Blogger Organization

I follow a lot of blogs and every so often I noticed that bloggers post an update about how hectic life has been and sometimes they even write a post about taking a break from blogging. Life happens, we all get that and understand that. In fact, I love that when I read these posts, I also read an uncountable number of comments from their followers who support and encourage these stressed out and overwhelmed bloggers.

It seems that lately, I have been one of those stressed out bloggers, who hasn't been blogging or reading as much as I would like. I am not looking for sympathy here, instead I want to share what I am doing in order to make some changes. First, I joined the Blog Ahead Challenge and second, I purchased the 2015 Book Blogger Organizer and Blogger Resources from Parajunkie.com. Both of these ideas came from Monique at Mo's Books (thanks buddy!!).

I figured that it was time that we had a conversation about this, what do you do in order to stay on track with reading and blogging?

Blog Ahead Challenge

It's a new challenge time! The Blog Ahead Challenge, which is a bloggery version of NaNoWriMo. It's hosted by Herding Cats and Burning Soup. It runs from November 1-30th, 2014 and the basic goal is to get "ahead" in your blog posts. Hopefully at the end of the month of November you will have 30 additional pre-schedules than when you started the month.

I spotted this challenge on Mo's Books and was really excited about the idea. I love when I have posts scheduled in advance and life has been pretty crazy lately, so I could use some serious discipline. The most I've ever had scheduled in advance is about 6 posts, so this challenge will be a pretty big undertaking for me.

For this challenge, my goal is to have 15 pre-scheduled posts and to get some new ideas for pre-scheduled posts in the future.

If you're interested in signing up for the Blog Ahead Challenge and would like more details, just visit Herding Cats and Burning Soup.

Boston Book Festival 2014

This Saturday, my mom and I went into Boston to attend the Boston Book Festival. First of all, I can't believe that I have been living under a rock and missing this annual event for such a long time!

The schedule was almost overwhelming, there were so many sessions running at various times and at various locations around Copley Square. So, I browsed the sessions and found my "must do" session, which was "Masters of Fantasy" featuring Gregory Maguire (author of Wicked), Soman Chainani (author of The School for Good and Evil), Holly Black (author of Coldest Girl in Coldtown and co-author of The Iron Trial) and Cassandra Clare (author of City of Bones and co-author of The Iron Trial).

My mom and I got to Copley Square around 10am and browsed the various tents. Honestly it was really cool to see the various vendors and associations that were present. My mom didn't really know what to expect when i invited her, but she ended up purchasing some mystery/thriller books from three local authors and a historical book on New England. My favorite tent was the Boston Public Library tent, they were trying to raise awareness about the importance of libraries and were giving away free books and pins! I walked away with a copy of The Fire Wish by Amber Lough.

Copley Square

Boston Public Library had a map for people to post
a sticker over the city/town of the library they use

I knew that the Masters of Fantasy session would be packed, so after browsing the tents, by mom and I headed over to the Emmanuel Sanctuary. We got there so early, that we were actually able to enjoy a session that was taking place prior to Masters of Fantasy. We got to attend the "Boston Stories: Tears, Triumphs, Mysteries, and Sports" session which had local authors with their local stories. It was a really cool session that I probably wouldn't have attended on my own, but I'm really glad I did.

The Masters of Fantasy

Thank goodness we arrived as early as we did because there was a huge line for the Masters of Fantasy session! The authors started by introducing themselves and their most recent book. Right away I couldn't help but like them all.

Here is a clip of Cassandra and Holly introducing themselves and their new book, they also showed the Book Trailer for the Iron Trial. (How cute is it that Cassandra and Holly are wearing the same dress?!)

Soman also showed the Book Trailer for his new book A World Without Princes.

When it was Gregory's turn, he said he didn't have a fancy video, so instead he would perform a song for us.

When we got the the question/answer portion, we learned quite a few fun things. One of my favorite parts of the session was hearing the authors talk about books that introduced them to fantasy and made them want to be fantasy writers. Some of the books mentioned were: The Lord of the Rings (tip that someone gave Cassandra - if the beginning is too bogged down for you, start at chapter 9), fairy tales, The Chronicles of Prydain, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, The Children of Green Knowe, and The Diamond in the Window.

It was also really cool to hear the "confessions" of the writers, for example Cassandra said that she waits to write the first few chapters until after she has written most of the rest of the book because she likes to know her characters really well. Holly and Soman both said that they write consecutively, but continue to edit (and sometimes rewrite) all previously written chapters as they write new chapters. 

After the moderator finished his questions, they opened the floor for audience questions. Mostly middle grade and high school students lined up to ask their questions. Then, we lined up to purchase books and get them signed. All of the authors were super friendly and kind as they met and signed a seemingly endless number of people and books.

All in all, it was an awesome day! Hopefully next year I'll be able to dedicate more time to the event and attend more sessions!

Me and Cassandra Clare after she signed my books for me!

Me and Holly Black after she signed my books for me!

What I purchased: two copies of The Iron Trial (1 for me and 1 for a giveaway!), one copy of The School for Good and Evil, and one copy of A World Without Princes.

To thank you for reading and following, I have having a few giveaways!

