January 31, 2014

Manor of Secrets Tour: Interview with Katherine & Giveaway!



About the Author

Katherine Longshore grew up on the northern California coast. At university, she created her own major in Cross-Cultural Studies and Communications, planning to travel and write. Forever. Four years, six continents and countless pairs of shoes later, she went to England for two weeks, stayed five years and discovered history. She now lives in California with her husband, two children and a sun-worshiping dog.


☆ How to find Katherine ☆
Website ☆ Blog ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads


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About the Book



The year is 1911. And at The Manor, nothing is as it seems . . .

Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy, and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society. She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure. And most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid. But she isn't sure she possesses the courage -- or the means -- to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for change. As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed. Secrets that will alter the course of their lives. . . forever.




Mindy: Hi Katherine! Thank you so much for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!

I’m so excited for your new release Manor of Secrets! How would you describe Manor of Secrets in 10 words or less?

Katherine: Two girls, two worlds, one house, all manner of secrets.

Mindy: I’m a huge fan of your series that follows a few of the wives of Henry the VIII! How is Manor of Secrets different than your other books? And does Manor of Secrets follow a true historical story like your other books?

Katherine: Historically, the events in Manor occur almost 400 years later than those in my Tudor novels, so there are huge differences in technology (motor cars! Telephones! Indoor plumbing!), fashion (there are still corsets, but no more codpieces!) and society (or not. There is still a huge difference between nobility and the common folk and women are still considered incapable of making political decisions despite the combined reigns of Elizabeth and Victoria).

But as a novel, Manor differs from the Tudor books in a variety of ways. It’s written in third person, from two points of view (Charlotte—the earl’s daughter—and Janie—the kitchen maid). Manor also takes us downstairs, where the average citizens spend their time, whereas the Tudor novels are all about the court and the nobility. And though some of the peripheral events in Manor are historically accurate (the drought of 1911, the possibility of workers’ strikes, the coronation of George V), the story and all the characters are entirely fictional.

Mindy: What does your research entail while writing your books?

Katherine: Lots and lots of reading! For Manor, I read The Perfect Summer by Juliet Nicolson—an account of historical and societal events during the summer of 1911, including some fabulous anecdotes about some familiar figures, like Virginia Woolf. And I devoured the memoirs of people in service between 1900 and 1940, just to get a good idea of what life was like for maids and footmen, and what they could expect from their futures. We cannot even begin to imagine what life was like for the lowliest of the serving girls, but the BBC reality program “Manor House” (in which normal modern people recreate life in an Edwardian country manor) illustrates it well—none of the scullery maids stayed for longer than a couple of days, often leaving in tears.

I also called on some of my own experiences and travels in England, basing much of the appearance and atmosphere of The Manor on properties run by the National Trust or English Heritage. I love visiting these beautiful homes—many of them with connections to famous courtiers, artists, and politicians, like Rudyard Kipling, Winston Churchill, and Robert Dudley (famous for Elizabeth I’s attachment to him).

Mindy: What was your favorite scene to write in Manor of Secrets?

Katherine: Near the middle of the book, Janie—the kitchen maid—is trying to make ice cream, fighting against the heat and lack of refrigeration. It becomes a quiet moment between her and Harry, the hall boy, and then an explosive moment of misinterpretation. I love it because it reminds me of my own childhood. We had a hand-crank ice cream maker that we would pull out only on the Fourth of July, because it was such a pain, but also such a treat. My sister and I would take turns cranking it, until the ice cream began to solidify. It takes more work to crank it to completion after that, though, so I would sit on the top of the churn to keep it from popping off while my sister sweated over the crank. In Manor, Janie sits on top of the churn while Harry turns the handle, while trying to convince herself that her feelings aren’t what she thinks.

Mindy: Which character was your favorite to write in Manor of Secrets?

Katherine: I’m very fond of Harry. He reminds me of my husband.

