Category: discussion

Can’t Wait Wednesday 3/18/20

DeAnneLeave a comment
40276268 – vintage old pocket watch and book

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

This week I wanted to talk about The Mall by Megan McCafferty. I’m lucky enough that I received an ARC of this one and it’s super high on my TBR. All I had to hear about this one was that it’s set in the 90s in a mall, and I was there!

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

The Mall comes out from Wednesday Books on June 9th, 2020 so make sure to check back for my review!

Happy reading!

How I Listen to Audiobooks

DeAnne3 Comments

I tend to read a lot of books and a huge contributor to that is listening to audiobooks. I’m able to listen to them at work depending on what I’m doing, so that ends up helping a lot. Also, depending on the speed of the narrator’s speech, I almost always listen at 2x speed or faster.

I use a few different apps to listen to audiobooks, here are the ones I use the most.

Libby – I use Libby to access my library’s catalog. It does sometimes take longer cause I have to put books on hold, but my library has a pretty good selection overall.

Scribd – I know Scribd has had some issues in the past with clear messaging and that put a lot of people off, but it’s one of my favorite apps to use. No you can’t constantly listen to super new, super popular books and the selection does get narrowed as you listen to more books before the monthly reset – but I’ve never not had audiobooks to listen to, just a smaller selection. Plus it’s a great deal considering all the content it has.

Audible – For a long time I was only subscribed to the Audible Escape program (formerly Audible Romance Package) but I recently got a full subscription again. With that and access to the Escape package there are a huge amount of audiobooks I can access. Yes, it is the more expensive choice, but they are reliable in what they carry and I can almost always find what I’m looking for. Plus, if you have Kindle Unlimited there are a number of books you can listen to the audiobooks to through Audible.

While I know there are more apps out there that a lot of people enjoy, these are the main ones I enjoy using.

What apps do you use? Happy reading!

Kindle Deals 3/16

DeAnneLeave a comment

Since a lot of people are having to stay inside while we weather the current pandemic, some people may use some of that time to pick up some new books. So what do you do if you can’t go out and buy them, but need something to read now? You can pick up some kindle ebooks for low prices! As a general disclaimer I am in the United States and these prices could change at anytime, so double check before buying.

Most of these I haven’t read, but I thought they sounded interesting or I had heard of them. Also, I’ve made sure that if they are part of a series that only the first book is included.

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft
Price: $3.99

History is filled with stories of women accused of witchcraft, of fearsome girls with arcane knowledge. Toil & Trouble features fifteen stories of girls embracing their power, reclaiming their destinies and using their magic to create, to curse, to cure—and to kill.

The Fever King
Price: $0.99 (or Kindle Unlimited)

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The Will and the Wilds
Price: $4.99 (or Kindle Unlimited)

Enna knows to fear the mystings that roam the wildwood near her home. When one tries to kill her to obtain an enchanted stone, Enna takes a huge risk: fighting back with a mysting of her own.

Maekallus’s help isn’t free. His price? A kiss. One with the power to steal her soul. But their deal leaves Maekallus bound to the mortal realm, which begins eating him alive. Only Enna’s kiss, given willingly, can save him from immediate destruction. It’s a temporary salvation for Maekallus and a lingering doom for Enna. Part of her soul now burns bright inside Maekallus, making him feel for the first time.

Reverie 
Price: $1.99

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember anything since an accident robbed him of his memories a few weeks ago. And the world feels different—reality itself seems different.

Hopefully some of these seem interesting to you and you have something to read while being home.

Make sure to stay safe, everyone! Happy reading!

Flashback Friday Challenge: Update 1

DeAnneLeave a comment

So it’s been a little over a month since I concocted this challenge. I was hoping to finish four a month, but that didn’t quite happen. So I’m going to update you on what I was able to read, which was two of the four books I picked.

First I read The Forever House, which I hadn’t read since I was a teenager. It definitely isn’t as teenage me remembered it, but still entertaining. I didn’t remember it taking so long to really get to the action. Now would this stand up today? Maybe. It’s definitely white washed, which was usual for the 90s in a lot of ways. Plus, some of the descriptions of characters probably would be frowned upon. My nostalgia definitely made it a fun book but my perception of it has definitely changed.

