Book Blogger Confessions: Blogger envy

 

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question:

Blogger Envy: Do you have a bad case of blogger envy? Do you covet thy neighbor bloggers book hauls/follower numbers/blog design? How do you tamp down the green eyed monster?

I suppose in my early days of blogging there was some envy over ARC’s, but I’ve long since let that go.

Ahhh the good old book haul jealousy. After my first year going to BEA I realized the downside of getting all those books. You. Can’t. Read. Them. All. My reaction now for bloggers with huge ass book hauls is YAY I’m so happy for you and all the books you’ve received, because truly I’m happy when people get books, but then my next reaction is….good luck with that.

I’ve seen so many bloggers that start out thrilled with all their new shiny books only to be overwhelmed and crash into that reading slump wall (points to self), or in a complete panic trying to read and review them all on time (that would be me). Some bloggers even burn out on blogging because of it so no…that’s not something I envy anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, I do get a few ARC’s and I'm not gonna lie, I love them but I used to live in a world where I didn’t know ARC’s existed and I waited for a book to come out at the bookstore ON RELEASE DAY *gasp* It’s cool, I can do that again. I won’t die if I don’t read a book 3 months earlier than everyone else.

I’m grateful for every opportunity I’ve been given as a book blogger but they are just that – opportunities. Icing on the cake if you will. I’m happy, not envious, of anyone else who gets them.

As for stats, I don’t read mine very often so it stands to reason that I’m not really looking at yours in comparison. I’m not a particularly competitive person and I’ve found that when I *try* to blog a certain way or to achieve a certain stat - I fail. I’m not saying that it’s wrong to do that  - not at all – but just that it doesn’t work for me.

Here’s the one thing that I am green with envy over. Anyone who can write a beautiful review for a book I love, because I just can’t. I become a blathering idiot. I spend weeks trying to write the perfect review to express all that I loved about a book, fail miserably, then go on Goodreads or a friends blog and see that they’ve managed to put all my feelings into words. I HATE it and I’m jealous of it.

I think it’s human nature to be jealous so there’s nothing wrong with it. I don’t even think it can be stopped entirely, but I try to put the feeling to better use. Jealousy is too draining and unproductive for me so I try to use it as a chance to look at why I’m jealous in the first place. Can I take something away from it that will help me improve my blog? Maybe it’s the bloggers attitude that bugs me – if so I’ll just stay away from it then.

In my experience bloggers love to share. Books, ideas, frustrations, a shoulder to cry on, so there is no reason to compete or be jealous. 

Question for October 15th:  Happy (early) Halloween!  Do you like to read scary books?  Why or why not?  If so, what is the scariest book you ever read and why does it deserve that honor?

* Full topic schedule for the remainder of 2012 and past topic links here.

Sunday Ramblings…

That’s my excuse for being sooooo late with this post today!

Since I’m late I’m going to just get right to the wrap-up!

Winners:
~ Impeccable Petunia & singed illustration by Katie Christine Giveaway winner: bn100~ Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst giveaway winner: Xie T

Posts this week:
~ Interview with Vessel author Sarah Beth Durst
~ Tune in Tuesday: Green Day, The Lumineers, Alex Clare, Ellie Goulding
~ Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner

Bloggers! Tomorrow is Book Blogger Confessions. The topic is blogger envy. Join in the discussion!

Incoming!

Bought:


Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle
Craving (Curio #3) by Cara McKenna

Gifted/Borrowed:



Lover Reborn (BDB #10) by J.R. Ward
Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black – from Amy of Fictish Delish…thank youuuu!

For review:



How to Rock Break-Ups and Make-Ups (Kacey Simon #2) by Meg Haston
All the Broken Pieces by Condi MadsenSugar Rush by Rachel Astor

I haven’t bought any books for awhile now so I splurged a little but I’ve been doing great with my reading lately. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it continues.

Have a great Sunday! (What’s left of it anyway lol)

Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own. ~ Goodreads

Review:
The publishers from the Scholastic booth at BEA were very enthusiastic about this title and really talked it up. From their explanation and from the summary, I expected there to be a lot of inner monologue between the main character, Ever, and the sabotaging voice inside her head, Skinny. That's not something I typically enjoy so I'm happy to say that was not the case.

Ever is a 15 year girl that weighs over 300 pounds who struggles with her self image and of course from the judgment of the people around her. Her mom died and her father has since remarried bringing a new mother figure and step sisters into the picture. Her step mom and sisters are beautiful and Ever feels like she doesn’t belong. She misses her mom and uses food to comfort her instead.

In her head she hears "Skinny" who tells her what people are *really thinking*.  For example Ever is a wonderful singer and wants to go for a spot in the drama club that would require her to sing in front of everyone but Skinny tells her:

"But who wants to see an elephant dancing around?"

Skinny stops Ever from moving forward or losing weight and from forming friendships. This is written very well and doesn't become a constant conversation between he two. Just a subtle reminder of what Ever perceives people's reactions to her to be.

