Introducing Pamela from A Writer's Tales

Sunday, January 31, 2016
Guest of the Month Club is hosted by Emily Reads Everything. Go check her out!

Today, I'm introducing Pamela. Give her a warm welcome!

Hi everyone! I'm Pamela, and I blog at A Writer's Tales :) 2015 was a year of awesome books, and like every year, there were a lot I couldn't get to. And 2016 releases or just making my TBR list grow. *sigh* Regardless of the frustration, there is a lot of excitement as well! BECAUSE BOOKS! These are 5 books I can't to read this year.

Shadow Study, by Maria V. Snyder

It came out last year, and I can't properly express how surprised I was that the author was resuming the Study series. I met Yelena and Valek, two awesome, kickass characters  back in 2013, when I read the first three books. Then, just because I couldn't stop thinking about the just, amazing world-building, I continued with the spin-off series. And now I get to see Yelena and Valek again! I've been told it's really good, so I really can't wait!

Soldier, by Julie Kagawa

:3 There are DRAGONS, do we really need another explanation?

Their Fractured Light, by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Beautiful cover. Check. Awesome authors. Check. Awesome Premise. Check. No-brainer for me as well after having read the two previous books. These two ladies are in my will-read-anything-they-write list.

Air Awakens, by Elise Kova

I've been hearing a lot about thise series and I love how it sounds, and plus, the covers are really beautiful. I know, I have a thing for beautiful covers, but really! For a while drawn characters were replaced by the girl's face with strange expression trope in YA books, and from time time it's good to see a different kind of design :)

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

I always talk about how much I've been wanting to start the Lunar Chronicles. You'll be pleased to know that I finally got the first book, Cinder, and will be reading it soon! All the hype around Winter, and Stars Above has gotten me in the fairy tale mood so I guess this one will be next after I finish the one I'm currently reading.
Honorable Mentions!

  • ​Truthwhich, by Susan Dennard
  • Glass Sword, by Victoria Aveyard
  • Passenger, by Alexandra Bracken
  • Undeniably Chosen, by Shelly Crane
And basically a whole lot of other 2nd books that 2016 has in store, like The Mirror King, by Jodi Meadows, and 2nds I haven't gotten to yet, like Ice Like Fire, by Sara Raasch.

Schardas Family Interview Fun Time

Friday, January 29, 2016
Graphic made by me (Wren.)

"Welcome to the Schardas Family Interview Fun Time!" Wren cried, opening her arms wide. Kell groaned and buried his face in his jacket. Wren huffed and started cussing. Mishma swooped in and rectified things by giving Wren, who was red-faced and angry-eyed, a cookie. Wren nibbled on it quietly as Mishma took a seat.
"The Schardas family is made of up characters from A Darker Shade of Magic, Vicious, Throne of Glass, Shadow and Bone, and Six of Crows," Mishma explained. Wren nodded and swallowed.
"And we, Mish and I, are big fans of all those books. Vicious especially. That's why we give special attention to Syd and Victor. Eli's just here for the free food," Wren continued. 
"As if," Eli scoffed. "You forced me to be here." He held up his bound hands. Wren waved a hand dismissively at him and placed her hands in her lap. Mishma rolled her eyes and dutifully continued, "Today, we have some questions for the whole family. They are made up by Wren because she's weird like that."
"Am not," Wren cried indignantly. 
"Are too. And I'm not continuing this," Mishma said with finality. 
"Ooh. Wren's got it now," Jesper said with a twinkle in his eye.
"How about we just get to it?" Wren ground out, sending a vicious scowl Jesper's way. The sharpshooter innocently held up his hands in surrender, fearing Wren's wrath which was just her vicious cooking which could fell any man. 

