2015 Reading Challenge Books in Review

by in Local Authors and tagged , , | 1 Comment

mlib

And the last four books of the year were…

2015 end of year books

I’m currently only reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

myib1

myib2

I have written over 100 reviews of Indie books this year and read over 200 books total.

I have spent my annual budget for books with a combination of Kindle Unlimited subscription, Patreon support of an author, GoFundMe of a bookstore, Kickstarter support of a book project, kindle downloads, and print books. I have gone to the following events to support authors and pick up new books: Marissa Meyer book signing in Tacoma for the Fairest Release, AFK I Heart Authors in February, an author signing at St. James, Author release party at the AFK, AFK Staycation author event, 2 author releases in North Bend, and a multi-author release party at UW Bellevue bookstore. What book events have you gone to this year?

2015 reading challenge popsugar

I completed 43/50 of the following Reading Challenges

The Challenge 2014 2015
1 A book with more than 500 pages Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey (608) Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
2 A classic romance Wildest Dreams by Stefany Rattles  Shatterd & Scarred (The Sacred Hearts MC, #1) by AJ Downey
3 A book that became a movie The Fault in Our Stars by John Green  The Duff by Kody Keplinger
4 A book published this year Unseen by Stephanie Erickson Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets by Jeffrey Cook
5 A book with a number in the title 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
6 A book written by someone under 30 Deny the Moon by Melissa Graham  Silent Circle by Cassandra Larsen
7 A book with nonhuman characters Pickled Apocalypse of Pancake Island by Cameron Pierce Cinder by Marissa Meyer
8 A funny book This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper Yes Please by Amy Pohler
9 A book by a female author The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (The Enchanted Forest by Patricia Wrede From the Wreckage by Michele G. Miller
10 A mystery or thriller Cache a Predator by M. Weidenbenner  Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
11 A book with a one-word title Room by Emma Donoghue Cress by Marissa Meyer
12 A book of short stories Free-Flowing Stories by FVP authors  The Fierce Reads Anthology by Anna Banks
13 A book set in a different country The 100-Foot Journey by Richard Morais  Yassa: Genghis Khan’s Coming of Age Taley by Jo Michaels
14 A nonfiction book Rock Your Plot: A Simple System for Plotting Your Novel by Cathy Yardley You Are a Writer So Start Acting Like One by Jeff Goins
15 A popular author’s first book Looking for Alaska by John Green  The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
16 A book from an author you love that you hadn’t read yet Silo by Hugh Howy  The Stillness of the Sky by Starla Huchton
17 A book a friend recommended Heart of Africa by Loren Lockner  The Crossing Hour by Quoleena Sbrocca
18 A Pulitzer Prize-winning book X The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
19 A book based on a true story Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean  Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s “Learned” by Lena Dunham
20 A book at the bottom of your to-read list I, Robot by Isaac Asimov  The Road by Cormac McCarthy
21 A book your mom loves Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  X
22 A book that scares you Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Shining by Stephen King
23 A book more than 100 years old X  X
24 A book based entirely on its cover The Pickled Apocalypse of Pancake Island by Cameron Pierce Food Rules: An Eater’s manual by Michael Pollan
25 A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t NA NA
26 A memoir X  Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
27 A book you can finish in a day If I stay by Gayle Foreman The Encounter by Katherine Applegate
28 A book with antonyms in the title Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter  Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
29 A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit X  Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
30 A book that came out the year you were born X  X
31 A book with bad reviews Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James  Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
32 A trilogy Maze Runner by James Dashner The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
33 A book from your childhood The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (The Enchanted Forest by Patricia Wrede The Visitor by Katherine Applegate
34 A book with a love triangle The Thousand Year Curse (Curse Books, #1) by Taylor Lavati  Fallen (Fallen, #1) by Lauren Kate
35 A book set in the future The Maze Runner by James Dashner  Feed by M.T. Anderson
36 A book set in high school The Moment Before by Suzy Vitello The Duff by Kody Keplinger
37 A book with a color in the title Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
38 A book that made you cry Ghostwriter by Tyan Wyss  Don’t Call Me Kit Kat by K.J. Farnham
39 A book with magic Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Sticks and Sontes by Shawn McGuire
40 A graphic novel X  X
41 A book by an author you’ve never read before Unseen by Stephanie Erickson Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich
42 A book you own but hadn’t read before X  The Truth About Mud by Christina L. Rozelle
43 A book that takes place in your hometown The Siren Suicides by Ksenia Anske  The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
44 A book that was originally written in a different language X  X
45 A book set during Christmas The French for Christmas by Fiona Valpy  Mr. Miracle by Debbie Macomber
46 A book written by an author with your same initials The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury  Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
47 A play X  X
48 A banned book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley  Speak by Laurie Anderson
49 A book based on or turned into a TV show X Animorphs by Katherine Applegate
50 A book you started but never finished A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess Choke by Chuck Pahlaniuk