Ever finally decides that she needs to make a big change and opts for gastric bypass surgery. I'm sure some readers are going to have a problem with this decision. As far as a novel exploring the surgery, it's a good one. Gastric bypass surgery is no picnic and it isn't portrayed as one. However, I also didn't think the story explored her other options enough. I was particularly stunned that the Dr. asked Ever how many calories are in a hamburger and when she answered the correct number, he used that as proof to her concerned father that she already understood dieting and her options. In my opinion she was 15 and should have taken time and counseling to explore every option even if it led her back to gastric bypass surgery eventually.

Once Ever has the surgery, her life does improve, bringing new friends and potential romance into her life, but things may be more confused than before when she tries to figure out their motivations. She also has to decide who she is now if she isn't just the "fat girl." Not to mention gastric bypass surgery comes with a whole host of unintended complications and lifelong commitments.


What I found interesting was that Ever isn't particularly likable. She’s not always a supportive friend or very compassionate. It's easy to say that she's protecting herself from the people who make fun of her but she actually has quite a bit of support around her. She's so busy thinking about herself because of Skinny that she can't see it until it's almost too late. She is a good kid though and learns from her mistakes. You can’t help but root for her HEA ending.

I loved her step-sister Breilla, who is seemingly shallow, but has a lot more going on beneath the surface. In fact I liked her more than Ever and kind of hoped she stole Ever's love interest, Rat (dumb name - awesome guy) away. O_O It was also interesting to me that being beautiful, thin and popular doesn't mean that everything in life is easy for you. I liked how the author explored different issues that teenage girls encounter by using the sisters relationship.

I related to Ever even though obesity wasn't an issue for me. I lost my mother when I was a teenager and some of her feelings and experiences really cut close to home for me and I even teared up a few times.

Rating: 3 out of 4 This is an emotional story that addresses obesity, friendships and family, as well as an in depth, unflinching look at gastric bypass surgery. I do think the author's choice to not address other methods of weight loss was a problem but I think in this case she was trying to discuss this particular topic and choice so it will be up to the reader to see how they feel about that I guess.

Author: website | twitter
Source: Scholastic/Point at BEA
Buy the book! Skinny – Release date October 1, 2012

Tune in Tuesday: Green Day, the Lumineers, Alex Clare, Ellie Goulding

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! The feature is hosted by Ginger over at GReads! but until further notice you can find it over at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands.

I’ve been listening to a little bit of everything lately so enjoy the randomness….

Green Day “Oh Love”



The Lumineers “Ho Hey”



Alex Clare “Too Close”



Ellie Goulding “Salt Skin”



What are you listening to this week?

Interview & giveaway with author Sarah Beth Durst–Vessel

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.


     Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

     The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own. 
~ Goodreads | Amazon

Please welcome author Sara Beth Durst to the blog today to talk about her captivating new fantasy novel, Vessel.

Karen: Your new book Vessel sounds amazing (and that cover is breathtaking!). Can you tell us about the story and how it came about?

Sarah: VESSEL takes place in a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms.  Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes.

The story was born from multiple ideas.  I knew I wanted to write about a desert, and I'd been toying with the idea of a character who has the opportunity of extraordinary powers but at an extraordinary price.  I also had this image in my head of a girl dancing barefoot on the sand, knowing at the end of the dance that she will die.

K: Describe the main character Liyana. Do you think there is a message that young girls can take from the difficult choices she has to make?

S: Liyana is, I think, the bravest character I've ever written.  She doesn't want to die. She feels fear. Yet she is willing to do what she has to do, even if it means facing death, even if it means defying the gods, to save her family.

I think that fantasy is (or can be!) a literature of hope and of empowerment, and I hope that people reading Liyana's story feel a little stronger by the end of it.

K: All of your stories have a magical, fantasy element; were-tigers, talking gargoyles, vampire hunting were-unicorns. If you could create a magical world that you would live in, what would it be?

S: Dragons.  And unicorns.  Also, mermaids, griffins, ghosts, dryads, centaurs, pegasi, fairy godmothers, shapeshifters, knights, and talking cats.  But I want them all to be friendly with no desire to eat me.

K: Has your upbringing influenced your writing? Did your family encourage you?

S: My mom taught me to love books.  She used to take me to the library and let me drag home huge stacks of books.  She introduced me to the SF/fantasy shelves.  We used to read books side by side on the couch all summer long.

K: What was the very first story you ever wrote?

S: I wrote my very first story (outside of school) in fifth grade.  It was a cross between the Wizard of Oz and G.I. Joe.  Plus everyone in it had their own personal talking lion.

K: What is your favorite quote and why?

S: "Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird."  (from Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life)  It's from my favorite writing book of all time, and it's great advice whenever you feel overwhelmed.  (In the book, the author is relating an anecdote about her brother working on a research paper about birds.  He bursts into tears at the enormity of his task, and his father tells him to take it bird by bird.)

K: What magical worlds are you planning on taking us to next?

S: I am currently working on two projects:

SWEET NOTHINGS (coming fall 2013 from Bloomsbury/Walker) is about a girl in the paranormal witness protection program, who, haunted by dreams of carnival tents and tarot cards, must remember her past and why she has strange abilities before a magic-wielding serial killer hunts her down. 