The Rules:

US only

Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is picked

All entries must be made via Rafflecopter and are subject to verification

Follow the Yellow Book Road is not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged in the mail

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Stacking the Shelves #19 (10/25/2014)

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

For Review

Chandrea (The Return of the Avatar Queen) - Marlene Wynn

The Paper Magician - Charlie Holmberg
The Glass Magician - Charlie Holmberg

Invisible

Author: Dawn Metcalf
Series: The Twixt #2
Published: September 30, 2014
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: Some things lie beneath the surface.
Invisible.
With the power to change everything.
Joy Malone wants it all—power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever.
Her choice is balanced on a scalpel's edge and the consequences will be more life-altering than anyone can guess.

Rating: êêêê

Review

Wow! That ending! When does the next book come out?!

OK, I guess I should back track. 

This book starts out at a run with some serious action. Joy continues to grow and while she sometimes annoyed me, I could appreciate it because she felt like a real teenager to me (and honestly teenagers can be annoying sometimes). I was absolutely smitten by Ink's development, but I loved that he managed to still be true to his scribe/folk-ness. 

The assassin hired to kill Joy provides a lot of action and moves the plot along at a great pace. There were a lot of unexpected twists in this book that really held my interest and kept me guessing. And like I already said, it has a phenomenal ending that left me wanting the next book.

The Fever

Author: Megan Abbott
Publication: June 17, 2014
Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community.
The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hockey star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community.
As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security.

Rating: Did Not Finish

Review

After attempting this book a few times, I have decided to give up. 

I struggled to get into this book, I struggled with the writing style, and I struggled with the characters. I was annoyed while reading to the point that I had to put this book down several times. Things didn't flow and they didn't fit. It just wasn't for me.

Stacking the Shelves #18 (10/11/2014)

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Amazon Freebie

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner

The Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken
Series: The Darkest Minds #1
Publication: December 18, 2012
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Rating: êêêê

Review

Going into this book, I wasn't really sure what to expect. However, hearing Alexandra talk about her book and her character, Ruby, convinced me to to give it a shot.

I enjoyed this book, I was quickly drawn in and the momentum was great. I struggled with the world building a bit because I didn't quite understand what prompted the special abilities and what the different abilities were. There are snippets of Ruby's story in the summary, however while reading the book her background is revealed slowly. The revelation of her tenth birthday, was heartbreaking, but well written. The characters are well developed. I loved Ruby's crew of friends. The romance is so-so. There seems to be a few bad guys in this story, it was hard to pinpoint what/who the big bad was in the book. Honestly, I think if the world building were a bit better I would have given this book 5 stars. The ending will leave you breathless!

Unrequited

Unrequited by Emily Shaffer
Release Date: 09/23/14
Swoon Romance
Source: Exchange for honest review

Other Stops on Tour

Summary from Goodreads:
In the town of Belle Ridge there are doctors, lawyers and teachers... but there is only one vampire. Will Leighton has become an expert in making a life for himself amongst the unsuspecting small-town inhabitants, as the high school history teacher. He has spent hundreds of years crafting an identity and routine that make him feel almost human, but he is always missing that important final element, love.
Ashton Wallace is beautiful, smart, and angry. She was forced into an eternal existence, and now her family has moved her away from everything and everyone she knows. In Belle Ridge she is supposed to finish high school and start her life again, but how do you make plans for the next several centuries?
Will has never met another of his kind, and is immediately intrigued by Ashton. He longs to show her that the perceived vampire lifestyle, so popular in storybooks, is far from reality...but will she let him be a friend and guide in this new existence? Can Ashton accept Will into her life, or will she be led astray by a dark stranger with whom she shares an unknown connection?

Rating: êê

Review

Within the first few pages I knew how this review was going to go. The writing starts off terrible - it felt like a young author who used a lot of adjectives to make up for telling and not showing. But I stuck it out because I had agreed to review the book. Eventually the writing gets better.

The author has clearly tried to put a unique spin on vampires, however my big issue here is that they aren't very vampirey. For example, they don't need to drink blood, they can be out during the day time, they can go to church, they don't have to be invited into someone's home in order to enter..... so, they are basically immortals who could drink blood if they wanted? And what's the deal with Ashton and Will both thinking they are the only vampires? Someone obviously created them!

The first half of the book is extremely dull. Ashton tries to go about her life, Will wants a relationship with her, la-di-da. But on the plus side, Unrequited seems to be the perfect title for this book.

Then there is this strange break in the book where we jump to "four years later" - it did not feel natural at all. Now, I am at about the 54% mark and all of a sudden we have a small plot twist. But, this dark strangerand his role are a bit predictable. Then we have another stranger brought into the mix, which feels like the author's attempt to thicken the plot, but it's actually pointless because it's handled way too easily.

And THEN, the mother of all pet-peeves happens: the book ends. Just like that it's over. Clearly the author is going for a cliffhanger, but it was actually just a pause in the story.

I gave this book two stars because despite it's faults, I was interested enough to keep reading.