"Okay. First question. Who is the one who typically cooks for the kids?" Sydney read, holding up the notecard. She placed the thin slice of cardstock back onto the pile.
"Mish," Wren said without hesitation. "I'd burn the house down."
"Hopefully, with me in it," Eli said sourly. 
"Tsk tsk. You're always so rude. I should give you gruel for that," Wren retorted.
"How about not poisoning our kids?" Mishma suggested.
"If they're being asses, I have a right to exact revenge-I mean punishment," Wren whined.
"That's called bad parenting," Nikolai muttered.
"Haha, speak for yourself," Wren snapped. "You'd be an awful parent. You'd let the kiddos just run free." Nikolai rolled his eyes at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Next question. Who is the one who reads the bedtime stories?" Nina asked, eyeing the two 'parents' over the edge of the notecard.
"I think we'd both do it," Mishma said. "If we ever thought about doing it. Why don't we read them bedtime stories anyways?" She eyed Wren suspiciously.
"Because if we did, we'd give them nightmares," Wren replied. "And we don't want that."
"As if you haven't given us nightmares already," Jesper sassed.
"Go to your room," Wren commanded. Jesper rolled his eyes and planted his feet on the ground. Wren raised an eyebrow, challenging the boy. Jesper hesitated before getting up and slinking away. He didn't care risk the wrath of Wren. She'd mostly force feed him burnt cookies or something.  A triumphant grin spread across Wren's lips.
"Why'd we get nightmares?" Sydney asked. 
"No reason," Wren said hurriedly. "Next question."

Victor lazily plucked a card from the stack. "Who feeds the fish?"
"Ohmygod what fish?" Wren asked incredulously.
"Mr. Goldstein," Sydney said, looking baffled. "Over there." She tossed a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. Sitting on the windowsill was a bowl of dirty-looking water. Wren gaped in surprise. "Oh my gosh. Hold on. I gotta do something. I'll be back," she said. She grabbed her wallet and phone. "Call me if you need anything," Wren cried and dashed out of the room. Mishma stared at the empty space on the couch where Wren had sat. 
"Where's she going?" Sydney asked.
"Uh...um," Mishma stammered.
"Goodness," Victor muttered. "Sydney understands more about death than any of you."
"But she's a kid," Mishma protested. Victor just rolled his eyes. 
Nina smiled at Sydney and pinched the younger girl's cheeks. "But Syd doesn't mind, right?" Nina asked, cooing. Sydney just smiled. She was probably plotting everyone in the room except Victor's demise. But who knows?
"Alright. A new question," Mishma announced. "Two more before dinner."

"I'll do it," Nikolai said. He lifted a card from the stack. "Who makes sure the kids do their homework?" he read.
"Homework?" Rhy cried. "Since when have we had homework?"
"Well, some of us try to get good grades," Nina sniffed. "Unlike others." She shot an evil look at Rhy. 
Wren raced in and threw herself down onto the couch. "Go," she panted, "check...on...fishy thing." Mishma patted Wren's head. Sydney climbed out of the tangle of pillows and strode away. Wren held up her hand for high fiving because that was a close call. Mishma rolled her eyes but smacked Wren's hand. 
"What about homework?" Wren asked, looking bored. 
Rhy threw down the card and pouted. 
"Do we ever have homework?' he demanded.
"Almost every day," Wren replied. "Do you just not do it, Rhy?" She slowly rose to her feet, fire in her eyes. "You'll never get into a good college if you don't know your homework. And you'll never get a good job if you don't get a good education. And you'll not be able to support your family. You wretched little sh-" She pounced, tackling Rhy who flopped about and gasped. She wrestled him into a headlock, beaming up at Mishma. Mishma calmly walked over and pinched Wren's ear. Wren whimpered and released Rhy. Rhy huffed in annoyance and fled to the kitchen for some cookies.

"Last question," Mishma said, releasing Wren. "Why don't you do it, Chaol?" 
Chaol shrugged and grabbed a card. "Who is your favorite child?" Chaol asked, raising an eyebrow at the card.
"Sydney. Because she doesn't hate me," Wren said without hesitation. Sydney walked in. Wren got up and wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Sydney struggled a bit before just letting Wren hold her. Wren placed her chin on the top of Sydney's head.
"And I don't have a favorite," Mishma replied. "I love you all." She offered a smile to each of her kids. 
"And on that bombshell...thanks for joining our dysfunctional family," Wren chirped, clapping enthusiastically. Mishma groaned and shook her head. 
"You're too weird," Mishma said. Wren beamed in response. "That's a good thing," Wren replied. "See you guys soon!" 

