Book Review: Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

Farsighted
by Emlyn Chand

Genre: YA Paranormal / Fantasy

Ages: 14 and up

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review from Bewitching Book Tours.

Description:

Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

My Thoughts:

This book was highly entertaining. The characters, the story, everything. Alex, a blind teenager reluctantly dealing with burgeoning psychic abilities, was richly developed and easy to like. I really liked how he never complains about being blind; it's just the way he is. However, that doesn't mean that he is above using the image of a helpless blind kid to deal with a bully. I also loved the way he puts up with his mom's silly nicknames for him. He does stupid things and slightly cruel things sometimes, but that just makes him more real. His psychic abilities present a world of possibilities with a talent for seeing the future and the present, as well as other things.

Simmi and Shapri are his only two friends and I liked them both. Simmi is sweet and gentle, though she can cause a heck of a lot of trouble if she wants to. Shapri is a little more complicated. She can see and speak to dead people but she won't admit it to herself, convinced that they are still alive. She has more spark and temper to her than Simmi, and I must admit that I would like to her end up with Alex. There are just enough hints for a possible love triangle in book two.

The only small issue I had with this book was that the plot was a bit strange and confusing at times. However, it is the first book in a series so I am hoping things will be explained more in the next book. I would recommend this book to lovers of sweet romance, mystery, a bit of action and a fun paranormal story.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

I rate it a 4.10 for some brief mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:

I give it a 2.10 for vague hints and references to a possible affair.

Violence:

I rate it a 6.10 for some mild action-violence as well as visions of possible future murders.

                            Lieder Madchen



Farsighted by Emlyn Chand: Black Friday Blitz!

Today I'd like to share an excerpt from Emlyn Chand's hot new paranormal novel, Farsighted (it just released on 10/24). Before diving in, check out this teaser for the book:

Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

Okay, now that you're caught up, on to the excerpt! I hope you'll enjoy it.

Almost Kiss

an excerpt from Farsighted, chapter 7

Simmi and I arrive at this rally point together from Mrs. Warszynski’s to wait for Shapri. Several minutes go by. I want to suggest we leave without her but don’t think that’ll score me any points with Simmi.


“You didn’t want Shapri to come tonight, did you?” Simmi asks.

“Well, I—no, I mean, it’s fine. I’m glad she could come,” I sputter.

“You’re such a horrible liar,” Simmi teases, pushing me playfully.


“Hey, that’s not fair. I can’t hit you back. You’re a girl.”

“I’m just teasing you.” Simmi blows a raspberry and pulls her body up onto the circular wall surrounding the flagpole area. I hesitate before pulling myself up too. Simmi scootches over so we touch at the hip. She loops her hand through the crook of my arm and places her head on my shoulder. “I never would have gotten away with this in India,” she says. “But I’m glad I can here. I’m a psychic feeler. I need to be in touch with others.” She pauses and strokes my arm with her free hand. “You know, when I touch someone I can make them feel what I want them to, but I can also sense their existing emotions. It’s almost the same as being able to read minds. Everything important has to do with the heart, not logic.” She lightens her tone. “But don’t tell Dr. Brown I said that, he’d take marks off of my next chem exam out of spite.”

I laugh nervously. Is she like Miss Teak in a way? Can she read my feelings for her? If she can, why hasn’t she said anything? I contemplate reaching over and kissing her, so I can know for sure how she feels. But I’ve never kissed anyone before. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to initiate it. Do I take her out for dinner and a movie first? Or make some lengthy speech declaring my intentions? Do I kiss her, just like that? Or do I ask for her permission before making my big move?

I decide to ask if it’s okay. Simmi is a classy girl. She needs respect. I swallow, hoping the motion will open up my airway, because right now, I’m kind of having trouble catching my breath. “Simmi,” I start.


“Yeah, Alex?” She lifts her head and links her hand in mine, nudging her slender fingers in between each of mine.

“Would it be okay if I…”


“There you two are!” Shapri says, running over to us, panting heavily. “I thought we were meeting in the commons.”


“No, we agreed on the flagpole,” Simmi says, hopping down from the wall.


The moment is gone. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance and the nerve again. My opinion of Shapri transforms from cautious indifference into outright hatred. Why did she invite herself along?


Shapri clears her throat. “Did I—Did I interrupt something here? Maybe a little romance?”


“What? No, no,” Simmi says shaking her head adamantly. “Nothing like that, Alex is like a brother to me.”