Getting to know Katherine:

What are your Top 5 favorite things you love being an author?
5. Seeing my book on the shelf of a library or bookstore—perhaps this sounds a little narcissistic, but it really is a thrill.
4. Getting to know a variety of wonderful authors, bloggers and readers—some of whom I’d never meet if I hadn’t been published.
3. Talking about books—any books. I’m always on the lookout for recommendations!
2. Reading—research books, YA novels, other historical fiction, whatever!
1. Writing—Ultimately, what I love best is the work. When it’s going well, there’s nothing like it.

Guilty pleasure? Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. And Sherlock (Let’s be honest. Anything with Benedict Cumberbatch.)

Strange quirks? I don’t know anybody who’s very good at identifying their own strange quirks, so I asked Veronica Rossi, who had this to say: “You hate Brussels sprouts with a passion, you’re obsessive about words & vocabulary, and you don't believe your books are going to come together until draft #4, when the rest of us never doubt it for a minute.”

Facebook or Twitter? Actually, I love them both! Though I probably spend more time on Twitter.

Kindle or Nook? I was given a Kindle as a gift a few years ago, and I love it for beta reading, especially. But nothing can beat a hard copy of a book from my local indie.

Preferred weapon? Words.

Top 5 authors that inspire you?
In no particular order:
Hilary Mantel
Veronica Rossi
Donna Cooner
Talia Vance
Jane Austen.

Top 5 favorite movies? In no particular order:
A Room with a View
Gosford Park
Love Actually
The Breakfast Club
Apollo 13

Top 5 favorite books? Not fair! I can’t choose. Though if you look at the list of authors who inspire me, you can probably figure out that my favorite books include WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi, SKINNY by Donna Cooner, SPIES AND PREJUDICE by Talia Vance and pretty much anything by Jane Austen, though I have a soft spot for EMMA.

Favorite TV show and/or movie when you were younger? Star Wars—the original

Mindy: Thanks again Katherine for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! You’re awesome!!! I’m looking forward to seeing you at your launch! And I’ll make sure to include pics from your launch in this post!

Katherine: Thank you, Mindy! It’s always a pleasure to visit your blog and even better to see you in person!




☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆



This is a tour hosted giveaway!
5 Signed finished copies of MANOR OF SECRETS US Only
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Void where prohibited by law

a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
1/27/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post
1/28/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
1/29/2014- Good Books and Good Wine- Review
1/30/2014- Hobbitsies- Review
1/31/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview


Week Two:
2/3/2014- A Glass Of Wine- Guest Post
2/4/2014- Mundie Moms- Interview & Review
2/5/2014- Read My Breath Away- Guest Post
2/6/2014- Page Turners- Review
2/7/2014- Tales of a Ravenous Reader- Guest Post

January 29, 2014

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge



Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.



My Take: This book is a bizarre world that is extremely hard to explain. The story takes place in a very strange setting and it has a very different feel to the writing that I don’t think I’ve ever felt from another book. It’s like a young adult version of an epic fairytale. Does that even make sense? I think the closest I can come to explaining the “feel” of the writing while reading Cruel Beauty is that it was similar to the bizarreness I felt while reading The Night Circus.

The main character, Nyx, has lived a cruel, horrifying life and she has so much animosity for her family. Normally, a character with that much negativity is one I would have a hard time liking, but I never had that problem with Nyx because it was the life Nyx has lived that had me completely understanding all the hate she had in her heart. But even with all that hate, I wouldn’t say that she is totally full of pure hate because if she were, she wouldn’t feel so guilty or have such a desire to make things right, or to do good, or to save the people of her land. I think most people who lived the life she lived, would just give up! They wouldn’t try to fulfill the destiny that was thrown upon Nyx’s shoulders.

And when Nyx is introduced to her new husband, Ignifex, and his shadow, Shade, I was immediately intrigued by Ignifex. I really didn’t care too much for Shade because he actually kind of annoyed me. And even though Ignifex was cruel (what I think a lot of people would define as evil), he was still interesting to me. His snarky comments and his banter with Nyx were extremely entertaining. I kinda struggled with the book because I really wanted to like the “bad boy,” and it kind of bugged me that he was supposed to be so evil. But the bizarre world kept me reading along and I’m glad I did.