Seize Me From Darkness: Book Blitz + Guest Post + Giveaway

Seize me From Darkness by Cari Silverwood

(Pierced Hearts #4) - Can be read as a STANDALONE!
Publication date: September 23rd 2014
Genres: Erotica, Romance
Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | iTunes

Synopsis:This book is part of a dark erotic fiction series and may disturb some readers.
In this dirty, bloody world we live in, the answers to prayers aren’t always pretty angels.
Retaken by human traffickers, Jazmine’s one hope is ex-cop, ex-mercenary, Pieter, a man with a glower that stops lesser men in their tracks.
She prays he can save her.
But this savior is far from perfect and his flaws may prove as devastating to Jazmine as the torture of her captors.
The fire of dominance never dies.

Guest Post

My Writing of Dark Erotic Romances

I was asked why I write this genre by one of my beta readers and to be honest it’s for two reasons. The first is that I’ve always been enthralled by dark scenes in stories – the serial killer tying the heroine to her bed and torturing her before he thinks about killing her, the ancient Gor series where Earth women are kidnapped and taken to another planet to be enslaved in a Swords and Sorcery type setting, Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart series (swoon), and many more.

Second reason? I always knew I loved these but writing a contemporary book with this sort of depraved story as the WHOLE PLOT? I’d not have thought to do it without having read Bianca Sommerland’s Deadly Captive and partially read C.J. Robert’s Captive in the Dark.

Though I didn’t finish reading the latter, it inspired me. I know it’s a great and well-written series but the man in it just never appealed to me. I don’t like bad men as the hero in most books unless I can see a lot of good from square one. Captive in the Dark made me wonder if I could write a book where the man began as a good man.

I planned a story where I could slowly reveal my hero’s inner monster – the part of him that was ecstatic to be a sadist and a Dominant. That story became Take me Break me, a book that featured in the #16 New York Times bestselling collection called Make Me.

Since then I’ve continued my trend of having the man a good person at the beginning of each book. Although Chris in Make me Yours Evermore was a bad guy from the start, his accomplice, Andreas, my Good Samaritan cross happy kidnapper, kept the trend alive.

If making the man good at the beginning is one thing that sets my stories apart from most dark books, another feature might be my settings. I often show off the Australian landscape. All our wonderful beaches and rainforests deserve some attention. In this latest book, Seize me From Darkness, I’ve set most of the action in Papua New Guinea, which is a deeply tropical country, across the sea, to the north of Australia.

However, because much of Seize me From Darkness takes place inside the House, a place designed for the housing and training of sex slaves, I didn’t get to describe much of Papua New Guinea. I did get to show a tropical island though, with gorgeous white sand beaches and assorted sea life. One reader has told me that reading my Pierced Hearts series is like taking a beach holiday. Amusing, considering what happens in the books. I dearly hope her holidays don’t feature torture and abduction. Fiction will always be far more consensual and safe than real life, unless someone glues the eReader to your hand and props open your eyelids.

So there’s some of why and how I write dark fiction. I love it, and it’s my sexual fantasyland too. Enjoy your fiction. Don’t let anyone take it away from you.

About The  Auhor

Cari Silverwood is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes of dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night. She has an ornery nature as well as a lethal curiosity that makes her want to upend plots and see what falls out when you shake them.

When others are writing bad men doing bad things you may find her writing good men who accidentally on purpose fall into the abyss and come out with their morals twisted in knots.

This might be because she comes from the land down under, Australia, or it could be her excessive consumption of wine.

Freaking out readers is her first love and her second love is freaking out the people living in her books. Her favorite hobby is convincing people she has a basement...though she really doesn't. Promise. If it existed it would be a terrifying place where you would find all the dangerous things that you never knew you craved.

Own me Until Forever, Book 5 in the Pierced Hearts series, will be out late 2014

My website, if you're curious about my other evil pursuits: http://www.carisilverwood.net/

To find out about upcoming releases, please join Cari's mailing list here carisilverwood.net/about-me.html

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

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Ice Massacre: Book Blitz + Giveaway + Interview

Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner
Publication date: September 18th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.
The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.
Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.
For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

Purchase:
FREE during the blitz!
Amazon

Interview

Give us the tweet-sized version of what Ice Massacre is about.
A teenage girl is sent to battle the hostile mermaids that are driving her people into poverty. A story of love, secrets, and ass-kicking.

What makes Ice Massacre unique?
First, I haven’t seen a lot out there that portrays mermaids for what they really are: flesh-eating sea demons. But I think what also sets it apart is its almost entirely female cast. This island decides to send female warriors to kill the mermaids that plague them, because women don’t fall victim to a mermaid’s supernatural allure. We end up with an all-female war on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Meela, an aboriginal girl who’s never been away from the tiny island she calls home, also has a pretty unique journey of self-discovery. I don’t want to reveal too much. But I think a lot of aspects make this story unconventional.

What’s your favourite thing about the book?I love Meela’s antagonists. Meela’s a tough chick and she has a lot coming at her from all directions. Writing those opposing forces was so much fun.

What’s next for you as a writer?The sequel! This is the first in a trilogy, and I’m hard at work on book two: Ice Crypt.

About The  Auhor
Tiana Warner was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She enjoys riding her horse, Bailey, and collecting tea cups.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

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