In Another World: The Grishaverse

Thursday, January 28, 2016
Graphic by Claire from Cover to Cover
You may or may not know that I am a fan of the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I love the different types of Grisha. Now, wouldn't my characters be cool as Grisha? Or at least in the Grishaverse?
I'll be calling upon some of my darker contemporary, fantasy, and science fiction stories. I haven't finished writing any of these except The King of the Crows (which is a short story.)

Trixie from Trixie's To Do Before You Drop Dead List (NaNo 2015): Inferni
Trixie is that sort of person your mother always told you to stay away from. She has a free-spirit personality and isn't afraid to do whatever she wants. Even if that means someone is caught in her dust. She has a hot temper and a barbed tongue. Definitely a trouble maker. Especially when she gets married (illegally) on the Vegas Strip.
It's not that Trixie means to be destructive to the people around her. It's that she doesn't understand that she's doing it.

Ravenda from The King of the Crows: Squaller
Squallers work with air and wind. Ravenda is the king of the crows. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Enough said.

Dyvian from Ravensoul: Healer
Even though Ravenda and Dyvian are supposed brothers, there aren't many commonalities with these two. Ravenda is aloof and sarcastic. Dyvian can't hurt anyone with his words or attitude. Dyvian is the kinder of the two brothers. He is always ready to hug or smile at someone. He is the sort of person who'd do anything to help you.
And that's why he's a healer.
Completely unrelated side note! Ravensoul is ever-changing and always has been. You should have seen it in its early stages. It's completely different from what is happening with it now.

Maximum Dodd from Unnamed Time Travel Story: Alkemi
Maximum Dodd is a wacky, the Doctor-esque person. He's scatterbrained but a genius. The 'improver of time travel' since he made it safer and easier to come by. He works well with his mind. The physical world is something that confounds him, though. (That's why he's not a Durast. Durasts use solid objects to create.)

Delicious Desserts Book Tag

Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Graphic done by me (Wren)
Hiya, it's Wren here.
You may or may not know that I'm an avid fan of dessert. I thought, 'Why not make a book tag for desserts?' And so this idea was born.

Cake: A book that filled you up
And doesn't this cake look delicious? AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE. I wants you!

I'm going with Vicious by Victoria Schwab. This book was great. I read it so quickly. It took me only a few days. It had murder and mystery and magic. Three Ms that make me all giddy. Plus, it was by one of my favorite authors Victoria Schwab.


Cupcake: An under-300 paged book you ADORED

George by Alex Gino is so sweet. It was cute and fluffy. Definitely something I adored and loved from the start.
If you ask me, George would be more of a vanilla cupcake with chocolate filling. Something surprising inside.

Cookies: Favorite audiobook/ebook

I don't typically listen to audiobooks. And I don't typically enjoy ebooks. But I do admit I loved the eARC of This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp I got from NetGalley. The book was amazing by itself. I was bawling by the end of the book. And I was on a car ride. So it's a bit embarrassing. Trust me on that. The ebook part was mostly because I didn't have a copy with me. Haha.


Tarts: Favorite quick read

I'm totally counting manga for this one. Because manga is a quick read. Haha.
I'm saying Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori. This manga series is so cute. I read almost all the hardcopies my library had in a few days. As soon as I got them, I spent an hour to finish them. Manga is always easy to read. Especially in hard copy form. It only takes me an hour (as I said.)


Ice cream: Favorite couple that's hot hot hot

I'm going to say Chaol and Celaena from Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. Because whoa. Those two had their moments. They were very compatible. (Hush, shippers. It's my opinion.) I've been a Chaolena fan for a while.
And I know people will say the romance from Lux, but I've never read it (adamantly so.) Not to mention the fact that I'm not a huge fan of romance to begin with. Just saying.
And I don't read hot romances. Ever. At most, it's steamy.