The books I read this year so far:

mlib3 mlib4 mlib5 mlib6 mlib7 mlib8 mlib9 mlib10 mlib11 mlib12

Book Review: The GearMaker’s Locket by Shannon L. Reagan

by in Book Review and tagged , , ,

The GearMaker’s Locket by Shannon L. Reagan

A Clockpunk/Steampunk Adventure Novel published by Amazon Digital Services(03/31/14)

Summary:

“Lace, chains and sophistication.” (Page 14).

MIT student Copper Rose has always been gifted when it comes to machines and anything with gears and a motor, but when she finds her late grandmother’s locket, it doesn’t make sense to her. Its gears work on their own, without any battery and when she opens it to try to figure out more she is thrust into a different world, where clocks and gears prevail. In this new city everything is made of metal, even some of the people and she is infamous in this world, known as a GearMaker. Copper Rose must find her family and a way out as she gets caught between a GearMade’s demand for her to build machines that come to life and a life she never knew could exist for her.

Keywords:

Clocks, Gears, GearMaker, Mechanical, Good with Hands, Female Protagonist, Cliffhanger, Portal, Locket, Family, Loyalty, Machines, Life, Evil Leader, Power, Air Ship

My Review:

I liked the idea and premise of the story. It was like the author combined the idea of creating real life figures such as in Pinocchio with a Terminator type outcome. Combine this with gears and all the fun stuff of Steampunk and you have a compelling book just based on the details.

However, the plot points and plot arc were not as sophisticated as the book’s central idea and details. This novel went back and forth between capture and escape and the pattern become tired. I wanted an ending or something different. The ending I got was – read on to find out. The cliffhanger was not much of a cliffhanger because it could have ended with any one of Copper Rose’s escapes and the final one was almost no different. There was a twist at the end, but because the author didn’t give me any other possibilities, it was easy to guess. If you read this book I’m sure you’ll figure it out too.

I liked the characters more than the plot. Copper Rose, what a lovely name, was smart but not too smart. She was good with her hands but didn’t figure things out immediately. Alum was probably my favorite character because he is the underdog and I really enjoyed the romance in this book.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services on March 31st, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

Shannon Reagan’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Review: Firestar Released (Truestar Trilogy Book 1) by Lilly Wilson

by in Book Review and tagged , , , ,

Firestar Released (Truestar Trilogy Book 1) by Lilly Wilson

A Science Fiction Novel published by Amazon Digital Services (11/03/2014)

Summary:

‘“Isolation in a necessity, when there is no one you can trust,” Lia retorted.’ (Page 129).

Lia has been a slave on General Oort’s slave ship for seven months, but she hasn’t lost hope, she is waiting to be chosen. She has been waiting until the moment when she will be taken from her 4×4 foot cage, but it isn’t Oort who chooses her, but a visiting captain, Border Relic. Lia had a plan, but after it was thwarted she must find a different way to get to General Oort to fulfill her goal of revenge. Border Relic is an intergalactic space peacekeeper and couldn’t just let Lia suffer when she clearly was not like the other slaves. Ultimately Relic gets caught up in her plans and her story and must choose to follow the rules or go with his gut.