Next I picked up The Clue of the Broken Locket. I always love Nancy Drew books. To me they are classic and timeless and I know that part of that is because I’ve read and re-read them multiple times. Nancy Drew books are always great when I’m in a reading slump or just need something to cleanse my palette.

So that’s the update for now, I still have two more books left from the original pick, and I’ll pick more after that. It’s fun to revisit these and see how my feelings change towards these books.

Happy reading!

Clearing the Hoard: Update and Month 3

DeAnne1 Comment

This challenge was created by Caffeinated Fae in an effort to reduce the number of physically owned but unread books in her collection. Make sure to head over to her post (linked above) to check it out.

Another month has already gone by! In total this past month I read six physical books, though one of them wasn’t on my TBR shelf (The Forever House) as it was a re-read. I did finally get to The Cheerleaders, but alas I didn’t love it so it will be going to my local bookstore so someone else can love it. The rest of them have been moved to my read shelves.

As for this coming month, I do have a couple physical ARCs to get to, but I’ll also be trying to tackle a few more physical books on my TBR shelf. I am still making my way through Robots vs. Fairies one story at a time, and currently have the audiobooks for the following books:

-The Devouring Grey
-Trail of Lightning
-When the Moon Was Ours
-Night Music

Fingers crossed that I get to them this month, if not I’ll probably keep moving them forward until I do!

What are you hoping to get off your TBR shelves?

Happy reading!

February 2020 Wrap Up

DeAnne2 Comments

January seemed to go on forever, and February was over in the blink of an eye. It was only two days shorter, but man, it flew by. It was a good reading month, but not a great reading month. I’m always hoping to read more than I do, but so far this year I’ve been slower than usual. Without further ado, let’s get to what I read!

In total I read 19 books. Of those 19 seven were physical or kindle books and 12 were review books. I will be unhauling one of the physical books but the rest have moved to my read shelf.

For ratings it was still a pretty good month. I had six books that were three stars, 10 that were four stars and 3 five star books!

Now if we are going to talk about my challenge to brought in less books than I read, I just barely succeeded this month (keep in mind that the only books I count for this are books I purchase which I have not read at the time of purchase). I read 19 books and brought in 17 books, but I did end up reading two of the books I brought in, so that was good.

I’m hoping to read even more in March and to continue that trend as the year progresses. And of course, we will most likely see more examples of Calypso trying to help with my pictures!

Happy reading!

Can’t Wait Wednesday 3/3/2020

DeAnneLeave a comment

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

Today I want to talk about I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee. There are so many buzzwords that make me want to read this one immediately such as a plus sized main character and Kpop. Unfortunately I have to wait until June, but it’s going to be a long wait!

Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.

She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho.

But Skye has her sights on becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself.

Happy reading!

Rapid Fire Book Tag

DeAnneLeave a comment

I was tagged by Jenny at JenJenReviews to do this tag. Let’s see how this one goes.

E-Book or Physical Book?

I read both and don’t really dislike either, but physical typically wins.

Paperback or Hardback?

Again, both are in my library but hardbacks are definitely going to last longer.

Online or In-Store Book Shopping?

Why do you keep asking me these questions? It’s hard to choose! Online is great because it’s a larger selection, but I love the instant gratification of going to the bookstore.

Trilogies or Series?

Trilogies. I like the end to be in sight, and sometimes series go a bit too long.

Heroes or Villains?

Villians, I have a bad boy complex.

A book you want everyone to read?

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith. 100%

Recommend an underrated book?

Persuasion by Jane Austen, I feel like it gets overshadowed by Pride and Prejudice (which I also love) but it’s a wonderful story.

The last book you finished?

Heart of the Matter by Ruth A. Casie

The Last Book You Bought?

The Flying Saucer Mystery by Carloyn Keene, I’m trying to fill the holes in my collection.

Weirdest Thing You’ve Used as a Bookmark?

Probably a receipt.

Used Books: Yes or No?

Absolutely!

Top Three Favorite Genres?

Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Fantasy

Borrow or Buy?

Buy, but I do utilize my library too.

Characters or Plot?