There are a lot of magical elements throughout the book that keep the story very unique, and there is, of course, a huge betrayal/twist in the story. And then, when all elements of the story finally come together, and all the parts of the puzzle about this bizarre world finally fit into place, I was absolutely blow away by how amazing the whole story was! And I loved the ending! I will be keeping my eyes open for any other book written by Rosamund Hodge.



Cruel Beauty Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway!



About the Author

Rosamund Hodge grew up as a homeschooler in Los Angeles, where she spent her time reading everything she could lay hands on, but especially fantasy and mythology. She got a BA in English from the University of Dallas and an MSt in Medieval English from Oxford, and she now lives in Seattle with seven toy cats and a plush Cthulhu.


☆ How to find Rosamund ☆
WebsiteTwitterFacebookGoodreads





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This is a tour hosted giveaway!
1 ARC of CRUEL BEAUTY US Only
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Void where prohibited by law

a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ The Tour ☆

1/27/2014- Paranormal Book Club- Review
1/27/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
1/28/2014- Imaginary Reads- Review
1/29/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Review
1/29/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post
1/30/2014- Bewitched Bookworms- Review
1/31/2014- Some Like it Paranormal- Review
1/31/2014- Parajunkee- Interview



Now check out my REVIEW!

January 28, 2014

Uninvited Tour Stop: Interview with Sophie & Giveaway!



About the Author

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.


☆ How to find Sophie ☆
WebsiteTwitterFacebookGoodreads


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About the Book



The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.




Mindy: Thanks Sophie for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! I’m totally fangirling right now because I loved your Firelight series and I’m SUPER excited for Uninvited!

Sophie: Hi, Mindy! Thanks – you make me blush! ;)

Mindy: Give us 10 words or less to describe Uninvited.

Sophie: Thrilling. Scary. Romantic. Hopeful. Hopeless. Tragic. Eerie.

Mindy: Was Uninvited easier or harder for you to write than your other books and why?

Sophie: Harder … I haven’t written anything like this before. With shades of sci-fi and thriller in it, I actually had to do some research into genetics and crime data. Also … it’s just a different kind of book for me. New is always a challenge, as much as it is fun and exciting. The interstitials in particular took a long time to come up with – I put an interstitial between EVERY chapter. These are made up crime stats, data, 911 transcripts, interviews, CDC releases, etc … that kind of thing. That was stretching my brain in a direction I don’t usually go. I had to think clinically … almost like a scientist.

Mindy: You have quite a few steamy novels, how is writing Young Adult different from writing your adult books and which do you prefer?

Sophie: I love both. Romance is in everything I write. The YA just has extra stuff going on in it, too … like shades of paranormal or sci-fi (now) or thriller of futuristic.

Mindy: What was it like writing a dystopian/sci-fi vs. urban fantasy?

Sophie: The sci-fi/futuristic angled was new but really fun and exciting! It was great going to a place I had never been as a writer. Paranormal, I love and miss. Who knows? Might have to revisit it.

Mindy: Was there any research involved in writing Uninvited?

Sophie: More than I’m used to. I spoke with a doctor about genetic testing/research. Researched crime stats. Watch more true crime shows than usual, including the documentary KILLER KIDS.

Mindy: What was your favorite scene to write and why?

Sophie: Ahh. Tough one … maybe when Sean picks her up after she leaves the party she was at with Zac. There’s a lot of emotion in that scene.


Getting to know Sophie:

What are your Top 5 favorite things you love being an author? Writing my fantasies and getting paid to do it!
Working from home.
Travel.
Meeting and hearing from readers.
The collaboration of working with my editor/agent/publicist/marketing people.

Guilty pleasure? Reading in the tub! And eating fried chicken … but not at the same time. LOL

Strange quirks? Hm. I like a little chip with my hot sauce.

Facebook or Twitter? Twitter!

Kindle or Nook? Both … yep.

Preferred weapon? Sword.