THE LOST (coming fall 2013 from Harlequin/Luna) is the first in a trilogy about a woman running from her bleak life who finds herself trapped in a small town where all things lost -- luggage, keys, people -- are mysteriously deposited.

Thank you Sarah! We have a lot to look forward to in 2013!


Sarah Beth Durst is the author of young adult novels Vessel, Drink, Slay, Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice from Simon & Schuster, as well as middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild from Penguin Young Readers. She has twice been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award, for both Ice and Into the Wild.

Sarah was born in Massachusetts as Sarah Angelini and grew up in Northboro, a small town in central Mass that later became the setting for her debut novel.
At the age of ten, she decided she wanted to be a writer. (Before that, she wanted to be Wonder Woman, except with real flying ability instead of an invisible jet. She also would have accepted a career as a unicorn princess.) And she began writing fantasy stories.

She attended Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk.
Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her two children, and her ill-mannered cat.Website | Twitter | Facebook | Books

*You guys should really visit Sarah’s blog. It’s FILLED with extras like excerpts and links to interviews & articles with Sarah.

GIVEAWAY!
I’m giving away one copy of Vessel!
Just fill out the form below. Ends 9/30/12 at 12:01 am, winner announced 9/30.

Sorry - US only for this giveaway.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Ramblings…

I went to see Florence and the Machine in concert this week and for once I have GOOD pictures. I don’t have to say – see that dot? That’s Florence…..really…I saw her live! lol



The concert was incredible! I saw her last year and I loved her but I have to say this concert was even better.

So back to bloggy stuff!

Winner!

Saturday Spotlight Giveaway: Ricki @Reading Challenged! Congratulations – you won a copy of Eliza’s Shadow by Catherine Wittmack!

Weekly wrap-up:
~ Book Blogger Confessions: Blogger relationships and reciprocating comments
~ Tune in Tuesday: The Heavy - The Glorious Dead
~ Waiting on Wednesday: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
~ Review: Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
~ Saturday Spotlight & Giveaway! Katie Christine -Cats vs. Rabbits: A Writer's Dilemma – win a copy of Impeccable Petunia and signed print! ENDS 9/29

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I’m so glad my blog can be helpful to so many people. *snickers*

I thought they were kind of funny at first but now I'm getting 3-4 per day so it's just annoying. Luckily my spam filter blocks all of them.

What I read:


Blades of Winter by G.T. Almasi
Torched by Andrea Lynn Colt

Well that’s all for this week’s wrap-up! Anything new and exciting in your world?

Spotlight Saturday & Giveaway: Katie Christine–Impeccable Petunia

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

Please welcome Katie Christine, author of the children’s book Impeccable Petunia Part 1: Claws, Paws, Feathers and Jaws to this week's Saturday Spotlight.  

Cats vs. Rabbits: A Writer’s Dilemma

When I started writing Impeccable Petunia, the first friend for my titular character, Petunia, the chicken, outside of the hen yard was a rabbit named Trevor.

Now I loved Trevor—he was fat, fluffy and did not care that most other animals considered him food. He was to be Petunia's companion during her time inside the human house and I was very excited to have him in my story.

Trevor, however, did not make it out of the first draft. There were too many logistical problems to solve due to the physical limitations of a rabbit. As much as talking animals require a suspension of disbelief, Trevor pushed that concept to the extreme.

Petunia was experiencing a world outside of her hen flock and she needed someone who could help her see and live within a new paradigm. The more I wrote, the more I realized I was having trouble finding anything for poor Trevor to do. Often he would just sit in a scene until I remembered I'd forgotten about him.

On one particularly frustrating day of writing, I found myself in a war of wills with my very stubborn cat, Frankenstein, who from across the room had decided to try and liberate the window from behind the wooden blind.

I remembered my husband's encouragement to think about adding a feline character to the story as I stared at Frankie.

Ignoring my verbal reprimands, he knew he'd spent his bad behavior allowance and as I rose to my feet, he shot me one last petulant gaze.
Macy, the resident cat in Petunia's life, was born. (Pictured: Frankie & his petulant gaze)

A cat could easily shift between worlds, indoors and out with nothing more than a cursory explanation. Macy readily entered any scene and I was never at a loss to explain his presence. He became Petunia's perfect foil, complementing her in every way. Where she was naive, he was worldly and where she was limited, he was agile. Things that upset her, amused him and where he was insensitive, she was astute.

Though difficult at first to cut my dear, fuzzy rabbit, I soon realized it was for the best and Macy took on a life of his own. And while he started from Frankie, who lays beside me sleeping on his back like a snoring walrus as I write this, Macy, as a character has come from many places, people and experiences in my life. He is equal parts impulsive and destructive as he his noble and erudite and he has easily become one of my favorite characters.

Learning when to let go and when to keep tinkering until I get something that flows has easily been one of my most ardent struggles as a writer. Trevor, the rabbit, was my first lesson in the former. Though I was attached to him and his absence left quite a hole in my plans for the future of the story I was writing, letting him go was the right decision and out of that difficulty came a character that I may, if pressed to admit, enjoy even more.