Ouch. Pain. Stabbed in my heart. I’m like a brother to her? I guess this means romance is off the table…



THE BOOK:  Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24 (for the author’s birthday).

THE GIVEAWAYS:  Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before its paperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’d like an autographed postcard from the author; you can request one on her site.

THE AUTHOR:  Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

MORE FUN: There's more fun below. Watch the live action Farsighted book trailer and take the quiz to find out which character is most like you!

Thank you to Roxanne at Bewitching Book Tours for setting up this blitz and providing all info and material.

Book Review: The Hangman in the Mirror by Kate Cayley

The Hangman in the Mirror

by Kate Cayley

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Ages: 13 and up

I received an advance e-copy for review from Netgalley.

Description:

 

A strong-willed 16-year-old girl fights for survival in 18th-century North America.
 
Françoise Laurent has never had an easy life. The only surviving child of a destitute washerwoman and wayward soldier, she must rely only on herself to get by. When her parents die suddenly from the smallpox ravishing New France, Françoise sees it as a chance to escape the life she thought she was trapped in.
 
Seizing her newfound opportunity, Françoise takes a job as an aide to the wife of a wealthy fur trader. The poverty-ridden world she knew transforms into a strange new world full of privilege and fine things -- and of never having to beg for food. But Françoise's relationships with the other servants in Madame Pommereau's house are tenuous, and Madame Pommereau isn't an easy woman to work for. When Françoise is caught stealing a pair of her mistress's beautiful gloves, she faces a future even worse than she could have imagined: thrown in jail, she is sentenced to death by hanging. Once again, Françoise is left to her own devices to survive . . . Is she cunning enough to convince the prisoner in the cell beside her to become the hangman and marry her, which, by law, is the only thing that could save her life?

Based on an actual story and filled with illuminating historical detail, The Hangman in the Mirror transports readers to the harsh landscape of a new land that is filled with even harsher class divisions and injustices.

My Thoughts:

I love historical fiction and this sounded like a very interesting story in the genre. The author's portrayal of 18th century Montreal was stark and dirty with wonderful descriptions. The characters were well-written and very believable, but I never really clicked with them. Françoise is determined and intelligent, but she is also abrasive and manipulative. I never liked her quite as much as I wanted to.

Jean, the young man imprisoned next to her, complimented her personality very well. He had a mixture of fear and courage that felt very real. Except for a brief encounter and a glimpse or two, you don't see much of him until over halfway through the book. From the description this book sounds like a romance, but it really isn't. They do not profess undying love and they hardly know each other. But there is hope, and I love an ending with hope. I don't know if Françoise and Jean were happy, but I like to believe so.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy realistic, gritty historical fiction with strong and interesting characters.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 3.10 for some mild swearing and one worse insult.

Sexuality:
I give it a 2.10 for references to prostitution.

Violence:
I give it a 5.10 for a hanging, death from disease and references to a duel.

                                     Lieder Madchen

Huge Giveaway on Another Blog

You have to check out the enormous giveaway at Five Alarm Book Reviews. The more followers the blog gets, the bigger the prizes will be. :)

Miss Darcy Falls In Love Tour: Interview with Sebastian Butler & Giveaway!

Today I was happy to have Sebastian Butler (hero of Miss Darcy Falls In Love by Sharon Lathan) over for tea. He was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about love and music and allow me to share them with you. Also, Ms. Lathan, his literary agent, has generously offered a copy Miss Darcy Falls In Love for me to give to one of you. So please, pull up a chair and have a cup of tea as we welcome Mr. Butler.

*****

Lieder Madchen - It is a pleasure to meet you in person at last, Mr. Butler. I have heard so much about you from Ms. Lathan that I feel like I know you already. Thank you so much for taking the time to come and visit. How do you like your tea?

Sebastian Butler - The pleasure is entirely mine, Ms. Madchen. I am delighted to visit with you today and am completely at my leisure. Pick my brain as you wish, although I fear you have me at a distinct disadvantage in knowing so much about me already. Whatever shall we talk about then? (He smiles and winks, gesturing at the steaming pot of tea.) I suppose how I like my tea is a logical place to start. Hopefully it isn’t too disappointing to learn that I am not particular. More often than not the tea cup is forgotten on the corner of the piano, only to be drank cold hours later. Since that is unlikely to happen today, a small spoon of sugar only is preferred.