Top authors that inspire you?
Meg Cabot
Sarah MacLean
Tessa Bailey

Top 5 favorite movies?
Love Actually
Gone With the Wind.
Shawshank Redemption
Bridget Jones Diary
Shenandoah

Top 5 favorite books?
This changes every week…
The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsay
The North and South series by John Jakes
The Hunger Games
Dare You To by Katie McGarry
To Kill A Mockingbird

Favorite TV show and/or movie when you were younger?
Hmmm. Maybe Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day Lewis. I thought it was super romantic and watched it a lot.

Mindy: Thanks again Sophie for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!

Sophie: Thanks for having me!! Hugs, S!



☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆



This is a tour hosted giveaway!
5 Signed finished copies of UNINVITED and swag US Only
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Void where prohibited by law

a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
1/27/2014- Nose Graze- Review
1/28/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
1/29/2014- YA Bibliophile- Review
1/30/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post
1/31/2014- Supernatural Snark- Interview


Week Two:
2/3/2014- K-Books- Review
2/4/2014- Addicted Readers- Interview
2/5/2014- Paranormal book club- Review
2/6/2014- Mostly YA Book Obsessed- Review
2/7/2014- A Book and a Latte- Guest Post

January 25, 2014

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood



Publisher’s summary: With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.



My Take: I’m such a huge fan of this series! Oh my! It is so good!

I’m starting to realize that I am loving books that are set in historical periods, but with paranormal aspects. I know that what I’m describing is historical fiction, but I don’t really need books that have true “historical moments in time” in them. I think I just really like books that pick a historical time era and then use that era’s lifestyle and incorporate it into the story.

Okay, enough about my liking of historical fiction and back to the book. I loved Star Cursed because in Born Wicked we learn about the historical setting of the story as well as the prophesied destiny of the three Cahill sisters, what they are each capable of and what motivates each of them. We also learn a little bit of the motivations of the horrible Brotherhood, and we also learn to be leery of the Sisterhood. Then, in Star Cursed, we get to know about the Sisterhood first hand, and we learn about the role they actually play as well as who to trust and whether or not a prophecy can be changed.

I loved following along with Cate’s story as she tries to decide if she’ll be a leader of the Sisterhood, struggling with her own wants and needs. I liked following her constant dilemma of trying to do the right thing and do what’s best for her sisters. I never had a moment where I thought Cate made a bad choice, and I was always really fond of her character. But, just like in the first book, I’m not a fan of Cate’s sister, Maura. I think she’s a brat…I have a better word for her, but I’ll keep that out of my review. But I absolutely love her other sister, Tessa. She’s just way too cute, she is extremely mature for her age, and I loved seeing her become more and more wise throughout the story. There are also some new characters in this book that I grew really fond of as well.

While reading, you know that the story’s leading up to something pretty insane. The story does get to some real nail-biting moments and, along the way, there’s a really sad moment and a lot of really happy moments. But all the while, I had this strange feeling that I should be bracing myself for something that would totally rip me to shreds, and I just knew that it would be a huge betrayal that would cause it. Boy was I right! It wasn’t anything that I could have imagined, and it’s just horrible! It’s one of those epic cliffhangers…like a truly awful, but totally awesome, cliffhanger.

Star Cursed was so good that I literally picked up Sisters’ Fate the moment I was finished reading Star Cursed (even though it was 11:30pm) because I was determined to continue the story. I really hope that the upcoming release of Sisters’ Fate will get more readers into this trilogy because I think these books are not getting the attention they deserve!

January 21, 2014

Half Bad by Sally Green



Publisher’s summary: In a world of witches, there is only good and evil.

Begin the hunt!

Sixteen-year old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled like a dog, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan’s only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers-before it’s too late. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.



My Take: So…Half Bad is just crazy insane! Some of the things in this book were so crazy that I had a hard time even imagining them happening!