Bio: From a young age Katie's parents instilled in her a love of animals and art. She has many fond childhood memories of long summer afternoons spent curled up in a quiet corner of the local library. She lives in beautiful Seattle, Washington with her husband/illustrator Jonathan Edward, their Super-Sheltie, Niles and cats, Frankenstein and Penelope.

Katie Christine holds degrees from UCLA and USC, enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading, and discovering new music. Website | Facebook | Amazon

Impeccable Petunia Part 1: Claws, Paws, Feathers and Jaws Follow Petunia, the backyard hen, through a hazardous world as she discovers hidden talents, a mischievous cat named Macy and encounters all things feathered and furious. View the illustration gallery and see what readers have to say about Impeccable Petunia here!

GIVEAWAY!
Katie is giving away one ebook copy of Impeccable Petunia as well as a signed illustration. Fill out the form below to enter. International entries welcome!

Giveaway ends Saturday, September 29th at 11:59 pm ET. Winner announced Sunday, September 30th.

Winner is bn100!

Review: Full Blooded (Jessica McClain #1) by Amanda Carlson

It's not easy being a girl. It's even harder when you're the only girl in a family of werewolves. But it's next to impossible when your very existence spells out the doom of your race... Meet Jessica McClain -- she just became part of the pack.
In the vein of Kelley Armstrong and Patricia Briggs, a new urban fantasy that rewrites the werewolf myth. ~ Goodreads

Review:This book is getting rave reviews, from bloggers that I usually agree with, so I'm a little surprised that I had such a different reading experience than them with Full Blooded.

The werewolf mythology and world building is fresh and interesting. Jessica McClain is a 26 year old woman that shifts into her werewolf form for the first time. She is the first and only female werewolf in existence. A sign that the Cain Myth, which signals the end of all werewolves, is in fact real.  She's also the daughter of the Alpha and pack leader. This is not welcome news for his pack and Jessica is forced on the run with assistance from her father's loyal pack members.

Unfortunately, a lot of the things I liked about Full Blooded were also things that I didn't like. I know that doesn't make much sense but I'll try to explain.

We get to hear Jessica's wolf as they battle for dominance. I love the idea of actually hearing Jessica's wolf but on the other hand you end up reading a lot of Jessica talking to herself and trying to calm her wolf down. Same with her ability to speak with her father and brother using telepathy. It gives them an edge when in danger but it mysteriously goes on the fritz whenever the tension needs to be ratcheted up a notch. So something that seems cool at first - grew old or repetitive quickly.

I had two big problems with Full Blooded though. The first being that everything feels like one big conversation or info dump.There is a lot of telling. When Jessica asks a question, we get the answer…..the full, long…answer. Even in the middle of battles, the author will cut to a history lesson, or a long winded diatribe from the evil person (of which there are too many IMO). I kept getting pulled out of things. I know Carlson needs to set up the world building and that’s difficult with so much going on but it disrupted the flow of the story for me. It kind of felt like she was trying to cram it all into this one book instead of spacing things out over a few books in the series.

My next problem was the large cast of characters. I actually loved all of the pack members that surround and protect Jessica but there are just so many that I lost track of who was who after a while. We don't really get to know anyone other than knowing they are hot and/or loyal, including Jessica very well. More importantly I didn't feel invested in what happened to them.

A love interest is introduced, comes on really strong and then poof. HUGE cliffhanger. Worse than a cliffhanger - the story almost felt like it stopped mid scene.

I always enjoy a werewolf story though and Jessica is an interesting character. She's shaken and confused by the fact that she's all of a sudden a target for every supernatural creature around her but she never backs down and is loyal to the core. She's also not afraid of asking for help. A quality I like in my heroines.

I really wish we got the foundation of her life as a human first. I would have liked to meet her friends, get a little background with her family and her job as a detective before we were thrust into the pack politics and romance. It was non stop danger from multiple sources.

It felt like I was constantly being hit with new information, characters, twists and background.

Before passing over Full Blooded though, I would take a look over on Goodreads because the vast majority of reviewers loved this one. There is also a prequel story, called Blooded, that gives background information about Jessica. Maybe if I read that first, it would have helped but honestly I don't think you should have to and I'm not sure it would have fixed the information overload for me.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 Fans of werewolf/shifter stories should give Full Blooded a shot because of Carlson's unique take on the genre and a compelling cast of characters. While the writing style didn't work for me it does have a great premise and a heroine that other readers might enjoy.

Author: website | Twitter
Source: Netgalley
Buy the book! Full Blooded (Jessica McClain)

Waiting on Wednesday: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Stealing Parker
by Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release date: October 1, 2012

Summary:
Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After a scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back. ~ Goodreads | Amazon

Why I’m waiting: I enjoyed Kenneally’s debut Catching Jordan and from the ARC reviews on Goodreads she’s got another hit on her hands with this companion novel. More importantly we don’t have to wait very long since it comes out in a few weeks!