 

Keywords:

Space, Travel, Slaves, Slave Ship, Captain, Queen, Space Peacekeepers, Scientific Advances, Loss, Struggle, Revenge, Resilience, Biding Time, Mission, Powerful Enemy

My Review:

I normally don’t pick up science fiction as it strays so far from reality, but Firestar Released had many realistic grounding elements to keep my interest. Though not all characters are “human” the main characters are enough human for them to seem completely relatable. Though technology has advanced to intergalactic space travel (necessitating a peacekeeper) the everyday technology is still familiar (or at least not everything familiar has been upgraded). There were science advancements and unbelievable changes, but Wilson does well in controlling how much she has changed between life now and life in the Truestar Trilogy.

The characters are relatable, even though their names may truly be science fantasy. I loved the names. Border Relic is the captain and I can totally imagine it being his name even while both parts indicate words known in English. Lia’s name is Ipoliamalandria, which can be pronounced if you think about it (and Border does say her name multiple times out loud).

Lia is a great character. She has a high resilience and a fixation on her revenge. Her growing feelings for Border don’t interfere with her personal goals. She is a determined woman and even though she might not be the greatest role model, the fact that she is determined makes her a worthy hero.

The story had romance, but the romantic element didn’t overpower the main story or personal character development.

The only character I wanted to see/know more about was General Oort. His cruelty was only seen through the eyes of others and his personal story might be interesting to read.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Servies 11/03/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Lilly Wilson’s Blog and Website

Author Goals and Accomplishments from 2015 and Future Goals for 2016

by in For the Love of Donuts, Local Authors, Local Events, Miscellaneous Mondays, Rachel Barnard and tagged , ,

Remember this post back in 2014?

2015 Writing Goals:

  1. Create audiobook version of poetry book, Wandering Imagination
  2. Write manuscript for book 1 of Fantasy trilogy
  3. Send Children’s Book to Publishers
  4. Write manuscript of The Geocache Killer
  5. Get At One’s Beast 15 reviews (Currently have: Goodreads -13, Amazon -11)
  6. Get Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams 20 reviews (Currently have: Goodreads -9, Amazon -9)
  7. Finished and Published audiobook copy of At One’s Beast
  8. Submit some short stories to contests/publications
  9. Finish YA manuscript Donuts in an Empty Field

How did I do?

I didn’t create the audiobook for my poetry book yet but I futzed with Paul’s recording equipment and think I’m ready to get this one done next year in preparation for narrating my own audiobook for Donuts in an Empty Field (For the Love of Donuts Book 1).

I’ve decided not to write that fantasy trilogy I talked about, yet that is because I started a different sort of trilogy and it took off with my imagination. I’m set to publish Cafe Connections (Aster & Tilde Book 1) Halloween of 2016 unless it is picked up by a traditional publisher. Stay tuned for more information on that book.

I didn’t send any manuscripts to publishers or agents this year as I was busy writing more books! I have more plans to submit other books to publishers though 🙂

I decided I’m still not ready to write The Geocache Killer, but when I’ve got a handle on thriller/mystery as a genre, I will totally pick this one back up and write it.

At One’s Beast has 26 Goodreads reivews and 18 Amazon reviews, so I’m calling this one done.

Ataxia has 15 Goodreads reviews and 15 Amazon reviews which I think is good enough to check this one off the list

At One’s Beast is available as an audiobook, since early 2015 in fact!

I have been submitting to the Writer’s of the Future of this year and will be submitting to anthologies and other publication opportunities next year.

I haven’t finished Donuts in an Empty Field yet but I’m working on the third draft as we speak for publication June 3rd, 2016.

 

Goals for 2016

  1. At One’s Beast available in King County Libraries
  2. Donuts in an Empty Field (For the Love of Donuts Book 1) published
  3. Start my retirement fund
  4. Create a food/board game
  5. Watch a roller derby
  6. Finish Flora’s Last Chance for Magic and submit to publishers
  7. Re-revise My Dad the Prepper and send it out to new publishers
  8. Make a box set case for upcoming series For the Love of Donuts using this website
  9. Publish the anthology “Stories from Seattle” with all proceeds to go to my favorite goat rescue PSGR
  10. Finish my brother’s recipe book so he can publish it
  11. Publish Cafe Connections (Aster & Tilde book 1) on 10/31/16
  12. Get professional author photos
  13. Learn a special dance or solo
  14. Bask in a sea of donuts

