Hello, fellow readers.
Now that Christmas is over and we can all get back to our normal lives, I have been catching up on reading like crazy. I read more manga volumes in the last two months than I have in the last two years. Two complete series! (Yes, long series.)
Now I'm here again to show you guys the indie books that I wrapped up last year and in January of this year. I do not post reviews for any books I dnfed or any that I gave less than three stars to. Only showing off the good stories and there were many. Let's get started!
Dawn's Keeper
by Veronica Del Rosa
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Veronica
Del Rosa does it again! Not only were we introduced to two wonderful,
lovable, and dangerous characters, but we get deliciously steamy scenes
and a light but heartfelt romance. More of the Enforcers and Coterie
world is shown to us and the reader is left with more questions than
answers. Usually, that would annoy me, but with this series, it only has
me scrambling for the next book.
Oh, how I love this universe the author has created!
Storm Portal
by Michael R. Stern
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
An interesting tale of time travel by a normal citizen. History buffs
will love the classroom lessons and historical locations that our hero,
Fritz, witnessed. I certainly enjoyed taking the trip and rooting for
Fritz to come back in one piece, and stay out of trouble with the White
House.
The 11th Percent
by T.H. Morris
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This
is an interesting paranormal read. It doesn't really present any new
ideas, but it does give you a nice diverse cast of characters that you
get to know and relate to.
I did have a hard time relating to the
main character, Jonah. For a writer who claims to have a lot of
imagination, he has a pretty hard time wrapping his head around certain
truths in the book. Also, he isn't very bright since everything has to
be explained to him at least twice. I don't need a genius main character
but I do need one that I care about and Jonah isn't relatable to me.
I'm hoping he does more growing in future books, but right now my fave
character would have to be Reena.
The story drags in a few places
but the last few chapters are definitely worth the read. Take a dive
into this one and you may find it quite enjoyable. I liked it enough to
want to read the next in the series.
Valkyrie in the Demon Realm
by Lynne Murray
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Another
great Sybil read! I always enjoy these stories about Sybil, her own
personal demons, and their adventures together. I only wish this one was
longer! A great story.
Scandal With a Prince
by Nicole Burnham
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This
was well written and certainly entertaining. The main characters were
relatable, the sex scenes hot, and the plot pretty solid. An enjoyable
read.
That is all I have for you today. Hopefully my solid reading streak will continue and I will have more indie gems for you guys to discover and drool over as much as I did soon.
Happy reading, everyone!
Hello my faithful readers! Tis I, Marie, your reviewer of indie books, here to give you another list of interesting books I read in January. So without further ado, here are the indies I enjoyed last month.
Undressed
by Karina Kantas
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This
book delivers on everything the blurb promises: introductions to a
couple novels that leave you wanting more, flash fiction, and poetry.
Well written and full of emotion, this was certainly an enjoyable read.
Pretty Guilty
by K.L. Cottrell
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
A perfectly beautiful story.
K.L.
Cottrell has such an amazing way with words. Her characters instantly
jump off the page and the story immediately draws you in. She makes it
so easy to fall in love with her characters, to feel their joy and
sadness as your own. This story is laden with life lessons and really
tugs at the heartstrings. 10 stars!
The Guardians
by Gina Moray
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
Equal parts thriller and murder mystery, this book will take you to dark places. I was reminded of Needful Things
by Stephen King, with the way a demon drove into town and made deals,
for a price. In the end, the price was too steep. Corpses and fields
overflowing with blood were all that was left.
Gina Moray certainly puts you in the middle of all the action and horror. A creepy read that is not for weak stomachs!
Lunatic Justice
by Garrison Kelly
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
This
collection of poetry and songs will keep you on your toes and leave you
shaking your head at the world at large. Garrison Kelly not only
exposes the sad truths of mankind but puts them on display. The results
are sometimes hard to swallow, or hard to read, but will elicit an
emotional reaction from you. Whether that emotion is fear, anger,
sadness, or disgust depends on the reader.
My favorites of the
collection were "I Apologize," "My Body," "Thank You," "Rise and Shine,"
"Shadow Hawk," "Coasting," "I Still Remember," "Screaming Into the
Abyss," and "STEM Sell."
All four and five star reviews last month! Woohoo, that's some entertaining reads! I hope you find a title from this list that sparks your interest. Always remember to tip your waitresses and review the indie products you enjoy.