LM – Lovely, I am going to enjoy our chat. (I smile and hand him a cup, stirring a generous helping of cream into my own.) May I inquire as to your family, Mr. Butler? I understand you have an abundance of sisters, perhaps you could tell us a little about them?

SB - My family is quite well, Ms. Madchen. Thank you for asking. And since it will appease my father, Lord Essenton, on the off chance he does read this, I will dutifully point out that although “Mr. Butler” is a perfectly acceptable address as far as I am concerned, I am a viscount so should be addressed as Lord Nell. See what an obedient son I am? (He laughs aloud, winking again.)

I have five younger sisters, which is an “abundance” indeed! My life has never been boring, that is for sure. I adore them and consider myself blessed to have been surrounded by loving siblings, each of whom are incredible women and the joy of my youth. Of course now that I have said that publicly they shall use it to their advantage, finding some way to finagle favors from me. (He pauses to chuckle and sip his tea, his grey eyes soft and momentarily distant.) One negative to my travels of late is that I miss them. Adele and Reine, the youngest of my sisters, are at home in England. Clarisse is now the Duchess of Tichbourne so our paths cross rarely. My sisters nearest to me in age, Guinevere who is Lady Rycroft and Vivienne who married my dearest friend Adrien, the Marquis de Marcov, are in France so my wife and I are able to visit with them frequently. Between the six of us, and our mother, we keep the postal services busy!

LM – I am sure you do! I have three sisters and five brothers so I know exactly what you mean. When you were a child and first learning to play an instrument, what was it that attracted you to music?

SB - Hmmm. Now that is an interesting question. (He sits back into the chair and stares into his teacup for a spell before continuing in a bemused tone.) Perhaps some artists can pinpoint the precise moment when they discovered their aptitude. I cannot say. My earliest memories are of listening to my mother play the harpsichord. I assume it was she who first sat me on her lap and placed my fingers upon the keys - It certainly would not have been my father! - yet the truth is that I have no clear memory of learning to play. It as if I was born with an innate love of music and embedded skill for playing instruments. (Abruptly he leans forward, his face intent.) Forgive me, Ms. Madchen, for sounding arrogant. I do not account myself superior or particularly special. I can name dozens of others who are far more talented than I, including my wife. It is a gift to be sure, but one granted to me and not of my devising, although I do work hard to perfect my skill.

LM – I truly envy your gift. I am still but a beginner at the piano even after studying for years. As an accomplished musician and composer, are there any pieces of music that you have a particular fondness for?

SB - I know this will sound cliché and an obligatory response designed to curry favor, but the honest truth is that I am fondest of the compositions created in collaboration with or inspired by my wife. How could I not be? However, fondness for a piece of music is subtly different than saying what are my favorite pieces to play. The latter refers more to the skill required to perform or to the satisfaction engendered when mastering a complex, moving composition. In that case I prefer the works of Beethoven, especially his sonatas and most recent works, as well as Mozart, Franz Danzi, Cherubini, Hummel... (He laughs and shakes his head.) As you can see, my taste is eclectic, and that is a dangerous question to ask of a musician unless you wish to be here all day whilst I bore you to tears listing names impossible to spell and pronounce! Next question then, Ms. Madchen.

LM - I apologize if you find this question to be overly personal and impertinent, but what was the first thought that went through your head when you finally admitted to yourself that you had fallen in love with Miss Georgiana Darcy?

SB - Oh my! You are hitting me with some tough ones! I stupidly denied my feelings for so long, not fully recognizing that my sentiments were shifting from ones of friendship to love for several weeks. Not a great span of time but when one is struggling with the emotions it seems an eternity. To my dismay, the first thoughts were ones of despair. I was sure she did not return my affection, for one, and was furthermore convinced she loved another. (He takes a gulp of the cold tea, his face pale and hand trembling slightly.) Forgive me, but the memory is not a pleasant one.

LM – No, you must forgive me, Lord Nell. However, if you will bear with me, I have one more impertinent inquiry. In your whirlwind romance with its many ups and downs, what was the hardest moment for you to bear?

SB - (He hesitates before responding, his words halting and voice hoarse.) Without a doubt it was seeing her with Baron Caxton. Fortunately I was not subjected to witnessing them together too often, that a blessing or I am sure I would have gone mad. I nearly did lose all shreds of my sanity at the de Valday gala in Paris when she... No, I cannot speak of it! That is why I had to leave Paris and why I.... I am sorry, Ms. Madchen, but may we change the subject?