What are you waiting for this week?

Tune in Tuesday: The Heavy–The Glorious Dead

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! The feature is hosted by Ginger over at GReads! but until further notice you can find it over at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands.

This week my pick is The Heavy. You probably know them form their hit song How You Like Me Now, but I’m picking a few songs off their new CD The Glorious Dead. Each song has a different kind of feel, which I love.

Can’t Play Dead – fun beginning, good rock sound.






What Makes a Good Man – Love it!



Big Bad Wolf – another fun one. I can totally see this song being used on True Blood (if it hasn’t already) The CD version sounds better IMO but this is the only version I could find.

Book Blogger Confessions #17–Blogger Relationships

 

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question:
Blogger relationships: Are there blogs you visit and comment on because you like their style, voice etc.(maybe you even converse with the blogger on Twitter & Facebook) but those comments are never reciprocated on your blog?. Do you get a bit offended or do you understand that they may be busy? Or do you comment just because you like a post not expecting anything in return?

All the time!

I have to be honest and say that I haven’t had a lot of time to comment lately so I save those comments for posts that I enjoy. Whether or not they reciprocate doesn’t matter to me. I am commenting because I enjoyed what the blogger had to say, not because I’m looking for something in return.

I also have quite a few Twitter friends that I talk to ALL the time, yet I rarely – if ever – visit their blog. Mostly because we have different reading tastes so it’s not anything personal. They don’t visit mine either so it’s all good :-)

However, here is something that bugs me. Bloggers who complain about not getting comments on their posts, mostly via Twitter. Not the actual complaint - I can understand how the lack of comment love can get you down BUT if I do take the time to hear your cry for comments and visit your blog & comment then yeah – I would like you to return the favor and comment back. Is that petty??

This has been such a crazy year in blogging with outbursts, bad behavior and hurt feelings. I think we’re all a little burned out and over sensitive these days. I know I don’t have time to comment on everyone’s post like I used to and I assume that’s the case for others as well. No offense taken.

Having said that – I LOVE to receive comments and love to leave them when I have time. Why blog if you can’t have a conversation or meet other people… right? This post is also making me feel guilty for not leaving enough comments lately. *shame*

How do you feel about this? Does it bother you to leave dozens of comments and they don’t return the love?

Read a previous Book Blogger Confessions where we discussed encouraging comments.

Next Book Blogger Confessions – October 1st: Blogger envy. EEP! That should be a good one. Get the full topic schedule right here!

Sunday Ramblings…

I’ve (once again) been a bad blogger and haven’t done a wrap up for the past two weeks. So there will be a few extra links this week.

But first a new song! BLEEDING OUT by Imagine Dragons. LOVE it!



Wrap-up!
~ Review: Demons of the Sun by Cindi Madsen – demons, greek mythology and a hot boy!
~ Mini Reviews: Seduction for hire – Curio, All Summer Long, Seducing Cinderella
~ Random thoughts: I dedicate thee... Do you read the acknowledgments & dedications of your favorite        books?
~ Saturday Spotlight: Cindi Madsen – Demons of the Sun
~ Must Read Monday: Enclave & Endgame by Ann Aguirre
~ Tune in Tuesday: Passenger
~ Waiting on Wednesday: Lust for Life by Jeri Smith-Ready
~ Saturday Spotlight & GIVEAWAY! Catherine Wittmack - Eliza's Shadow ENDS 9/22!

Bloggers!

Tomorrow is Book Blogger Confessions – get the next topic here and full 2012 schedule here.

The ARCycling Program – this is a great place to help find a home for all those ARC’s that we have no idea what to do with. Please go to their blog for all the details. This is a program for BLOGGERS, TEACHERS & LIBRARIANS only!!

Incoming! I got a few great books this week!




Won: The City’s Son by Tom Pollock.



For review: Vessel by Sara Beth Durst

Both of those covers are beyond gorgeous!

I think that covers the past two weeks! I keep saying I’ll get back on track with blogging but somehow never quite make it. At least I’m posting again (on a semi-regular basis anyway... lol)

I’m reading a LOT but I’m still in a bit of a review/blogging slump. I guess it happens to us all at some point.

So enough about me – what about you? What books did you get this week?

Saturday Spotlight & giveaway! Catherine Wittmack–Eliza’s Shadow

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

Please join me in welcoming author Catherine Wittmack as this week’s Saturday Spotlight featured author. I always love hearing about where a story originates from and I love this inspirational post from Catherine. 


Eliza Gowan’s past has come back to hunt her. Since her mother’s mysterious disappearance, Eliza has enjoyed a quiet life under the care of her aunt in the sleepy town of Port Rune. But the moment magnetic Ren Alden appears in her high school classroom, Eliza is thrust into the exciting world of magic and the path of danger. Menaced by an otherworldly enemy, Eliza embarks on a quest to solve the mysteries of her past and end the hunt for good.

“Fabulous new YA character!  This book fits neatly into the spot between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games trilogy.” Goodreads | Amazon



Catherine Wittmack:

Thank you, Karen, for hosting me on For What It’s Worth.  I am delighted to be here to share my debut novel, Eliza’s Shadow, with your readers. 