Pudding/custard: Best supporting character

Iko from Cinder by Marissa Meyer is amazing. She's funny and cute and sassy. Her commentary is quick. She reminds me of Clara Oswin Oswald (COO) who also had quick retorts. And COO is sassy too. COO's from Doctor Who. Just as a reminder.
Iko is android goals.


Pie: A book with a great setting and world development

Going with Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. It's been a long time since I read this book. But it was amazing. The world was intriguing. It was detailed. (To my recollection.) It had many elements. And I just loved the premise. And the maps were...ugh...gorgeous.


Chocolate and assorted candies: A guilty pleasure book

This is going to be fan fiction. Why? I don't typically read it. And I personally love reader inserts. That's when it's you (the reader) as the main character. And I typically read the Hetalia ones if I do read them. I used to write reader inserts of anime on DeviantArt. Yeah, not Wattpad or Fanfiction.net. DeviantArt. It's a cool place. The groups are great to meet new people and find new stories. I've written Free! reader inserts and some Ouran ones. And a good amount of Hetalia ones. Because I adore Hetalia. (I'm such a big fan of Ivan who is Russia and Lovino who is South Italy/Romano.)

I'm tagging Cait at Paper Fury. Anyone can join in, though! 
I tag you, dear tomato!

The Eight Emotions You Get With 'Welcome to Night Vale'

Friday, January 22, 2016


23129410

Welcome to Night Vale

Author: Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

From the creators of the wildly popular Welcome to Night Valepodcast comes an imaginative mystery of appearances and disappearances that is also a poignant look at the ways in which we all struggle to find ourselves...no matter where we live.

Located in a nameless desert somewhere in the great American Southwest, Night Vale is a small town where ghosts, angels, aliens, and government conspiracies are all commonplace parts of everyday life. It is here that the lives of two women, with two mysteries, will converge.

Nineteen-year-old Night Vale pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro is given a paper marked "King City" by a mysterious man in a tan jacket holding a deer skin suitcase. Everything about him and his paper unsettles her, especially the fact that she can't seem to get the paper to leave her hand, and that no one who meets this man can remember anything about him. Jackie is determined to uncover the mystery of King City and the man in the tan jacket before she herself unravels.

Night Vale PTA treasurer Diane Crayton's son, Josh, is moody and also a shape shifter. And lately Diane's started to see her son's father everywhere she goes, looking the same as the day he left years earlier, when they were both teenagers. Josh, looking different every time Diane sees him, shows a stronger and stronger interest in his estranged father, leading to a disaster Diane can see coming, even as she is helpless to prevent it.

Diane's search to reconnect with her son and Jackie's search for her former routine life collide as they find themselves coming back to two words: "King City". It is King City that holds the key to both of their mysteries, and their futures...if they can ever find it.
 


If I should creepy throughout this review, I'm trying to be mysterious and odd. That's required for anything related to Night Vale. So ignore my lame attempts at creepiness.

1) What in the world am I reading? This makes no sense!
As you start your journey down the path of Night Vale, you'll think everything is weird. Even to a veteran of the podcast, I think some aspect of this novel are a little weird. Essentially, you'll be thinking 'This doesn't make sense' throughout the whole book. Night Vale makes no sense, and the book doesn't make sense as a result.
Feral dogs. The glow cloud. Antiques. You'll be wondering if the writers were high while they wrote this. Maybe they were. It's not a known fact or anything. Maybe you're the one who's high. Haven't you thought that?

2) CEECCCILLL


This photo is not owned by me. The rights go the owners
That first snippet of the podcast script got me almost-squealing. You could hear Cecil's voice in your ear, quietly whispering sweet nothings. What? He's dating Carlos? I know. But still. People have dreams, you know.
Cecil Baldwin has a voice of rich chocolate and silk. If I had a narrator for my life, it'd be Cecil Baldwin. Not to mention the fact that he sounds like that in every day life.
Don't get what I mean? Turn on your radio and stick in your headphones and listen. And try not to be hypnotized.
Do it now.
See? It's impossible. His voice just makes you want to run to your nearest bloodstone circle and chant him to your side. Need a bloodstone circle? I'm not sharing mine. I need it for important things like summoning the book demons and the writing demons and the blogging demons. Essentially, all the demons.
Oh goodness. Get back, Lucifer. I'm trying to write! Sorry about him.