LM - Of course, my apologies. What is your opinion of novelists, Lord Nell? 

SB - I love an enticing novel and applaud writers who weave stories. Their genius is similar to a composer, is it not? An art form designed to entertain or induce emotion in those who listen, or in the case of an author, those who read, should be appreciated. My wife and I read the popular novels together, taking turns picking the book. I am fond of Walter Scott and Defoe, while her favorites are Fanny Burney and Jane Austen. We recently read Frankenstein and... (He grins and lowers his voice.) ...she pretended to be shocked and horrified, but I know that she loved it.

LM – I am nearly finished reading Frankenstein as part of my education and I confess I found it to be quite horrifying. (smiles sheepishly) Scott and Austen on the other hand are authors whose books I have read many times before and will read many times again. If you were able to perform with any musician at any venue, who and where would it be? And what song would you choose?

SB - Performing with Lady Nell is my greatest joy. I would not reject a chance to play in Vienna with Mozart, were he alive, or with Herr Beethoven once again. Yet neither they or any other would eclipse the pleasure of sitting beside my wife, on stage or in the privacy of our chambers. As for which song, well, that would be the songs we wrote for each other on our wedding day, particularly the one I first sang for her alone that night. (He flushes faintly and shifts in the chair, then he shrugs.) If I were naughty like my grandmother, Lady Warrow, I would frankly illuminate as to why I choose that song. But I am a gentleman so will leave the reasons up to your imagination!

LM – (blushes profusely) Oh, well, umm…I would love to hear you and Lady Nell perform, on a stage of course. If you should ever come to America I hope you will arrange for a concert. I would be delighted to meet your lovely wife. Again, thank you so much for coming, Lord Nell.

SB - I have yet to travel to the Americas, Ms. Madchen, and would dearly love to do so. It would be marvelous to attend an opera in New York or Philadelphia, perhaps with Benjamin Carr or James Hewitt. Thank you for the suggestion! I shall discuss the idea with Lady Nell and if we do undertake the excursion I will be sure to inform you. I have enjoyed our discourse immensely. Thank you for the opportunity.

Synopsis of Miss Darcy Falls in Love--

Noble young ladies were expected to play an instrument, but Georgiana Darcy is an accomplished musician who hungers to pursue her talents. She embarks upon a tour of Europe, ending in Paris where two very different men will ignite her heart in entirely different ways and begin a bitter rivalry to win her. But only one holds the key to her happiness.

Set in post-Napoleonic Empire France, Miss Darcy Falls in Love is a riveting love story that enters a world of passion where gentlemen know exactly how to please and a young woman learns to direct her destiny and understand her heart.

Sharon’s Bio--

Sharon Lathan is the best-selling author of The Darcy Saga sequel series to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Her previously published novels are: Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, and The Trouble With Mr. Darcy. Miss Darcy Falls in Love is Georgiana’s tale of love and adventure while in France. Complete with a happy ending. In addition to her writing, Sharon works as a Registered Nurse in a Neonatal ICU. She resides with her family in Hanford, California in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. Visit Sharon on her website: www.sharonlathan.net and on Austen Authors, her group blog with 20 novelist of Austen literature: www.austenauthors.com

 ****Giveaway!****

Sharon Lathan has offered to give away a copy of Miss Darcy Falls In Love to a commenter. All you have to do to enter is tell me your favorite piece of music along with your e-mail address. For an extra entry, spread the word and leave a link. Following is not required but greatly appreciated. This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only. It ends on Dec. 1 at 12:01 a.m. Good Luck!

                         Lieder Madchen

The Betrayed Experience: My Thoughts on Betrayed by Morrigan Michele & Misty Carmony + Giveaway

Hello! Today I am participating in the blog tour for Betrayed, the first book in a new fantasy series. For my post, I will be sharing my thoughts on the story and giving away an e-copy of the book. :)

Genre: YA Paranormal

Ages: 15 and up

I received an e-copy from The Experience Blog Tours as part of a blog tour.

Description:

Love. Lies. Magick. Betrayal.

Alexis Allcroft is used to being different, but nothing could have prepared her for the buried secrets about to be revealed.

With her seventeenth birthday approaching the only thing on Alexis Allcroft's mind other than her birthday party is Sebastian Valto, the hot new guy in school.