For as long as I can remember, I have been intrigued, some might say obsessed, with fantasy, magic, and folklore.  I used to search the new book section of my elementary school library for scary looking covers until, in third grade I finally mustered the courage to just ask the librarian if she had any books about witches.  I was a little nervous because it was a Catholic school and I wasn’t sure how she would react.  She gave me The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare and I was thrilled!  From then on, I devoured any books that had a spooky cover and a promise of magic.

Writers absorb the books we love, mix them with our life experience, and our imagination produces something new.  For me, it was a life changing event that helped kick my imagination into high gear. I created the story of Eliza’s Shadow while I was recovering from surgery for thyroid cancer.

Honestly, it was a low point in my life.  I was a new mother with a cancer diagnosis and I was facing the fragility of my existence.  I wanted to do something that I cared about.  I wanted to write a book, the kind of book that was magical, adventurous, and an escape from the stress of ordinary life.  

But before I had a story to write, I had Eliza.  I closed my eyes and saw her in my mind with such clarity that it was as if she had always been there.  And almost as soon as I fleshed out Eliza, I saw Ren from a distance hovering behind her.  I played with the characters of Eliza and Ren a bit before I began to write anything.  I asked questions about their personalities and characteristics, and thought a lot about their relationship.  Were they friends or enemies or a little of both?  Did they fall in love?  Hmmm. 

After I had gotten to know Eliza and Ren, I needed to create a place for them to live!  It was important to me that the world of Eliza’s Shadow was believable.  Eliza and Ren are essentially normal teenagers with normal teenage feelings and problems.  They are characters that readers can relate to.  I wanted the magical aspects of their lives and their world to be believable too.  If magic could exist in our everyday lives, what would it look like?  To accomplish that, I had to do some research.  If you look to the religious and cultural beliefs of any group of people you will find a hint of magic.

I was raised in Charlotte, N.C. and one of my favorite things about the South is the regional folklore.  So to create the world of Eliza’s Shadow, I drew upon aspects of Southern folklore, folk medicine, Voodoo, ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology, and my own personal travel experience.  I gathered those hints of magic to define the elements of good and evil and the rules of magic that are Ren and Eliza’s reality.

Once I could hear Eliza and Ren’s voices (yes, I hear voices) and understood the reality of their world, it was easy to write.  I just followed them around in my imagination and chronicled their adventures!  Before long, I had a book. 

So, that is my story behind the story of Eliza’s Shadow.  I hope you will read it and share your thoughts with me.  And if you like Eliza’s Shadow and are wondering… Eliza and Ren are still having adventures and I’m still chronicling them.  I’ll keep you posted on what they are up to!    


Catherine Wittmack lives in Charlotte, N.C. with her husband, Charlie, and their two sons, James and Jack.  She holds a B.A. in English from Villanova University and a M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa.  Her debut novel, Eliza's Shadow, was published on Amazon in May 2012.  She is represented by ICM in New York.
Connect with Catherine on Facebook and Goodreads


Giveaway!

Catherine is giving away one copy of Eliza's Shadow (ebook or paperback - winner's choice). Please fill out the form below.

Giveaway ends Saturday 9/22/12 at 11:59pm ET. Winner announced 9/23/12

US only. Good luck!

This giveaway has ended.

The winner is Ricki!

Book Blogger Confessions: Topic reminder for Monday 9/17

 

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If Book Blogger Confessions is new to you, here's a link to the introductory post. If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth.

We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question for Monday, September 17th:

Blogger relations: Are there blogs you visit and comment on because you like their style, voice etc.(maybe you even converse with the blogger on Twitter & Facebook) but those comments are never reciprocated on your blog?. Do you get a bit offended or do you understand that they may be busy? Or do you comment just because you like a post not expecting anything in return?

Waiting on Wednesday: Lust for Life by Jeri Smith-Ready

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Lust for Life (WVMP Radio Series #4)by Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release date: November 27th, 2012

Summary:

Everyone's Out for Blood—Hers

Ciara’s con-artist parents taught her three keys to survival: keep low, keep quiet, and most of all, keep moving. But managing WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll—not to mention becoming a vampire herself—has kept her in one place long enough to fall madly in love, adopt an undead dog...

. . . and make more enemies than she can shake a stake at.

A psychotic DJ, a wanna-be necromancer, and a posse of vengeful hippies would all love to see Ciara get her day in the sun—literally. To protect Ciara, her fiancé, Shane, has traded his flannel shirt and guitar for a flak jacket and crossbow. If she survives to walk down the aisle, will she recognize the man waiting at the altar?

In this final chapter of the award-winning WVMP RADIO series, Ciara must decide who to trust, who to love—and who to kill.

Add it on Goodreads | Pre-order

This is one of my all time favorite series. I’m sorry to see it end but I can’t wait for Ciara and Shane to get their much deserved happily ever after.