Plot, while I love complex and deep characters I need the plot to move.

Long or Short Books?

Short, but I’ll read both.

Long or Short Chapters?

Short to medium, too long will make me lose interest.

Name The First Three Books You Think Of:

The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Snug
The Forever House

Books That Makes You Laugh or Cry?

Laugh for sure.

Our World or Fictional Worlds?

Fictional Worlds

Audiobooks: Yes or No?

Yes!

Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?

I try not to, but I can’t say it doesn’t happen.

Book to Movie or Book to TV Adaptations?

Depends on the length of the book, but typically TV since it can cover more.

A Movie or TV-Show You Preferred to its Book?

Stardust. I didn’t really like the book, but loved the movie.

Series or Standalones?

Standalones.

Whew, that’s all there is! If anyone would like to do this one feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Happy reading!

Writing Update: February

DeAnne2 Comments

So if you’ve been following my blog at all you know that NaNoWriMo last year was not the best for me. It was my third year doing it and the first time I failed.

Yep, that’s about how I looked when I threw in the towel. For whatever reason I just couldn’t get myself to write as much as I needed to. I know part of it was the fact that November was so busy, but still, it was rough.

Since then I’ve been trying to get more organized and decide just what I want to work on. I have so many WIPs that sometimes I get pretty scattered. I’ve now gathered up all of my notebooks that contain scene ideas and character notes, so I know where all of them are. I’ve also moved all of my writing to one place where before it was in a few different places.

I think my next plan of action is to pick only a couple of my WIPs to work on. I know, you may be screaming at me to pick one and only one, but my use doesn’t work like that. It’s very very fickle and likes to change its mind. I do want to concentrate on only a couple though, so I need to decide which ones are the highest priority.

I’m also thinking about participating in Camp NaNoWriMo in April so that I can work on something existing and not have to wait until November. I’m still a little undecided on that as April is usually a busy month for me.

So that’s where I am, besides some light editing and streamlining I haven’t done a ton of writing, but preparation is a good thing.

What are you working on? Happy writing!

That Harlequin Feeling

DeAnne1 Comment

What is ‘That Harlequin Feeling’? Harlequin has been doing extensive consumer research to launch a new campaign and redesign their covers – something that has been very exciting to see. I love picking up a Harlequin book and have fond memories of seeing both my grandmother and mother reading them before I myself started reading them. I was excited to receive their press release regarding the research they’ve done and are happy to share it with you. Make sure to also visit ThatHarlequinFeeling.com to watch the video and download two free ebooks!

Two years of extensive consumer research has reaffirmed what Harlequin has believed for 70 years: that reading a Harlequin romance novel makes women feel uplifted, inspired and empowered. As a result, Harlequin is launching That Harlequin Feeling, a new national campaign that celebrates the powerful and positive feelings that millions of readers get from Harlequin books.

“That Harlequin Feeling campaign is an unapologetic celebration of the happiness Harlequin brings to readers’ lives,” says Farah Mullick, Senior Director, Retail Business Development at Harlequin. “Harlequin romance novels have it all: hopeful fresh starts, dramatic family sagas, unexpected twists and turns. Readers feel a deep emotional connection to the characters and their happy endings.”

With two books sold per second worldwide, Harlequin reaches readers internationally in 32 languages. An innovator in the billion-dollar romance industry, Harlequin pioneered the series romance model. Harlequin Series includes 12 romance lines with recognizable branded packaging and a set number of books published on a reliable monthly schedule. Sixty-six original titles are released in print and ebook formats across the 12 Harlequin series every month. Each series offers a unique type of romance, from suspenseful reads to inspirational stories of faith and family.

Harlequin’s consumer research helped define the distinct characteristics of each series for readers and influenced new cover designs that communicate the incredible variety of stories. “The new look drew heavily on insights from thousands of romance readers,” says Tony Horvath, Creative Director, Series & Digital Publishing at Harlequin. “The results are contemporary, spontaneous covers that reflect what readers want to see in 2020. Similar to a movie poster, the book covers tell a story with one image.”

Harlequin is encouraging women in North America to discover That Harlequin Feeling by downloading two free ebooks from ThatHarlequinFeeling.com.

Happy reading!