Things suddenly take a strange twist, and in an effort to take the spotlight off herself, a spell backfires and her secrets are revealed as well; secrets she didn't know existed.

With her world quickly spinning out of control, Alexis realizes no one is what they appear to be, not even herself! Alexis will soon learn that family secrets run deep, blood deep....

My Thoughts:

This story was rather different than what I expected. I thought that it would be a fairly predictable YA romance. I was wrong. There is a touch of lovely romance, but it is not the focus of the story. The focus of the story is firmly Alexis and her family.

Having grown up without a father and with a Wiccan as a mother, Alexis is a bit unusual as far as heroines go. When not matter-of-factly castings spells she doesn't really expect to work, she is hanging out with her one friend (the daughter of the Baptist preacher) and studying for school. At least, until she meets Sebastian and turns 17. Then her life goes to heck in a handbasket.

The mystery and family history in this story was pretty good...or at least, the beginning of pretty good. A lot was left to be explained in the next book. At 99 pages, this book could have been a bit longer. Some things seemed rushed and the pace was a little hectic at times. Plus, I wished that Alexis' powers had gone in a different direction (mild spoiler) because I don't like vampire stories. (end of mild spoiler) Still, the characters were fun and there were some really good plot twists. Plus, I didn't see Alexis' decision at the end coming. I do love a good surprise. :)

I found this story to be a fun, quick read. I would recommend it to lovers of paranormal fantasy and dark secrets.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

I rate it a 4.10 for multiple instances of mid-level profanity.

Sexuality:

I give it a 2.10 for some mild references, hints and innuendos.

Violence:

I rate it a 5.10 for some bloodiness, death and near murder.

****Giveaway!****

I have an e-copy of Betrayed to give to one lucky commenter. To enter, all you have to do is leave a meaningful comment on this post with your e-mail address. For an extra entry, spread the word and leave a link. Following is not required but it makes my smile. This giveaway ends on Nov. 25. Good Luck!

                            Lieder Madchen

Awesome giveaway on another blog!

Check out LC's huge giveaway of YA books in all different genres by clicking on the button above. I'm entering for the Mythology Pack. :)

My NaNo Novel

For NaNoWriMo, I am working on an epic fantasy. I am waaaay behind due to a stomach bug, but I am determined to get back on track...which will involve tons of catch-up writing. Just for the fun of it, I thought I would share the prologue of my story, tentatively entitled Blackbirds. I hope you enjoy. :)

Prologue:

It is commonly believed that cats are the most magical creatures in the word. How else is it that they vanish and reappear seemingly at will? It is because of this, say the subjects of Melidor, that gives mages their most recognizable features; their cat’s eyes.

Scholars and educated men, of course, dismiss this as idle superstition and cite all kinds of scientific and arcane theories and explanations that are utterly incomprehensible to most of the populace but that eventually translates to, “We have absolutely no idea how it really works but we know you are wrong anyway.”

I like the commoner’s theory better.

However mages picked up their feline attributes may have caused many academic disagreements, but the soldiers of Melidor didn’t care so long as the distinguishing feature ensured easy identification. You see, the soldiers had their orders, and those orders were to kill anyone born with magical abilities; anyone with cat’s eyes. It did not matter if this person was a commoner or a noble, man or woman, adult or child.

Magic originated in the wilds of the north, among the mountains of Massar. (A country blessed with an abundance of cats, just in case you were wondering.) Over the last eight decades, travelers came to Melidor from Massar and decided to stay. Some of them had cat’s eyes. At first, many feared the strange gifts of the Massari, but slowly they became accustomed to neighbors who spoke to their pets and coaxed flowers into blooming early. That was a more peaceful time. The Massari were simple people and they settled in with the merchants and workers and in time, many of them married. The children from these unions were often born with very distinctive feline eyes.

When King Michel died after a long and prosperous reign, his young son, Iain, rose to the throne. Iain despised the mages and taught his son the same hate…and fear. Because the Massari all married into the lower classes, no child of noble birth was born with magic. This caused Iain and his son to fear them because they had a power that the king did not. Mages were persecuted by Iain, but that was nothing to what his son did.

When Iain died peacefully at the age of eighty-nine, Iain II was crowned. One of his first acts as King of Melidor was to make out a writ of execution for the Massari and their descendants. There were riots in the streets but these small, disorganized revolts were quelled swiftly by the king’s men. The Massari were not accustomed to using their powers for war, despite Iain’s fear of them.