**********

* For fans of the series be sure to check out LET IT BLEED (WVMP Radio Series 3.5) – a FREE-download novella (PDF, MOBI, EPUB) that also has a sneak peek at LUST FOR LIFE!

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN SLAUGHTER
Con artist-turned-radio-station-manager Ciara Griffin hopes to settle into a normal un-life as a fledgling vampire, with the help of her immortally hot fiancé, grunge DJ Shane McAllister. But she has bigger problems than finding a sane blood donor and a new home for those boxes of mac ’n’ cheese. Ciara’s best friend mourns her like she’s dead instead of undead, and her own maker clearly wishes she’d never been born (again). Worst of all, the WVMP crew calls a Code Black: hippie vampire DJ Jim has murdered a pair of humans—humans who share Ciara’s true last name.

That’s when trouble rolls out the red carpet, straight into Ciara’s life. At Shane’s first live concert, Ciara finds herself face to face with her Irish Traveller cousins, a not-so-welcome family reunion that might hold the key to Ciara’s anti-holy blood. Jim’s spiral into madness makes Ciara an unwilling prize in his deadly feud with Shane. As Ciara clings to what’s left of her humanity, she’ll need her new vampire strength—and old con artist cunning—now more than ever.

Add it on Goodreads

This is no mere *filler* novella either. It’s a must read for long time WVMP fans and serves as a bridge between the events of Bring on the Night and Lust for Life.

SO MUCH HAPPENS. So much! and Let it Bleed is second only to book #1 Wicked Game as far as being a favorite of mine in the series.

Like I said – it’s a freebie but be sure to check out how getting Let it Bleed to her fans was a labor of love and consider clicking on the donate button on the download page and be sure to read on for the teaser for Lust for Life!

What are you guys waiting for this week?

Tune in Tuesday: Passenger

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! The feature is hosted by Ginger over at GReads! but until further notice you can find it over at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands.

My pick this week is the British Band Passenger (Michael Rosenburg). He opened for the Ed Sheeran concert I went to the other night and he was hands down the best opening act I’ve ever seen. His lyrics are gorgeous. GORGEOUS. If you ever get the chance to see him perform live – do it!









Let Her Go – Mike explained that this song is about breaking up with someone and enjoying your first few weeks on your own. Then realizing you made the worst mistake of your life but it’s too late to get her back.



I Hate – Too funny



Things You’ve Never Done – Another song about longing and regret.



Website: Passengermusic
Amazon: Flight of the Crow

Must Read Monday!

Must Read Monday is a weekly feauture hosted by Jen from What's on the Bookshelf to showcase a book or series (old or new) that we recommend.

I usually only pick one book for this feature but author Ann Aguirre has recently released books from two of my favorite series. The first a sequel in her YA Razorland trilogy and the second the last book in her post apocolyptic / Sci-fi Sirantha Jax series.


Outpost (Razorland #2) released September 4th by Feiwel and Friends.

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide. ~ Goodreads | Amazon

Why you MUST read it! This is an incredible sequel to the first book in the Razorland trilogy, Enclave. The ending has me clamoring for the conclusion which promises to be epic.

“Deuce and her friends may be free from the claustrophobic tunnels of the enclave but life is no less confining for her in Salvation, a town that doesn't appreciate the hunter skills which she has honed and perfected.”
You can read the rest of my review here.

(If you haven’t read Enclave yet – it’s currently only $2.99  Amazon Kindle )

*Note: I was an early beta reader for Outpost. The above is my honest opinion and I’ve loved all of Ann’s writing long before I ever had the opportunity to read for her. I just wanted to be upfront and have full disclosure.


Endgame (Sirantha Jax #6) by Ann Aguirre - released August 28th by Ace

Sirantha Jax has the J-gene, which permits her to “jump” faster-than-light ships through grimspace. She loves nothing more than that rush, but the star roads have to wait…

Her final mission takes her to La’heng, a planet subjugated during first contact. Since then, the La’hengrin homeworld has been occupied by foreign conquerors.
All that’s about to change.

Now, as part of a grassroots resistance, Jax means to liberate the La’hengrin. But political intrigue and guerrilla warfare are new to her, and this will be the most dangerous game she’s ever played—spies and conspiracies, a war of weapons and hearts, and not everyone is guaranteed to make it out alive. ~ Goodreads | Amazon

Why you MUST read it! Endgame is the final book in the long running Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre.This is one of my favorites and you’ve got to love an author who can end a series just right. She did just that with Endgame. It was thrilling, heartbreaking, and just perfect.

The opening paragraph…

“This is not a love story.

     It is my life, and as such, there is love, loss, war, death, and sacrifice. It’s about things that needed to be done and choices made, I regret nothing.”

At the risk of disagreeing with a heroine who could kick my ass, it felt like a love story. It’s not the fantasy kind love that makes everything all better but it’s the kind of love worth fighting for. And Jax fights right to the bitter end – for all of it without ever compromising who she is or what she believes in or asking anyone else to change. While I was frustrated on & off with the characters throughout the series – it’s honest…even if it hurt me at times. lol

Awesome series! Even if you think you’re not a fan of sci-fi. This is a gritty, action packed, character driven series that will appeal to anyone who likes strong heroines and superb writing regardless of genre.