Book Review: Faery Swap by Susan Kaye Quinn

by in Book Review and tagged , , ,

Faery Swap by Susan Kaye Quinn

A Middle Grade Fantasy Novel published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (12/16/13)

Summary:

Finn is the protective older brother, but he can no longer protect his little sister when he’s tricked into the Otherworld by a faery Prince. Zaneyr doesn’t mind humans and performs the soulswap with Finn with little remorse because his plans are to save the human species. Zaneyr is in up to his elbows and the human world is much more complicated than he thought, but his father wants to merge the faery world with the human world and Zaneyr will stop at nothing to keep that from happening. Zaneyr is a warrior but with Finn consumed with getting his body back from the faery, things just got a bit more complicated.

Keywords:

Soul Swap, Exchange, Otherworld, Faery, Dimensional Energy, Warrior, Separation, Body, Self, Other Creatures, Power, Spell, Wand, Two Worlds, Tricked, Friendship, Loyalty, Brothers

My Review:

This book was fun to read, surprisingly fun to read as an adult since it’s marketed for a middle-grade crowd. It had more intent and attempted violence and evil than I would have thought for a typical middle-grade novel, more like a young adult novel actually.

The genre was also not quite a typical fairy fantasy because there were wizards and spells and wands. This book had everything! There were even creatures that were different. The fantasy world was separate from the human world and action took place in both. There was world building but it wasn’t off-putting because much of the action and the beginning of the novel took place in the close to reality human world.

There was only one true female but only because it’s about someone else, she isn’t a strong female type or a damsel in distress. Her character could almost also be another boy, she isn’t gender stereotyped into a female corner.

This book covered a lot in its longer than you would expect for a middle grade novel pages. There was a glimpse at friendship and family dynamics and loyalty as well as grief and emotional turmoil over loss and perceived loss of loved ones.

I liked Finn just as much as I liked Zaneyr and even though the faery boy was doing something seemingly wrong by soul swapping with Finn, I understood and was able to sympathize with his motives later on.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform on December 16th, 2013 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: The Duality Bridge (Singularity #2) (Singularity Series) (Volume 2) by Susan Kaye Quinn

by in Book Review and tagged , , ,

The Duality Bridge (Singularity #2) (Singularity Series) (Volume 2) by Susan Kaye Quinn

A YA Science Fiction Novel published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (8/17/15)

Summary:

There is a duality inside you, and the merging of those two sides is your calling, Eli. (Kindle Locations 2802-2803).

“It means that you represent the possibility of more in a world very carefully balanced on the idea that more does not exist.” (Kindle Locations 3855-3856).
Elija Brighton now knows who he is and what his purpose was to be according to the faction of Ascenders who wanted to know whether they had souls, but what he doesn’t know is how he’s supposed to be the bridge or answer this question. He’s the face of the Human Resistance and the one concept that will create chaos among Ascenders if he really is the ‘prophet’ people think he could be. He is important. He must discover himself, what he can do and answer their questions and his own before he is captured or killed or worse.

Keywords:

Teenagers, Humans, Ascenders, Machines, Bots, Legacy, Technology, Science, Soul, Art, Dance, Painting, Meditation, Love, Friendship, Opportunity, Rebels, Fighting Back, Captured, Betrayal

My Review:

Marcus gets more in this book. Where we thought of him as singularly focused on his own purpose and incapable of being helpful, now we see him as furthering a different set of goals for the greater good of Ascenders, not just himself.

Eli has really developed into the persona, the Bridge, the unlikely and unprepared hero with the superpower that gives the book out of this world action and out of this world adventure and tension. Eli was a bumbling legacy human in book one that slowly came to terms with who he was and what he could do and in book two he embraces himself and furthers his abilities, realizing he serves a greater purpose than simply living his own life. He is still Eli, but he is also enlightened and wise.

Kamali also came into her own in this book. Before she seemed to be a reactive character, thrust into situations and not able to make her own decisions. Now she chooses to help. Now she chooses to be with Eli. Now she is part of his world and the world of the rebellion and the great question and answer that Eli embodies.