It was strange, then, that the two people who caused him the most trouble were entirely without magic. Their eyes were perfectly ordinary. They were called the Crow and the Raven, and their story became legend.

                                        Lieder Madchen

Top Ten Tuesday: Out of my Comfort Zone

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is books that you read that were out of your comfort zone.

This is a fiendishly difficult topic for me because I have been reading so many different genres since I was small that there is hardly anything that isn't in my comfort zone, except for books that I have no interest in whatsoever and therefore have never picked up.

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan 

I was extremely hesitant to read this because at the time I was not a huge fan of chick-lit or contemporary YA. I am so glad that I did read it, though, because it has led me to try out several other wonderful books in the genre.

Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey

This book was so out of my comfort zone that I don't think I can list all the reasons, boxing, lesbian heroine, vigilantes, etc. I grabbed it because of the title (my sister's name is Olivia and I couldn't help myself) and the lovely cover. I didn't really care for the book and skimmed through huge chunks of it, but it is good to try new things sometimes. :)

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

I saw this one for free as an Amazon kindle book (back when my kindle app worked) and I just liked the cover so I purchased it. I hate most westerns, but the story was a cute romance.

I honestly cannot think of anything else. I read action-adventures, suspense-thrillers, a tiny bit of horror, romance, historical, sci-fi, fantasy and practically everything in between.

                       Lieder Madchen

Books to be Grateful For

Beth Revis, author of Across the Universe, has a massive giveaway going on her blog. To enter, you have to make a post about the book you are most thankful for. Now, me being me, there is no way in heck that I am going to be able to narrow that down to just one book. I am thankful for too many books to count and it is going to be hard enough narrowing it down to just a handful. :)  (Click on the picture above to see details of the giveaway.)

I am thankful for Pride and Prejudice for showing me that classics can be fun.

I am thankful for The Lord of the Rings for showing me new worlds and giving me a love of fantasy.

I am thankful for The Orchid Affair for being so lovely a story that I just could not keep myself from asking Lauren Willig for an interview, no matter how nervous I was.

I am thankful for Random Magic as the first book I ever read as part of a blog tour and because it let me get to know its author, the crazy Sasha Soren.

I am thankful for Delirium for being the first book in years to make me cry. (In the best way, of course.)

I am thankful for Clockwork Angel for cementing my love of steampunk and introducing me to the young adult paranormal genre.

I am perhaps most thankful for Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World. It was the first book that I ever reviewed, written by the first author I ever gathered up my courage to write to, and it is a very large part of why I started this blog in the first place. On Jane Austen's birthday several authors of Austen fan-fiction gave away their books for free in celebration, which is where I picked up an e-copy of this. (Which I can no longer read due to kindle app issues and the fact that when I got it I used my mom's Amazon account. Grr.) It was only after reading several Austenesque novels, but Last Man in the World especially, that I got the idea to start a book blog.

I could keep going on and on forever since I am thankful for most books that I enjoyed and a few that I didn't for one reason or another, but these have to my top ten. :)

                                          Lieder Madchen

Time to Write: NaNoWriMo Style

Hi! I am participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time this year and I am very excited and very nervous. I am a procrastinator born and bred and I have put off actually typing my stories time and time again, but I am determined to write and keep on writing despite myself. So far, I am 2550 words into my epic fantasy novel. (I've been sick the last few days and so not on the computer. I am so far behind it is not even funny.) In preparation for this month, I have kept blog tour posts to a minimum (three for the whole month) and you will not see very many reviews from me until January. My posts will be sporadic at best until after the holidays.

The lovely Sasha Soren has planned a series of posts for the month. Every day, you will be able to read a short post with advice and inspiration to keep you motivated and energetic in the long days of typing ahead. (Click on the button above for more details.)

Along with the series of posts, Sasha has come up with the Two-Hour Pledge. To take the Pledge, promise yourself that you will write for at least two hours every day and put the badge up on your sidebar.

Two-Hour Pledge: I pledge to write for a minimum of two hours every day in November 2011, during NaNoWriMo. I can write for more than two hours, but not less.

I have decided to take this pledge and keep to it. :)

Below you can find the links to all of the Take Five posts so far. I have read all of the posts and they have some fun stuff as well as good advice. (After all, this is Sasha that we are talking about.)