3) I think I got this...



You'll think that you understand Night Vale. You'll pretend that Night Vale makes sense. In a way that doesn't make sense at all. You just have to accept things. Oh? You're not going to accept things? What's wrong with you? Did your parents never teach you acceptance? It's a need if you live in Night Vale. Do I live in Night Vale? Maybe. You'll never know.

4) Nope never mind. I'm still lost



And then you'll realize that you're completely lost and need someone to guide you. Don't worry. The faceless old woman who lives in your house is a very good guide. She pointed me to my lost watch once. But she takes part of your soul as payment. But who needs a soul anyways? Not me!

5) Okay, I'm enjoying this. Even if it makes no sense.
Stop resisting. You can't figure Night Vale out. Don't even try. Just accept it.
It is a little odd, but that's Night Vale for you.
Acceptance is key.

6) -shiver- I'm getting chills



Yes, Night Vale is a weird town. It is also a little creepy. I remember shivering at my first experience with the podcast. But in the good way. Is there a good way to shiver, Wren? Yes. There is.

7) Aw...anticlimactic!
I'm sorry, but the whole King City and Troy thing was very anticlimactic. They just talked to him? That's lame. Especially if the entire book had great buildup.
I wanted more creeps, but you don't always get what you ask for.

8) Satisfying. Let's go listen to WTNV
Now, you just want to shower and have your house whisper thoughts to you. Or hail the glow cloud. Or die for a bit while you pawn your 'object' (as if personal possession exists.)
Or I'll forcibly make you listen. Your choice.

Bloggers and Dragons: A Fun-Filled Blogger v. Blogger Game

Thursday, January 21, 2016


The dynamic duo at Otaku Twins Reviews sometimes have good ideas. Especially if I help them.
Kidding, I love you both. 
But we both came up with the idea for Bloggers and Dragons. 
You're probably all confused now and thinking, 'Can Wren just hurry up?' The answer is no, I can't. Okay...maybe I can.

What in the world is this, Wren? 

Well, you're sounding crotchy today. It's a blogger v. blogger game of SURVIVAL. Kill or be killed, dude. 
Kidding.
I'm awful at jokes, aren't I?
This is a lovely game where you are put on a team of bloggers. You and your fellow teammates will create a squad of book characters to fit a certain environment. By environment, I mean setting. And to put it in D&D terms, it's a dungeon. Do the settings/environments/dungeons stay the same each week? NOPE. (Haha, sucker.) Every week will have a different dungeon.
And you won't get to keep any characters you've already used. So choose your characters wisely.

Still confused? 
Here is everything put simply.
You+other bloggers (a team) make a squad (of book characters) to fit a certain environment. 
Like D&D but you get to choose who's on your squad.
Each week will have a new dungeon.
And you can't reuse characters from a previous dungeon.

And...blogger versus blogger? Excuse me! EXPLAIN.

Hold your pitchforks. You're sounding like a Dalek. Take an emotions pill. Better?
Also...don't kill the messenger. Okay...I'm more of a Gamemaker than a messenger. Still, I'd rather keep my heart beating and my soul inside this bag of skin and bones. 
It's each team of bloggers for themselves. A fight to the death. (Okay. Not the death. Maybe...mild humiliation is it.) 
You'll be up against the rest of the teams of bloggers to see whose team fits the scenario the best. And how is the best chosen? Wait, and I'll tell you. You want the answer now? Check out the 'How  does a team win' question. 

How many people to a team? How many teams? Teams teams teams.

Goodness. You're a team player, aren't you? No? Well...this is awkward.
We don't know! It all depends on how many people sign up! So get all your friends to sign up. Forcibly. Okay, maybe just threaten one book.

