Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Currently Reading

We've come to the end of another year together, readers. I'm so very grateful that you've taken this journey with me. With all the rough times in health and family situations, this blog and you all have been comforts to me. I'm looking forward to 2015 and all the wonderful moments it will bring with it.

Writing and editing muses were very lazy this past week, but the reading muse pushed me to get back on track. I may not reach my original book goal of 120 books for 2014, but I was able to reach the halfway mark. That in the midst of everything I endured in the shadows made everything seem worthwhile. Here's to a new goal and a new year!


Moving to the new year with me are;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
The Vines by Christopher Rice


Leaving these books behind;
The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer by Joanne Drayton
The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Gift #1) by Jim Stovall

May each and every one of you have a wonderful, happy and safe new year celebration! It will be a laid-back, easy-going type of affair here. Good luck and hope to see you all in the new year!

Until next time,
Kay B

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Currently Reading

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

I know it's only Christmas Eve, but I wanted to be sure to get the good will out there before the festivities overtook us all. For the majority of the day, I will be with family and away from my computer. The rest of the week will be spent recovering from all the goodies and chit-chat. It doesn't really look as though we're going to have much in the way of snow for this Christmas. The weather has been mild, to say the least.

Over the course of the last few days, I've gotten much of the flu bug out of my system. I've been able to focus on reading and working once again. That's an awesome thing as I'm seeing this pile start to lean a little to one side. There's a definite fear that it will topple soon. Time to get to work devouring those words!


Found in the Christmas stocking,
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
The Vines by Christopher Rice


Riding high with Santa,
Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014 (True Crime Library RJPP #1) by R.J. Parker


Whatever holiday you and your loved ones celebrate this season, I wish you all lots of love, laughter and precious memories. May the good times be with you in the darker moments to give you light and joy.

Until next time,
Kay B

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Currently Reading

Not much left to the year known as 2014, but I've been doing a lot of soul searching over the past few days. Due to the rush of the holidays, my current bad health and a few personal situations with my family, I have come to a sort of sad decision. I will be posting only the Current Reading posts on Wednesdays until after the first of the new year. I hate to disappoint people, but the worry and health consequences would have me continually push things further and further in that direction. If I rest up and get well, I can come back with a passion to knock out this list.


Two by two, they gather here;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
The Vines by Christopher Rice


One by one, they limp away there,
None - yet.


A HUGE thanks to the authors who have been so gracious and allowed me to move their book reviews into the new year. I couldn't have made the decision without their input. Here's to everyone having a wonderful holiday season and see you all here next week!

Until next time,
Kay B

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Currently Reading

Hmm, I'm wondering if we're really so far into the new year. I know the calendar says that we are over a week into December, but the weather doesn't agree. There's been more rain than snow. Some in the area are worried that we might not get the white Christmas that we're used to seeing. Then again, not traveling with a foot of slush on the ground is great as well.

So far, we're marching through the TBR pile at a good pace. I'm glad that a lot of the outside projects have been completed. Now, I can get down to business with these books that have been waiting so patiently for me to pick them up. And if I'm to be really honest, I've been missing them as well. Whether they take me out of a painful or gloomy situation, books have always been a source of comfort.


Santa's watching my TBR list;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
The Vines by Christopher Rice



Titles going to good homes are;
Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen



In about a week or two, the extreme rush of the holidays will be on all of us in some fashion. No matter what your plans for the holidays may be, remember to stop and breathe. Enjoy the little moments that make them special memories.

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, December 8, 2014

Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen


Release Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Jayla's world had never been an easy one for her to navigate. Despite all that she had to endure, the one thing she wanted most was simply to fall in love. Then came Maxine - a charismatic, good-looking woman who stated her genuine love for Jayla and all Jayla's differences. Unfortunately, Maxine already a girlfriend, Becky.

When something devastating happened during a July weekend at Becky's house, Jayla was drawn into a web of lies, contradictions and manipulation unlike anything she ever encountered. She needed to choose between truth and love, the hardest decision one could be asked to make. Could she navigate the murky waters of all Maxine told her in time? Or would she fall victim to the woman's strange spell over her forever?

