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, all.
I do hope your Halloween was enjoyable. I made my own Viking costume and threatened people with an ax. Good times. What did you dress as?
I wanted to pop in and share some news with you, valued readers. Hollow Hills has a new anthology coming out next month titled STILL STANDING. This collection of short stories and poetry will benefit Crisis Text Line, a non-profit that helps those in crisis. Find out more about this wonderful organization here.
Various authors came together bringing unique fantasy and science fiction tales to this amazing anthology. The stories and poems involve bullying, harassment, or ill-treatment by others in some way. The stories may get dark, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Our protagonists will not be kept down because in the end they are still standing tall.
For more information about each story in the anthology, visit the Hollow Hills website.
My story, "The Brave Blacksmith" is about a man who became a legend but walked away from his past life. Now he does odd jobs, enduring bullying from local villagers and even his own employers sometimes. Merely trying to make it through each day while dealing with his own inner demons, the queen of his land suddenly calls upon him to track down and help a sorcerer in a neighboring kingdom. Accepting the quest may mean a break from his daily struggles, but his pain still follows him as he heads out with his trusty tools to locate a powerful stranger.
Follow Blacksmith on his adventures in STILL STANDING, coming December 14th. Pre-orders are available now.
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41969929-still-standing
100% of royalties will go to Crisis Text Line, so be sure to grab your copy today!
Hello, all.
No, I didn't die, though I have been absent for quite a bit. Various things going on in my personal life have kept me busy and I honestly haven't been reading as much of late. So in this post, I will share the few indie books I have read since April.
Before I get to that, let me plug my newest release that hit the market in July. Tantalizing Tales of the Horrific and Fantastic is a collection of short stories that span various genres.
Here is the blurb and buy links:
Sink
your teeth into this book of fantastical short stories that will leave
you wanting more. This collection mixes fantasy, science fiction,
horror, and more into one big boiling pot of tastiness. Stories may
include princesses, talking birds, alien species, magical items,
terrifying creatures, cyborgs, or assassins. You’ll get your fill of
thrills and chills.
BUY LINKS: Universal link - Amazon - Goodreads - Books2Read
Now on to the indie books!
Valkyrie on Planet Fury
by Lynne Murray
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Lynne Murray knocks it out of the park again!
It
had been a while since I read the first book Gravitas: Valkyrie in the
Forbidden Zone. I had almost forgotten what an amazing storyteller this
author is but two pages in and it all came rushing back. Her memorable
characters. Her own sci-fi take on various mythologies. Her amazing
building of complex societies. Everything about this book makes it such a
pleasure to read.
Though there are some editing issues, the
storytelling shines through as we are whisked away on another
edge-of-your-seat adventure with Sybil, our favorite oddball from Planet
Valkyrie. Tension, romance, devious plots, and sexy fun are in store.
We even meet Medusa!
I highly recommend this one.
American Darkness
by Garrison Kelly
Rating: 3 Stars
Review:
If you're looking for a
collection of short stories where everyone is pissed off all the time,
look no further. Each story certainly delves into the darkness of
humankind, showing how unreasonable and crazy some people can be. Though
most of the characters are over-the-top and violence is the word of the
day, there is usually a happy-ish ending in store. Be sure to listen to
some angry screamo while reading this one!
Once Upon a Fabulous Time
Various Authors
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
Here
are a bunch of random fairy tale stories from various authors put
together nicely in one anthology. Though I still didn't see how each
story tied into the main story throughout, I enjoyed this book more than
expected. I have to say that both Aliya DalRae stories were my favorite
of the bunch. "Where Darkness Lies" by Joanna Van Leerdam was my next
favorite. Their stories were the strongest and best written.
Though
some of the other stories were okay, my least favorite was Mr. Wizardo.
There was confusing head-hopping as well as scene jumping that would
jolt me out of the story. To be honest, I skipped the rest of the story
after Chapter Two. The author's need to slap the reader in the face with
a Wizard of Oz reference in every single paragraph got really old
really fast, especially when most references didn't come across as
making any sense.
Overall, a nice collection with a few tales I wouldn't mind seeing fleshed out into novel length stories.
Ghostly Writes 2017
by Various Authors
Rating: 3 Stars
Review:
An
entertaining collection of short stories. Only a few of the stories
were scary, though all contained some aspect of the supernatural. My
favorite stories were "A Grave Business" by Michael Lynes and "The Big
Escape" by Marjorie Hembroff.
Happy reading, all!
Hello, fellow readers!
Today we celebrate Indie Pride Day, a movement that supports independent authors around the world. Every year on July 1st, authors take selfies of themselves with their books and take to social media using the #IndiePrideDay and #IndieBooksBeSeen hashtags.
Why should readers care?
Ah, dear readers, but don't you see, independent authors are only the BEST for so many reasons!
The indie community is one of the friendliest, most helpful places to be when you are a newbie writer just getting started. There are various groups on Facebook, (My favorite being Authors-Professional Co-op) that are there to support each other by answering questions and giving feedback. We don't see other writers as competition; we recognize that we are all in this together.
Indie authors are also some of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting (Online. I wish I knew these people in real life!). Many avid readers are under the impression that indies, specifically self-published authors, "couldn't hack it" with big name publishers and were forced to publish their books themselves. This is not the case. Many authors choose to self-publish or go through a small publishing company because of the freedom they have when it comes to their story and the final product. Talent has nothing to do with it.
In fact, I have a few indies that I immediately purchase whenever they put out a new release because they are just that good. Seriously, their books are magic.
So, what can you do, dear reader, to help this wonderful movement? Share any of the posts you see with those special hashtags. Show indies love by buying their books, telling your friends, and leaving reviews. In return, we'll keep putting our hearts and souls into the stories that you love.
Happy Indie Pride Day, everyone!
All my love to you, fellow indies!