How does a team win?

So there's a dungeon each week, right? All the dungeons require a new squad. And these squads will be up for vote by your bloggy peers.
Yes, it's a voting contest by the people. (By the people and for the people, am I right?)
The team with the most votes (aka people think their squad would survive best in the dungeon) wins! 

I wanna join! When is this?

We have no clue. No seriously. We're thinking sometime during the summer, but we want YOU to choose. (Aka we're too lazy to figure it out. I'm kidding.)

How can I sign up? 

We have the perfect link for you.

And if you want a more...energetic version of this, check out this link.

Tomato Talks: I'm okay with authors talking personally on Twitter, and I'm not okay with being okay

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

I'm perfectly fine with authors talking about controversial topics on their Twitters. I know Lauren DeStefano's opinions on the school shootings. I know Victoria Schwab's opinions on pro-life and pro-choice.

Do I think that authors deserve their voice? Yes, I do. If it was me, I'd be shouting my opinions on mental health and diversity and gay rights. That's just me. I know people are touchy about certain topics. I know that. Am I saying that authors should be silenced? No, I'm not.
This is what I'm saying.
I'm a writer for my school newspaper. The sponsor for the newspaper told us to be careful about what we say on social media. We can't show opinions on controversial topics. We can't be leaning to one side or the other. Even a RT or a like can ruffle someone's feathers. You need to be careful. You can't trip over someone's breaking point. You can't hurt someone's feelings and have them lash out at you. Or at your paper/company.
It's not worth the risk.

That's why I wince each time I see an opinion on a controversial topic. I'm all for freedom of speech. But saying the wrong thing could be bad for you. You could get hurt. Or worse.

It's not like you're a random face in a sea of many. You're an author. Someone people know. They know your face. Your story. Sometimes, even, your location. It's so worrying when authors shout their opinions. What if they get hurt? That's what I'm worried about.

I'm not saying to silence authors. I'm not saying to silence anybody.

I'm saying to be careful. Be so very careful.

What do you think about authors talking about controversial topics on Twitter? Tell me!

Don't Have an 'Identity Crisis': Blog Tour

Sunday, January 17, 2016

25877205Identity Crisis

Author: Melissa Schoor

When curvaceous Annalise Bradley’s scandalous freshman year hookup sparks the anger of her female classmates, three of them decide to get her back by "catfishing" her, creating a fake online profile of the perfect boy to toy with her affections.

Against her better nature, introverted Noelle Spiers, goes along with her friends’ plan, hoping to distract Annalise from dreamy Cooper Franklin, her lifelong crush who has fallen for Annalise instead.

As Annalise discovers she is being played and seeks revenge, Noelle increasingly regrets her role in the cruel hoax and tries to salvage their relationship.

Told in alternative perspectives, IDENTITY CRISIS covers romance, betrayal, and timeless friendship in the age of modern technology.


