strict, Order, Fighting, Earth, Alien, Pre-Invasion, Caste System, Parallel Universe, Microprocessor, Technology, Balance, Sleep Deprivation, Meditation, Therapy, Hypnosis, First Contact
My Review:
The first few chapters painted this book as an over -the-top totalitarian style dystopian novel where the caste system was very strict and the citizens were constantly monitored and lied to by the ruling class. The book went so far as to label the ruling caste as “gods” and to not allow the lower castes to even look at the “gods.” The lower castes submitted to everything the gods told them to without question, even going so far as to chant their acquiescence and acknowledgement of the gods’ power and their submission to them. Then Lauren’s story unfolded. Lauren is an unsuspected earthling and her narrative balanced out the typical dystopian society that Roxal lived in.
All the backstory was sandwiched into those beginning chapters in large info dumped chunks, slowing down the narrative, but the intrigue of the completely controlled society and the juxtaposition of Lauren and Roxal and the connection between the two women was enough to keep me turning pages. The author placed many little teases between all the info and I was willing to wait for the meat of the story to begin.
I loved the sign language for communication in the dystopian society and thought this was very clever.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and this is an honest review.
This novel was published by Sharolyn Brown on July 1st, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 3.75
Links for more information:
Reading Challenge Update
How are you doing with your reading challenge, if you have one?
Weekend Writing Warriors – Donuts in an Empty Field 10#WeWriWa
Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!
Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.
This excerpt is from chapter one.
Vanessa is remembering her last fond memory of her father on the day he died.
“He wasn’t very good at eating donuts fast, but he made us laugh. He was covered in powdered sugar and it made me think of Christmas snow. I was proud and embarrassed for Dad at the same time. He was so fun, but he was always doing weird things.”
“I remember I could taste the powdered sugar. He was eating so fast that it was poofing everywhere. Bluster kept winding his leash under his legs as he watched us. Mom and I both laughed at Dad. He managed to swallow the first donut and was already stuffing the second one into his mouth.”
Purchase the book HERE.
Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.
Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.
Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.
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Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE
Foodie Fridays: Best Burger Ever!
Dreams do come true!
Thanks, Paul
Book Review: Crushing on the Rock Star by Darci Doll
Crushing on the Rock Star by Darci Doll
A New Adult Romance Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (06/08/16)
Summary:
“In your head, you think that you’re a conservative but in your heart, you’re a pure rebel, through and through.” (Kindle Locations 1678-1679).
Birdie Frost wants to make a difference in the world through documentaries. She only works as an intern for a production company, but when she gets the opportunity for her big break she hesitates. It’s with a rock band on the other side of the country not with the philosophical world-changer she had proposed. When her family, her best friend, even her fiancé don’t support her decision, Birdie decides to turn down the opportunity at first. Will she be able to set aside everything she’s known to jump at this chance to make a difference or will she stay with what’s familiar and comfortable?
Keywords:
Rock Star, Rock Music, Metal, Concert, Live, Band, Practice, Performance, Travel, Conservative, Family Ideals, Old-Fashioned, Sexism, Producer, Documentary, LA, Identity, Introspection
My Review:
I liked Birdie. She sticks to her guns when it comes to morals. She is dedicated to her ideals and her job. She’s unwilling to let a little failure derail her completely. She is positive and thoughtful. She is a well-rounded main character. Her fiancé, on the other hand, is a complete jerk. The author may be painting him as ‘old fashioned’ but all I see is sexist on-the-verge-of misogynist guy who won’t listen to her opinions or give them any worth. He cuts her off when she’s talking and tells her point blank what she should and shouldn’t do as well as what he expects her to do. How is that attractive?
Birdie tells us that she was attracted to Timothy for his family values and old-fashioned views, but I don’t see how she’s attracted to him at all, even from the beginning. She does not seem conservative, since at the first sign of adventure she’s willing to give it a try and enjoy every minute of it.
The issues in this book are very contemporary and interesting. Birdie’s point of view is so very dramatic and very detailed. She so completely and vividly describes her first rock concert and riding a motorcycle that I intimately know how she feels and can see the scene completely.
This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on June 8th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 4.00
Links for more information:
Book Review: Snow Flower: Arara’s Tale (Flower’s Fang) by Madison Keller
Snow Flower: Arara’s Tale (Flower’s Fang) by Madison Keller
A YA Fantasy Novella published by Hundeliebe Publishing (12/21/14)
Summary:
“…she wasn’t content with always being the under-dog just because she’d been born small.” (Kindle Locations 897-898).
Arara doesn’t want to go to school where she’s bullied and belittled by the confident and large alpha pup, Kerka and his followers. Arara has a special ability to hear others’ thoughts, but that won’t help her win any fights. Until she finds out she has another special power, she does everything she can to avoid going to school, but she could use a lesson or two in paying attention and following directions.
Keywords:
Dog-like people, power struggle, underdog, magic, secrets, standing up, fighting back, runt, misfit, skill, mind-power
My Review:
It’s so interesting to see a society where fighting is not only allowed, but encouraged. Since this is a society that is based on dogs/wolves, this makes sense, since alphas must establish themselves and everyone knows their place in the pack. Not so with underdog Arara. Though she is destined to be an omega, she wants to be an alpha-guard. The only hope she has to win such a high placement in the pack is through her newly discovered ability to use her mind.
Arara is hard to like at the beginning of the story. She’s impulsive, scared, reckless and can’t get her act together. She doesn’t listen or follow directions, even from her father whom she loves. She whines and ultimately acts like a very young pup. Cue the lesson, which she ignores because of her own stubbornness. She won’t take bullying sitting down, but she knows she can’t beat the bigger, stronger, and arrogant Kerka. But will getting back at him make her feel better? Will it solve all her problems? Arara has to learn the hard way that anyone can be a bully and that it’s not best to get revenge. I loved how Arara was able to finally take the lesson of the story to heart by the end of this novella.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and this is an honest review.
This novel was published by Hundeliebe Publishing on December 21st, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50
Links for more information:
Capital Indie Book Con Afterwards and Book Haul!!!!
Weekend Writing Warriors – Donuts in an Empty Field 9#WeWriWa
Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!
Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.
This excerpt is from chapter one.
Vanessa and Nichole just found Vanessa’s late father’s bucket list where only one item was crossed out.
“The day he died.” I gulp and close my eyes for a long blink. “The day he died, he was trying to beat the world record for most donuts eaten in three minutes. I remember that day. Almost every detail. Why isn’t that on this list, why the generic food challenge?”
Nichole doesn’t answer and I continue. “He took us, Mom, Bluster and I to the dog park. He was always into getting things done. A dog and donuts on the same day, in the same place.”
Vanessa is reminiscing about her dad and the last good memory of her family together. Tune in next week as she goes into more detail about donuts in the dog park.
Purchase the book HERE.
Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.
Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.
Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.
Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE
Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE
Rachel Author Barnard 