Happy reading!
Hello everyone!
Tis I, your indie author and avid reader, Marie! Last month I read lots of books and four of those were by indie authors. Let me share those books, and my reviews, with you guys so you can update your reading list with some goodies.
Fight
by K. L. Cottrell
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Each book of this series just keeps getting better! We get to know these
characters so intimately, so completely, that they become absolutely
real. I laughed with them, cried with them, and triumphed with them.
This series has possessed me now and I can't wait to read the final
book!
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Angel Within
by Julie Nicholls
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
An amazing sequel to Demon Within! New friendships and new enemies.
Love, betrayal, heartache. And some steamy sex scenes too! This
beautifully written tale of friendship, loyalty, and the lengths one
will go to protect those you love is my new favorite of Julie's.
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Norma Jean's School of Witchery: Book Two: Ghost School
by Rose Montague
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Another exciting adventure of Jewel the witch! Things become more
complicated and the action is non-stop in this sequel to the first
addictive book of the Norma Jean's School of Witchery series. Though
very few scenes actually take place in the school, following Jewel as
she becomes more powerful and endures new quests is more entertaining
than ever. I had a hard time putting it down and can't wait for the
third book!
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
The Promise
by C. E. Wilson
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
This is the most beautiful, most tragic story that brought me to tears
over and over again. Once I started reading this tale of Lily and her
shrinking situation, I just couldn't stop. Sometimes loving someone just
isn't enough and though letting them go is painful, it can be for the
best. It's a hard lesson to learn for Erik and Lily but one that leads
to happiness later on.
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Rarely do I give so many five star reviews in one month but these books were fabulous reads! I also read some more volumes of the Kamisama Hajimemashita manga, Batman: The Killing Joke, and a few of those side Harry Potter books: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I had to get myself ready for the new Harry Potter book, after all!
Happy reading, everyone.
I always have so much going on that I feel seriously guilty when I take a few moments for myself. Between kids, writing, publishing, editing, marketing and promotion, three blogs, three Twitter accounts, two Facebook accounts, a newsletter, reading and reviewing, beta reading, housework, making and attempting to sell jewelry, beta reading, cooking meals, potty training a two-year-old, and all the other crap I do on a daily basis, I actually feel bad when I sit down and take a few minutes for me.
I honestly have forgotten how to fully relax. I can't sit down and read a few chapters of a book without worrying about the stuff I feel like I should be doing. I love watching TV shows and anime but it takes me forever to get through a series. So many interruptions. So many times I end up watching on my phone. It took me five days to watch an episode of Sword Art Online for crying out loud, watching ten minutes here and there when I could sneak it in.
Mommy needs a break.
My break used to be reading and writing. Escaping to those alternate worlds. Immersing myself in some character's life. Being somewhere else and being someone else. It was a great breather. A vacation from reality.
Not so much anymore. Too much worry in my mind.
I worry about finishing a book so I can post a review, especially with my indie author friends. I worry about being objective with my reviews, being honest about errors without being an asshole or being overly gushy without sounding fake.
I get anxious when I think about publishing. I have not published a book since January 1st and I had planned to have two more out by now, one under each pen name. People keep asking me when the next Spunky book is coming out. Umm, Kyra is writing that one so, I have no clue?
I get headaches stressing about money and my multiple side jobs that are so failing at making any extra cash for our family. Being poor sucks.
In other words, I need to take a chill pill. Like, I need a serious enema of happy to chill the hell out these days. I have been so anxious that I haven't been able to write anything but poetry in a month and that is pretty bad, folks.
I have to get a handle on this. I may really just go off the grid at the end of this month. No internet or social media of any kind. (See, I can't even think about that without worrying about people trying to contact me for book information or for help with their writing or wanting to buy jewelry, or... something.) It has gotten that ridiculous.
So, my faithful readers, I might have to disappear for a while. I might need to take an explore in the Hundred-Acre Woods or something. Get the hell out of Online Life and back into nature. Ah yes, nature, the thing that has always calmed me the most. That is most likely the real problem right there, I have not been out in nature enough in the past year. I miss it.
Maybe I will go camping. Alone. With no electronics of any kind.
Okay, maybe a camera. Let's not get too crazy.