BOOK LINKS:
Amazon paperbackhttp://amzn.to/1SdGGfq

City of Identity
Who are you? That's the slogan for this town. It's a town of mystery and fake love. The people in the town lie, but they have good reasons to. At least that's what they tell themselves. There are music festivals often, and people compete to get the singer's attention.
But underneath it all, there is revenge.
"I gobbled this book up. It was an interesting book. I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading. Why? I'll tell you.
"The characters were fascinating. Especially the character development. Annalise had a troubled past. Thing is none of it was her fault. It's not like she could control her dad cheating or people assuming she was itching to jump into Amos's pants. Everything with her Freshmam Fling incident was a misunderstanding. Two things. One, she was only a freshman. That's insanely young for all of this to happen. Two. These things don't typically happen in teenage life. I haven't heard of these things before, but I'm not a typical teenager. And Noelle was so unassuming. You wouldn't think she'd do any of this. I honestly think she did care for Annalise. She started to stand up for herself, and I really liked that. People shouldn't let themselves be walked over. Her change was invigorating. It made me want to change. Just a little. But I'm a stickler for consistency.
"I loved the emphasis on friendship. Maeve's friendship with Annalise was subtle, but Maeve cared for Annalise and didn't want her (Annalise) hurt. It was sweet that Maeve cared so much for her friend. Their friendship reminded me of my best friend and I. They stuck together. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Eva's gang. Poor Noelle was roped into that mess. I despised, and still do, people like Eva. She wasn't a good friend. She dragged Noelle into catfishing Annalise. For what? Revenge? That's extremely rude no matter now you look at it. I would hate to be in a friendship like Noelle and Eva's. I'd be so submissive like Noelle, though. That's the sad thing. Maybe I would end up fighting. But things would be like they were for Noelle in the beginning.
"The ending was satisfying. The epilogue really tidied things up. I loved how Annalise and Noelle ended up. And Cooper. Him too. That little rascal got it good. I felt like there wasn't anything more. Nothing to add. Sure, the Brass Knuckles scandal was a tad annoying and a tad rushed, but I didn't particularly mind. The friendships built were great. I really liked it. And Noelle standing up for herself and publicly apologizing? Perfect. Not that it'd happen in real life, though.
"Plot wise, this book was a little lacking. It wasn't that the plot was slow or anything. It was a little rushed if you ask me. Things happened too fast. They met. They flirted. They discovered the truth. I wanted things to slow down. Life doesn't happen that fast. Relationships don't happen that fast. If things were slower, that would have been better."


IDENTITY CRISIS has part of a song’s lyrics in it. Come up with a SECOND VERSE for the rest of the song in order to enter the giveaway! (Song on the rafflecopter entry) Leave your answer in the rafflecopter and in the comments section!

SONG: “INNER BEAUTY”

(FIRST VERSE) 
You sparkle
You shine
Your cheekbones
Sublime
But a pretty face does not mean a pretty heart.

(CHORUS)
There’s just no inner beauty
Where is your inner beauty?
Without some inner beauty
You’re a perfect waste of time.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Melissa Schorr is the YA author of GOY CRAZY (Hyperion 2006) and IDENTITY CRISIS (forthcoming, Merit Press 2016), and a contributor to the YA anthology DEAR BULLY.
She is currently a contributing writer/editor to the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. Her freelance work has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, People, Self, San Francisco magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. 
Melissa currently lives in Boston with her husband, her daughters, and her dog, Bailey.

AUTHOR LINKS:







Shine the light on truth with 'Illuminae'

Friday, January 15, 2016


23395680

Illuminae

Author: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman


This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.
This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

City of The Truth
A city of science fiction. Of fighters with heart and sass. Of a hacker who knows her stuff. Of an AI who could kill them all. Of sweet romance and joking friends. And lovers separated.
"This book is so amazing, so perfect. I can't help but gush about this book. So I will.
"Kady was a great character. She was clever and sassy. She had determination and drive coursing through her veins. And all her conversations were rife with sass. I really liked reading her character. I like sassy characters who don't let anyone walk over them. And Kady was a perfect example of that.
"The romance was so sweet and lovely. These two cared for each other. Even if Kady originally broke up with Ezra. Their conversations were rapid-fire and hilarious. Their usage of text emojis was amazing. These two are relationship goals. You can truly tell they care for each other. Everything they said and did showed it. Their joking was sweet and amicable. I want a relationship like Ezra and Kady's. They're not just lovers; they're best friends too.
"The plot had me on the edge of my seat. The attack. The escape. The chase. And AIDAN. Wow. It was thrilling. I was yearning for all the time to read. You couldn't predict what would happen. AIDAN didn't. And he's a supercomputer AI. All the action sequences and the hacking made my heart sing.
"The way the pages looked was definitely different. It was a truly unique way of telling a story. Reports and chats and drawings. It wasn't just written word. It was art. How serious, I know. All the artwork was great. The artwork used words to form pictures. That's called concrete poems, if I recall correctly. They were beautiful and captivating. Made me want to try. Probably wouldn't make something distinguishable if I tried.
"I seriously can't think of any problems with this book. There aren't any questions left. I have no qualms about the romance. I even like the romance. All I want is the second book."