The only person I would have liked to see more of is Cyrus, he kind of drops off the radar in this book, gets left behind for most of the action and is not focused on by the narrator except for fleeting comic relief and to remind us that he still exists.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform on August 17th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) (Singularity Series) (Volume 1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

by in Book Review and tagged , , , ,

The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) (Singularity Series) (Volume 1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

A YA Science Fiction Novel published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (2/19/15)

Summary:

“…the gift isn’t something separate from you. It’s your work that brings the gift into the world, not the other way around.” (p. 169).
Elija Brighton is a painter and a legacy human or a human descendant that was left behind when many Ascended to a higher and ‘better’ state of being. Legacies are given one chance in this future world to Ascend, by winning the ‘creative’ Olympics. Eli has a real chance to win because he is the best painter in the world –  when he’s in the fugue state that is. He doesn’t know how to control the fugue state or what makes it happen. Understanding and controlling the fugue state is the only thing standing in the way of him winning, or so he thinks.

Keywords:

Teenagers, Humans, Ascenders, Machines, Bots, Legacy, Technology, Science, Soul, Art, Dance, Painting, Meditation, Love, Friendship, Competition, Games, Chance, Opportunity, Rebels

My Review:

I love that this story discusses the soul in a science fiction (futuristic/technological) context and in a way that ties it directly into the importance of the plot. The concept of a soul is not made to feel overtly religious or overtly philosophical.

At times the plot did feel mildly contrived and the concept of Ascender versus Legacy was brought up again and again. Eli’s thoughts go again and again into the fact that Ascenders (especially his Ascender crush Lenora) don’t give Legacies the time of day unless it suits their purposes.

I liked how Quinn connected the fugue state to channeling Eli’s inner creativity and getting in touch with his inner self, his very soul.

As the book and the Olympic games went on, they reminded me more and more of the Hunger Games, just with less violence and more philosophical/moral questions involved around the end goal of Ascendance.

I loved Basha and wanted more of her in the book, she seemed like more of a dynamic character than Kamali, but I liked Kamali as well.

This novel was published through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform on February 19th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: Love Never Dies by Loren Lockner

by in Book Review and tagged ,

Love Never Dies by Loren Lockner

A Dark Romance Novel published by Tyan Wyss-Lockner (1/05/13)

 

Summary:

“Marriage is for others— the lawyers, the children, the parents. A soul mate, that’s just for the couple, no one else.” (Page 78).

Julia was always helping her twin brother out, as he was constantly biting off more than he could chew, but the tables turn when his roommate turns out to be the best thing Julia could have found: her soul mate. Seth is everything Julia wasn’t even looking for and they fall in love almost instantly. Then, just as suddenly as their meeting and their romance, he is killed. It wasn’t an accident and neither was his more wild twin brother showing up in Julia’s life after Seth’s passing an accident.

 

Keywords:

 Romance, Love, Soul Mate, Introspective, Caring, Death, Fleeing, Victims, Architect, Murder, Twins, Sibling Connection, Lust, Mystery, Rival, Competitive, Disguise, Tattoo, Grief, Meant to Be

My Review:

The characters struck me as peculiar, as if the setting was Europe or England or maybe Seth just seemed like he was from a different culture. His personality and actions were very stiff and different from a familiar character or known “American” personality. In this difference, he was kind of an enigma and mysterious and more distant as a person.

The dialogue also seemed a bit peculiar. It was stiff and formal most of the time and stood out to me.

The idea of soul mate as Lockner has made it is just that, an idea and to build a whole novel around that one concept didn’t work out entirely well, in my opinion. The story lacked something. They’ve only known each other four months! And dated for less! How can you love someone without even truly knowing them? It’s instalove, but the wooing takes a couple of weeks. Then the I Love You’s come pouring forth.

The sibling connection was much more interesting to me than the soul mate connection – philosphically/spiritually speaking according to how Lockner described it.

I did very much enjoy the story telling aspect of the novel and how Lockner described everything and the environment she placed her characters into.

This novel was published by Tyan Wyss-Lockner January 5th, 2013 and is available on Amazon here.

 

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

 

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Loren Lockner’s Website