* Book list from Ann’s website for series order: Sirantha Jax series

Saturday Spotlight: Cindi Madsen - Demons of the Sun

Welcome to Saturday Spotlight. A feature hosted by Tina’s Book Reviews as a way of shining the light on Indie/Debut/Self Published authors. Each week I’ll have a guest post written by a featured author.

Today author Cindi Madsen is stopping by to talk about her writing process and to share an excerpt from her recent release – Demons of the Sun. You can check out my review here. I really enjoyed this fun take on demons and Greek mythology. Be sure to follow her on Twitter as well for great book-ish chats!

Thanks for having me on For What It’s Worth today! I have two novels with indie publishers. Demons of the Sun, a YA urban fantasy out with Crescent Moon Press September 4th & a gothic mystery called All the Broken Pieces out with Entangled Publishing in December.

I’ve always liked to read different stories in different genres, and I like to write in different genres as well. Sometimes I want a kick-butt heroine and hot guys with swords. Sometimes I want to write quieter, more contemporary books with a twist. Sometimes I want an adult romantic comedy that makes me laugh. But it’s important to me to always have characters who grow over the course of the story, and a satisfying romance.

My Writing ProcessI write pretty fast, and people usually ask me how, and how I write in so many different genres. The short answer is: I’m crazy. Just kidding. Kind of. My writing process involves drinking Mountain Dew, often while eating either sour gummi worms or peanut M&Ms (I know, I’m a health nut, obviously) and putting on music. I like to pick music to match the mood for the book I’m writing. Nothing’s better for fight scenes than Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.” While writing the fight scenes in Demons of the Sun, which there are a lot of, I blasted that song, and “Heads Will Roll” by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs. But when I wrote some quieter scenes with more romance it was the Fray’s “Look After You.” That song is Jax’s song to Persephone. And when I’m having a crap day or feel like I suck, I play the Avett Brother’s “Head Full of Doubt” and Pink’s “So What?” Basically, I think everything’s better to music. And I have this belief that nothing bad can happen while listening to the Black Keys. Anyway, I could go on and ON about music, but I’ll just say that I want my writing to have the same effect on people that music has on me. Lift them or make them feel angry or scared or in love. I put up my playlists on my website if anyone wants to see the songs that helped inspire me.

Writing’s not always easy. It’s also not easy having your work critiqued (or in some cases torn apart) by other people. But characters and stories pop into my head, and I know I need to get them out on paper. When I first started out, all I wanted was for ANYONE to take on my book. But over time, and especially after working with two different editors, who thankfully, were both fabulous, I learned how important it is to work with someone who really gets and loves your story. I hope my story finds all the readers out there who will get it and love it too. There’s no better feeling as an author than when someone laughs or sighs or tells you they loved your story. It makes all the craziness and ups and downs of the publication world worth it. Because at the end of the day, I want to entertain and make people fall in love right along with my characters. It’s the best job in the world!


Demons of the Sun is out now, and I thought I’d share an excerpt:

As they ate dinner, Persephone looked across the table at Jax, and thought about how much her life had changed since he’d shown up. She didn’t feel so lonely anymore. It was a relief to be able to talk about her Sentry job and what really happened to her parents. Training had also made her feel more secure in her calling, like she actually might have a chance. In fact, she found herself looking forward to their nights together. Plus, he knew how to cook, which had added variety to her meals. She smiled a lot more lately, too.
    “What?” Jax asked.

    “Nothing.” Since he’d caught her staring, she searched for something to say. “Burgers were a good idea.”
    “Glad you like them.” One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Couldn’t have done it without your excellently sliced cheese and tomatoes.”

    “Are you mocking me? Because as you pointed out, I’m good with a knife, and that might not end up so well for you.”

    Feigning innocence, he threw a hand to his chest. “Me? Mock the dangerous Persephone Katsaros? I wouldn’t dare.”

“Good. And don’t you forget it.” The words would’ve been a lot more threatening if she could’ve kept a smile from breaking free.

Persephone scooted out her chair, grabbed her empty plate, and headed into the kitchen. She placed her dish in the dishwasher, then, noticing the mayo was still out, put it away.

    She spun away from the fridge and almost slammed into Jax, who was coming from the opposite direction. She grabbed his arms, barely keeping herself from falling. “Whoa.”

    He placed his hands on her hips to steady her. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were going to do a ninja move away from the fridge.”

    “You know me, I don’t mess around, even when I’m doing the dishes. Not to mention this kitchen’s so tiny, it’s almost impossible not to run into you.”

    A flirtatious grin curved his lips. “I say we start hanging out in the kitchen more, then.”

Her heart skipped a beat as she stared up at him. The way he was looking at her left little doubt about what he was thinking.

And now she was thinking about it, too.

All the air went out of the room as he slid his hands behind her, pulled her against him, and lowered his head toward hers.

Demons of the Sun is available now!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. Learn more at http://cindimadsen.com