Thursday, December 29, 2011

More info on Eolyn

Karin Gastreich, author of Eolyn, passed on a few other great links for her book and her genre.

To find out more about Eolyn specifically, check out Karin's blog at http://eolynchronicles.blogspot.com

For more on what's happening with the Heroines of Fantasy check out this blog about all things fantasy with special guests and author posts at http://heroinesoffantasy.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

New Book!

Get ready to start the new year off with some high fantasy! Next book on the list is Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastreich. Read along with my by getting your own copy. Check out the links below!

Get it in Paperback

Get it in Kindle

**update on interview with Jenni James: Jenni is still recovering from a car accident she was involved in a few weeks ago, but when she is up to the interview I'll get it posted.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas Coupons!

Taking a brief break from Pride and Popularity for some self promotion :-)

Here are some Christmas coupon codes for my books. You can use these codes on smashwords.com and you can get all of the popular ebook formats like kindle and epub. So go check them out before December 31st!


twin souls: always free on smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87636

shaxoa's gift: 50% off with code PU86M : http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/88106

qaletaqa 50% off with code QV43U : http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/88122

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Favorite Funny/Embarrassing Moment from Pride and Popularity

There were a lot of funny moments to choose from, but I wanted to die of embarrassment along with Chloe when Taylor runs into her while on a date with the phone-obsessed Collin. As if being on a date with a guy that won't put down his phone isn't awful enough, to have Taylor show up and convince the him that Chloe perfect for him makes it so much worse, and so much funnier.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Favorite quirky trait of the Hart family...

Definitely the dating ritual. Having to bring a guy home to that every time you wanted to go on a date would be both horrible and hilarious!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Review of Pride and Popularity


Jane Austen’s books have been rewritten countless times, but not like this. Gone are the complicated courtship rituals and subtleties of old English society, but that hardly means there aren’t any similarities between then and now.

Pride and Popularity drops you right into the middle of the modern teenage life filled the same problems Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy faced in their day, just funnier. Chloe Hart is determined not to fall for the superstar of her hometown because she’s positive she knows the real him better than the other star-struck, drooling girls. Her quest to ignore him entirely turns her entire life upside down.

Pride and Popularity can best be described by two words, in my opinion. Super Cute. The characters are very entertaining all around. I could see people I’ve grown up with or met along the way that reminded me of Ethan, Cassidy, Kylie, and even Taylor. You feel like you’re surrounded by your friends as soon as you start reading.

Being a rewrite, there were some parts of the book that followed Austen’s original work closely, and others that diverged. Overall, I thought Jenni did a great job of working in those parts of the original that fit with her characters and leaving those that didn’t. Needless to say, there were no impromptu piano recitals for dinner guests (although I’m sure Jenni would have made that a hilarious experience if there were) or guided tours of palatial mansions.

Working in the original disgrace between Wickham and Lydia was handled very nicely in the book without having to cross over into the typical graphic tragedy seen in many books and movies today. That was a theme carried throughout the book. No obscenities, sex, graphic violence, or things that are just plain disturbing. Pride and Popularity was a fun, light read that left you feeling happy and hopeful in the end.

The beginning of the book was rather teenage-girl-gooey-and-gushy (so be prepared if you’re not a fan of super mushy stuff), but for the most part it wasn’t carried through the book to that level. Chloe determines right away that she isn’t going to one of those girls. Or at least she thinks so. The main character is a teenage girl, and we all know that means lots of emotion, drama, and goof ups, but it was all presented in a way that keeps you laughing. I loved the humor in this book. Following Chloe through her last years of high school and her quest to not be the next brainless girl on Taylor’s arm is great fun, a book I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Would I recommend Pride and Popularity? Yes, have fun reading! You’ll laugh all the way through.

Who would I recommend this book to? Teenage girls (of course), and anyone looking for a fun read without the typical language, violence, and all that other stuff.

So go get your copy and dive in to this fun, heartwarming book. Happy reading!