Things I Need To Do: Bloggiesta Jan 2016

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Bloggiesta Button 2

I heard about the Bloggiesta. I have a lot of stuff to do for my blog, so I decided to try this! I need to really work on my blog. I'll be changing a lot

To Do:

-Work on graphics 
  1. Specifically for Delicious Desserts
-Write new posts! 
  1. Rogues Read Books Too: Introducing the last groups of characters
  2. In Another World
-Write new discussions 
  1. Try not to be circuitous 
-Update Goodreads
-Start on the change to Bookmato Chronicles
-Work on blog template-Find a new review format

PageLines- bloggiestalogo.gif

Keep Calm and 'Carry On', Simon Snow

Friday, January 8, 2016

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Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell


Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

City of Magical Peoples
A town with gay Harry Potters. (It's the truth. Don't deny it.) Of magic and Chosen Ones. Of handsome and sneering vampires and scatterbrained magicians with unimaginable amounts of power. A town with old families trying to overthrow the man on top who just wants a world for magics and mages.
"Okay. Simon was chill. I liked that. He was the worst Chosen One. But he was snarky and funny. He reminds me of Yuui from Owari no Seraph. Just a little. He was so perfectly imperfect. He wasn't this extremely handsome guy. He wasn't extremely smart. He wasn't great at magic. In fact, he was terrible at magic. It was great to have this main character who wasn't made in the image of perfection. It was something new.
"And Lucy's chapters. I just adored those. It was great to learn the past through her story. The Davy thing was so cool. It was interesting to see Davy in a different light. Lucy adored him. Maybe she was really in love with him. Her last chapter revealed so much. It was a little saddening as well. She was dead and just wanted to talk to her beloved son. Why wasn't she allowed to do that?
"The way they summoned magic was different, but I thought it was cool. If I was in this world, I'd be the worst Mage ever. I'm not very good at finding my words, so I'd be trying out a new spell and not find the right word and just say 'thing' instead and screw things up. I loved seeing all the phrases used to summon magic. Some old and some new. I'd just make up a whole new batch of spells from my unique phrasing and diction. (I say odd things. For example, I use pizzacake as a curse word. And I say "You're being summoned.") And they'd all be horrible and metaphorical. I'm so weird. And that's the gospel truth.
"I was conflicted on the plot. It was very anticlimactic, but it was interesting in the beginning and middle. The end was too rushed, though. Why wasn't there a cool battle scene? I'd like that. Mage versus Simon versus Humdrum. Or is it the other way around? I wasn't quite sure. Can you fight incorporeal beings? How do you fights ghosts anyways? Hope for the best? Ugh. That's just messing with my head. But the beginning was great. The murder mystery drew me in. Who killed Baz's mom? Why? And why was he kidnapped? I actually figured things out before the characters did, and when they realized the truth, I was thinking, 'Took you long enough.'
"I hated that I felt like I was missing something. There were other Humdrum attacks. Simon destroyed things. Baz tried to kill him. It's like reading Harry Potter from the last book to the first. (Which I sorta did. I read the last book after the first. I never actually finished the series, though. Haha. Don't hurt me.) It felt like that. So much had happened outside the book. I wanted to know what happened, but these things were barely touched upon. We really need a series about just Simon's younger years. What was he like as a little thing? Hm, I wonder...
"And the multiple PoVs was distracting. I couldn't focus on the plot itself. So much was happening. I was trying to rein in my thoughts, but then I'd get hit with some information from Baz or Penny, and I'd be sent back to square one. It was a mind trick to try and keep track of things. I sorta gave up in the end. I just read. Carry on, am I right?
"Overall, it wasn't a bad book. I didn't have high expectations or anything. My expectations were met. But I wasn't completely in love. I know people will cry diversity, but the romance was lacking. I won't touch upon that, though. I always complain about that anyways. So not the best but not the worst. A Penny sort of book. Haha."