Review:
With all the books offered at NetGalley, it was hard to pick a few each month in order to keep myself from being overwhelmed. However, when I read the description for this book, something about the description set it apart from the others. This particular book did cover subjects that may be hard for some readers due in large part to the theme of domestic violence.

In a weird kind of way, the domestic violence became a character in the story alongside all the others. Jayla was a transgender teen trying to find her way in a world that didn't do well in the acceptance department. She had a rock in her best friend, Francesca, and her Aunt Hope, but the rest of the world wasn't as eager to help. The author was able to present a wide range of people that one might find within the LGBTQ community in way which didn't make light of the the struggles they face - both internally and in society. The skepticism that members of the community face and the lengths that they must go through in order to be accepted within our society today were well presented. On top of all this, Jayla found the love of her life in a cisgender girl named Maxine who unfortunately had a girlfriend well-known in the Center. Maxine was someone from the richer side of the tracks and brought a whole other layer of conflict to the story. The secondary characters in that part of the world had their own neuroses that also didn't make things easy on Jayla.

From the beginning the author eased both the reader and Jayla into the story, smoothly continuing until there seemed to be no hope. It was easy to see how someone who wanted to experience a real sense of love and acceptance could fall victim to someone with less than good intentions. And let's be honest, I was halfway through the book when the thought that the book might have not been up my alley after all. In fact, I envisioned the Twilight level backlash on the obvious domestic violence/abusive relationship occurring before the reader's eyes in the novel without the author responding to it within the story. I began to wonder if I should stop reading when Jayla called attention to the issue herself. That's when the book turned into a better read for me. Not only did the novel present the limited resources and several legal issues that a person in Jayla's position could endure, it threw a spotlight on the fact that anyone anywhere can be involved such a relationship.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. No, I didn't enjoy a few of the characters, but that's okay because they weren't written to be liked. I could see the signs of an abusive relationship and kept hoping that Jayla would as well. When she finally got it, I wanted to cheer. The evidence that the author did her homework on the issues and procedures that many transgenders have to go through was plain to see from the beginning of the book. When I first met Jayla, I didn't know she was a transgender woman. I thought the book was about two young cisgender women who fall in love and then all hell broke loose. I'm happy to have read this book because it did open my eyes to a number of different things. Though I'm still learning, it was place to start. If you're looking for a mysterious love story that keeps those pages turning, then this is the novel you to put on your TBR pile.

Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in either paperback or digital formats including Kindle. The link below will bring up the book's page at Amazon.
Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen

 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

December's Hopes and Dreams

I've said it time and time again. This year has gone by way too fast for my taste. Usually I have enough time to stop and savor the year. So many projects, books to be read and words to be written piled up that I never saw the pages turn on my calender. Sneaky pages, they shouldn't have been flipping by themselves!

With all the items that I had to set on the back burner recently, I was glad to find that I still had a passion for writing. No matter how silly the first draft sounds, I only have to sit down and get the words out. Then I can go back over it to polish it up before letting someone read through it. For a small part of the year, I let negativity get to me. It shut down my desire and belief that writing is what my heart wants me to do. I gave in to the dark thoughts that made me feel less than worthy of putting my thoughts on paper. Now that I have that fire once again, I'm looking forward to continuing my writing journey.

In the meantime my TBR pile grew by leaps and bounds. So many good books out there that I couldn't stop myself from collecting them in print and Kindle editions. My poor Kindle is screaming at me to get busy and read. So even though I took a break around this time last year due to the holidays, I think I need to spend some time alone with a great book or two. I am sure with the hustle and bustle of the family gatherings that I'll need a respite sooner rather than later.

I have set a goal to finish editing NaNo2012 and begin working on its sequel. I really feel that I've got a few good ideas that I hope pan out. That is, if my muse wants to help me. She is a fickle visitor at best. I'll have to make the most of her visits. I have been trying to sit in front of the computer for at least an hour a day, typing whatever comes to mind for the story I'm working on at the moment. No worry over whether it's good or bad, just get the words down. I know I mentioned that earlier. I continue to remind myself each day.

May the holiday season bring you peace, love and great memories. No matter what holiday you celebrate during the month of December, be sure to spend it with the ones you love to create memories to sustain through the rougher, darker moments.