First off, I want to talk about the writing style of this book! I read the non-Americanized manuscript and I don’t know how much the writing style will change in the final Americanized version, so I won’t talk about some of the wording I didn’t understand that I had to research online to figure out what the author was talking about (that was fun!) Anyways, the writing starts off as if someone were speaking to you directly, putting “you” (the reader) in the actual POV of a boy (Nathan) who’s locked in a cage and you are being told, step-by-step, what you are doing. I wasn’t really a fan of this style because it was hard for me to distinguish between what was actually happening with what the boy really wanted to happen. Then the second part of the book is in the first person past tense POV of Nathan before he was put in the cage, but there’s also a little portion of this section that was written as if Nathan’s older sister is telling him about what happened to him when he was only a baby. By a little more than midway through the book, the story leads back to the present tense and moves forward from there.

Other than the writing, the story itself was crazy! I felt so bad for Nathan throughout the story. There is a cute romance that was introduced, but the crazy, bizarre things that Nathan endures were way more interesting to me than the romance. Once the story got to the present tense, I think that was when I really started to like the story, and the last few chapters were by far my favorite. There are a few characters that were introduced in those last few chapters that I really liked, along with a whole change in scene, and everything that went down in the end was totally awesome. And the very last scene was just brilliantly done! It left me thrilled with the end, but also left so many doors open for the story to continue!

After reading this book, I’m really excited to see what others will think of this story. I think that it’s one of those stories that you either will really like or that you will really NOT like. I can hardly wait to see!

January 4, 2014

The Book I'm Most Disappointed in 2013



Sorry I'm late posting today's topic!!! Oops! I was wrong! I posted early...my bad!

Today's topic with Parajunkee's Book Blogger New Years Challenge is "Worst Book of 2013". I don't like that word "Worst" because I wouldn't have finished the book if it were that awful, so I'd like to talk about the book I'm most disappointed in. And that's simple for me!



I know that a lot of people are really pissed off with the ending of this book, but it wasn't just the ending that disappointed me. It was the whole book! I don't want to turn this into a review, so in case you are curious as to why I feel this way, I'll try to write up and post my review tonight.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow to see my "Best Book of 2013"!

Books in 2014 I Will Not Miss!



Today's topic for Parajunkee's Book Blogger New Year's Challenge is "The Books of 2014 You Won't Miss". I've already made this list for my Top 10 of 2013 post! Feel free to check it out HERE!

Check back tomorrow to see which book I think was the Worst Book of 2014! (eek)

January 3, 2014

Books I sadly missed in 2013!



Today's topic with Parajunkee's Book Blogger New Years Challenge is "The Books of 2013 You Are Sad You Missed".

This list could actually be really long so I decided to keep mine to a list of 20 books that I'm sad I missed. I listed mine in order of the author's last name.

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Of Triton by Anna Banks

Rise by Anna Carey

A Touch Menacing by Leah Clifford

World After by Susan Ee

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Afterglow by Karsten Knight

Champion by Marie Lu

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Revelations by J.A. Souders

These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

Nameless by Lili St. Crow

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Gold by Talia Vance

I think this list could have been a 100 different books but these are my top 20. Make sure you stop by tomorrow for "The Books of 2014 I won't miss".

January 2, 2014

The Pros and Cons of Book Blogging!



Today's topic with Parajunkee's Book Blogger New Years Challenge is "Your Pros and Cons of Book Blogging".

Pros & Cons - Bloggers

So, first, I have to say that bloggers themselves are both a pro and a con in book blogging. But, in my opinion, all the good stuff with bloggers probably outweighs everything bad. Plus, there are a few bloggers that I can really call true friends. These are girls I can confide in about my personal and/or my blogging life. They are girls that I have grown really close to. And, it all started in the passion of loving the same books, chatting about books with them, meeting some of them at book related events and learning to trust them. I especially love seeing other bloggers’ passion in making a book successful. Or their passion in promoting an author they love. It’s those moments when you get a Christmas card from a blogger friend when you realize that there are so many great things that come from book blogging.