Get your copy of Pride and Popularity in Paperback or Kindle

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Pride and Popularity

Started reading it yesterday afternoon, finished it earlier today. Super cute. I'll have the review up probably Monday. Also...author Jenni James has agreed to an interview, so that will be later this coming week as well!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

New Book!

Well, as much as I enjoyed The Night Circus, it's time to move on to a new book. Author Jenni James grew up in my home town and her debut novel Pride and Popularity recently hit bookstores and Amazon. If you want to read along with me, click on the links below.

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Popularity-Jane-Austen-Diaries/dp/0983829306/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323792927&sr=8-1

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Pride-and-Popularity-ebook/dp/B005FY5ZP6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323792927&sr=8-2

Monday, December 12, 2011

Favorite magic trick from The Night Circus

I think any girl will appreciate Celia being able to change the color of her dresses at will, not to mention the style as well! I loved all the little details put into the book like enchanted umbrellas that kept the soggy London rain away and being able to rewarm a cup of hot chocolate you took a little too long to drink.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

My favorite side character from The Night Circus

The Burgess Sisters were my favorite side characters. The were behind the scenes in the working of the circus, and only in the background of the book for the most part, but the impact they had was far reaching. The two sisters handled the ambiance and atmosphere of the circus. My favorite of their additions to the circus were the living statues. The angel and the two lovers were painful to observe in a way, but still very enchanting.

Monday, December 5, 2011

My favorite Circus Tent

By far my favorite tent was the Wishing Trees tent. I loved the idea of igniting a new wish from one that had already been made. The imagery of massive trees being covered in candles was great,

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Review of The Night Circus

The circus arrives without warning.

The Night Circus opens with a simple statement that lets you know right away that this isn't your typical circus story (if there is such a thing). A circus that shows up, and sets up, without anyone seeing it and only opens at night sets the stage for a story that is both whimsical and twisted. As you step away from the circus you meet the main characters, only they aren't merely characters, they are players in a game only the creators know the rules to.

The characters in The Night Circus were complex and interesting. Even the side characters had very individual personalities and plenty of eccentricities. The characters that remained mysterious through the book held your attention with their unique qualities as well. Not a single one was stereotypical, something I can't stand. The two main characters, Celia and Marco, were very well developed. They don't meet until halfway through the book, and they spend little time together, but the chemistry between them is expressed perfectly through each character's thoughts and the creations they make for each other. I loved that they create circus tents for each other. It was the most creative idea for love letters I've ever seen.

An interesting aspect of the book was the multiple storylines. Two of the storylines are separated in time, merging at the end of the book beautifully. Celia and Marco begin their stories as children and continue through the game, through romance, and through realization of just how deadly the game they are playing really is. Poppet and Bailey meet some years in the future, and you spend the book wondering how the two storylines will come together and what the results of that meeting will be. From the first moment you meet Bailey and Poppet the question of how their interactions will affect Celia and Marco nestles in the back of your mind and refuses to go away. It pulls you through the story just as much as trying to figure out how Celia and Marco will ever survive the game. The third storyline is yours. A clever idea, Morgenstern guides you personally through the circus, making the experience even more vivid.

Bordering on full-out fantasy, Morgenstern's descriptions of the circus are wonderful. Ice gardens, clouds tents, bottled up stories and much more are painted in such detail that it is impossible not to get sucked into the circus. Even the food is described to point that you find yourself wishing you had a bag of chocolate mice as well. Emotion is just as powerful throughout this book. Frustration at the game and its creators, confusion, desire, and anguish are woven through every aspect of the book. A love story where the lovers are very rarely together and can only communicate through what they can create within the circus is a beautiful idea.

The only aspect of the story I can complain about is that I thought the climax could have been more detailed. Everything leading up to the climax had me turning the pages as fast as I could, but once I got there it happened fast and missing the vivid detail that had persisted through the rest of the book. Even having said that, the resolution was still very satisfying and left no annoying unanswered questions. I simply missed the enveloping description I had enjoyed through the rest of the book.

Overall, I loved the book. 5 stars for sure. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a captivating romance, slightly twisted mystery, or being transported to a world outside of the every day. Happy reading everyone!