Until next time,
Kay B

Friday, December 5, 2014

Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga


Release Date: April 16, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Jasper Dent series, Book 2

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Jasper Dent and the people of Lob's Nod spent months recovering from an attack by a serial killer known as the Impressionist. Thanks to Jasper's unique status as being the only son of Billy Dent, one of the most notorious serial killers in his own right, the town was saved with only a few casualties along the way. The aftermath left Jasper reeling as information about his past, as well as his father, found ways to slip out of their cages.

When a new, vicious killer began stalking the streets of New York, Jasper was called in to help with the search. Although he hoped to escape the clutches of his father's legacy, what he found in the latest case only confirmed how far-reaching Billy's influence truly was. Jasper was now in a race to solve the New York case, but to figure out the strange clues to his past before something bad happened to him or those he loved the most.

Review:
I found this book on NetGalley shortly after finishing the author's first book in the series. I was interested in what happened in Jasper's world since the events of the previous book, so I requested the book. Needless to say, there was quite a lot that going on for many within Jasper's circle of friends and not just to Jasper alone. This book didn't start immediately after the conclusion of I Hunt Killers, but some months after all hell broke loose in the little town of Lob's Nod.

The main trio of teenagers were once again in the middle of the action as a serial killer in New York baffled the police and FBI alike. As a last resort, one of the detectives made his case for Jasper's help in stopping the guy before a state-wide panic ensued. While the previous focused more on Jasper, his background and how the other people around town interacted with him, this book split the main focus on several of the players. Of course, we were shown more insights into the way Jasper navigated the world, but the author also presented more of Connie's home life and way of thinking and Howie's deep devotion to Jasper. Other characters introduced in this book include more of Jasper's strange family, law enforcement officials who were affected by Billy's crimes, and an ever-widening circle of killers who all seem to be linked.

After the book began with a pair of gruesome  murders and introduced the reader to whatever game was being played as well as the unknown players. The level of brutality and a strange level of creativity grew as the book continued. Even things taking place in Jasper's town seemed to be a beehive of activity that only settled down as the crimes elsewhere picked up. As the leads were followed and the case drew to a close, there was a sense that everything happened at a fever pitch until that final reveal. Conflict upon conflict upon conflict drove the story forward as everyone battled something whether it was an inner war or battling with someone else. There were a few moments where I couldn't believe the character made that particular decision. (Now, you know that I don't give spoilers if I can help it! Go read the book!)

In all honesty, this book was a really entertaining read for me. Even though I knew from the get-go that the killers were playing some sort of game, I didn't put it all together which game they were playing before Jasper did. Man, it was a bit of a shock when I did. That twist put a smile on my face because once it was out, you could flip back to the beginning and see it. What happened to the other characters and the other revelations the book offered really made me wonder how the end was going to answer all the questions from this book and the previous one. The ending both frustrated me and had me wanting to know where it was going. If you're looking for a special kind of twisted way of thinking mixed with the worries and problems that fill a teen boy's mind, then you need to pick up a copy of this book.

Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores in either hardcover or digital versions including Kindle. Clicking the link below will open the book's Amazon page.
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Currently Reading

Yes! Back on track after a whirlwind of the last two months. October was jam-packed with projects that ended, books read and even some great times with awesome family and friends. November came in as busy as October ended. I tired juggling NaNoWriMo with catching up the blog because I used all my reserves. So, now it's like I'm starting all over again. I like a challenge.

I didn't win my NaNoWriMo attempt this year because I ended at a hair under 40k words. About half a novel is waiting for me to shape and mold it. I'm happy with that. The past few years have been a challenge due to some mental blocks I've not been able to shake. I've got the bug to write again. I just hope that my muse is ready for how hard I want her to work. 


Excited to read through these;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Fire in the Blood by Erin M. Evans
Maxine Wore Black by Nora Olsen


Sad to see these go;
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga


Here's to hoping that December will allow me to get more done. Even with the holidays, I'm looking forward to all of the books I have coming up on the TBR list. Wishing all of you a safe and happy December!

Until next time,
Kay B