The con with bloggers is the drama that sometimes rears its ugly head in the blogging world. There sometimes seems to be drama and bullying all over the place that I just do not agree with. Not just between bloggers, but with authors and, sometimes, with bloggers about things that are not even book related. This happens on twitter, on blogs, on goodreads and even at conventions or signings. There are cliques everywhere! And, I hate to say it, but I feel like I’ve secluding myself to the point where I’m only chatting with a few people on a regular basis because I’ve become so guarded. Does this mean I’m in a “clique” myself? I hope not because I’ve never been one who likes cliques. I like to be friends with everyone. But I think that people have surprised me in so many upsetting ways that I’ve become leery about befriending people. I’ve even become leery about joining some Book Touring websites because staying away from people I don’t know for the last year has felt safe. But I know that I’m missing out on meeting more awesome people. So this sucks!!! OH….and bloggers who feel like they are entitled also really bothers me too. Just sayin’.

Pro- My blog is all MINE!

I love that I can say that pretty much everything on my blog is all mine. I love that I have many, many reviews with only my thoughts about a book and with only my personality in the mix. I love that the words are my words! I love that people have been inspired to read a book because of my words. I love that I have interviews on “my” blog with authors who I adore. I love that I have special posts from authors that were written especially for “my” blog….and I could go on and on. The design might not be my sole creation, but I paid for a custom design from Parajunkee that totally fits me and it’s all mine! I do think, though, that it might be time for a change!

Con – Time

Between working, being a mom, reading, and watching TV….blogging becomes a hassle sometimes. It takes soooooo much time! I remember that when I first started blogging I spent hours and hours and hours blogging. It consumed my life! Luckily, once you get the hang of it, it doesn’t take as much time! But I found that since I haven’t been putting as much time into blogging, the individuality or creativity is lacking big-time! I really need to work on that!

Pro- Books!!!!

I love that we bloggers get the opportunity to read books early! I also love that with all the bloggers out there, it’s easy to find the next book that I should read. There are so many books out there that it’s really hard to decide which I should give my time, love and affection to next. But other bloggers usually help me weed through those. Especially Jaime and Nancy! Thanks ladies!!!

Well, I feel like I could go on about this for hours, but I’d like to leave this one off with a pro so this post doesn’t feel too negative! See you tomorrow for “The Books of 2013 You Are Sad You Missed.”

January 1, 2014

My 2014 Book Blogger Resolution!



First off, Happy 2014! Hope you have a fabulous New Years! I decided that I’m going to participate in Parajunkee’s Book Blogger New Year’s Challenge. Today’s topic is “Your Blogger Resolutions”.

Well my resolution is quite simple. It’s TO NOT GIVE UP! Because I've thought about quiting and that's just no good. I’ve had a really sucky blogging year, so much so that I didn’t even celebrate my 2 year blogoversary!!! And now that it’s coming up on my 3 year blogoversary (in just 3 months!), I know that I’ve really got to get back into the passion that I used to have for Book Blogging.

So, I’m going to take this opportunity to tell my followers “THANK YOU” for not giving up on me. I’ve had a lot going on in my life, and only the people I’m most close to really know what’s going on. These personal issues are not over, but I’m not going to give up on blogging! That’s my resolution, TO NOT GIVE UP! Book blogging is something that I’ve loved for too long and that I’ve put too many hours of my life into to just give up. I hope that I’ll be around for a really long time!

How am I going to do that? I need to get back out there! First off, I’ve completely secluded myself to bloggers that I know because I think that I’ve become a little too guarded in trusting bloggers because of some of the drama out there, but I think it’s time for me to open up again. I need to get out and check out all the (I’m sure many, many) new blogs; I need to start regularly visiting the blogs I love again; I need to start fun chats about books on twitter again; and, finally, I need to write more book reviews!!! I really hope that I’ll do it! Wish me luck!!!

I’ll see you tomorrow for the topic of “Your Pros & Cons of Blogging List”!



Impatiently Waiting! Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins


This should be obvious!...Just sayin'.


Expected publish date:
April 29, 2014

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.




Dear followers, fans and peeps! Some of the books I review on Magical Urban Fantasy Reads are provided to me for free by either the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. Please know that I am in NO WAY compensated for my reviews. All opinions are mine and I am not required to give a positive review in exchange for a free book! But some of the purchase links on my blog are monetized through places like Amazon, Book Depository or Barnes & Noble.