5 Things I Learned from NanoWriMo

50,000 words. That’s how much I’ve written this month. Okay, actually it’s a little over 50,000, but still. As you’ve probably guessed, I’ve been participating in NanoWriMo and it’s been an enjoyable ride. It’s also been a headache, frustrating, and a tad bit stressful trying to keep up with the word count goal. But hey, that’s writing for you. Actually, NanoWriMo has been pretty enlightening for me. I’ve realized some things about myself as a writer and about writing in general, and I thought I’d share it with all of you. So here are five things that I’ve learned from NanoWriMo:

1.) I Can Write More Than I Think I Can

This was probably my biggest takeaway from this month. In order to get 50,000 words written in a month, you have to strive to get at least 2,000 words a day. Which doesn’t seem like a lot, but some days 2,000 words can feel like 20,000. When it comes to writing, there are days when it feels like there are no limits, while others feel like you’re walking through quicksand. Writing 50,00 words in one month seemed like a reach to me, because it’s taken me longer to write that before. But this month I got in a rhythm that helped me keep up with the goal, and I could reach the point where I could write 10,000 words in a week. There were still days where I wasn’t very productive, but I used my writing pattern to force myself to catch back up. I’ve realized from this if I can keep up with this schedule I’ve created, I’ll be able to finish my first drafts a whole lot faster than I would if I was writing at my previous pace.

2.) I Am Terrible at Following an Outline

I’m honestly not much of a planner, even though I try to be. For my Nano novel, I Choose You, I wrote out a general outline of what I wanted to happen in each part of the book. I figured that it would help me keep on track with everything and help me know what I should do in the story. And it worked. For the first little bit. As soon as I hit what I wanted to be Act 2 of my story, the outline pretty much disappeared. New events popped up, events that originally were going to be there never showed up. Oh and a character that was supposed to be a bad guy, pretty much just turned into a jerk who really isn’t so bad. Yeah, me and outlines aren’t the best of friends. That being said…

3.) Having a General Idea of Where a Story is Going is Extremely Helpful

This might seem like a bit of a contradiction from my last point, but it’s actually not. Part of the problem I had with I Choose You was that I really didn’t have a good vision of where I wanted the story to go. I knew how I wanted it to start, and I somewhat had an idea of how I wanted it to end. The middle was pretty vague. I had an idea or two of things that could happen in it, but nothing that really connected point A to point B. This kind of made it hard to write. Without having a general idea of how I wanted to connect my beginning and ending, this story was more difficult to tell than it needed to be.

4.) Taking a Step Back from a Story Can Be Good

While I was writing I Choose You, I took a break from writing Iridescent. Which was honestly a really good thing, because while I was working on something else, I got new ideas for it and realized some of my current ideas just weren’t going to work. I was getting into a little bit of a rut with Iridescent and now I can see what the problem was and how I can fix it going forward. And hopefully these new ideas will help me make it an even better story than it would have been before.

5.) It’s Not About the Results, It’s About the Journey

Okay, I’m going to be honest and admit that this sounds like a cliché, but honestly it’s the truth. For a first draft at least. This month, I didn’t focus on what the end result for I Choose You would be. I knew that the story probably wasn’t the best and that a lot of it would need to be changed if I ever wanted to do something with it. But I didn’t go back and try to tweak stuff – something I’ve been known to do in the past. Instead I just wrote whatever came to mind. I played around with my characters and wrote a story. When I go back and reread it, I’ll probably cringe at parts and wonder what I was thinking when I was writing that. But it doesn’t matter. I can spend time editing and rewriting it later on. Right now, the important part is that I finished it. That’s what counts.

So how about all of you? Did you participate in NanoWriMo? If you did, did you learn anything new while you were writing your story? 

Book Review: Home

You know that book where you’re so excited to read it, but once you start you don’t want it to be over? That pretty much sums up my feelings when it comes to Harlan Coben’s newest novel, Home. This is a continuation of his Myron Bolitar series, which hasn’t had a new installment in years. Harlan Coben is one of my absolute favorite writers, and the Myron Bolitar series is one of my absolute favorite book series. Needless to say, I’ve been dying for a new Myron book and Home did not disappoint.

Here’s the synopsis:

“A decade ago, kidnappers grabbed two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent. No trace of the boys ever surfaced. For ten years their families have been left with nothing but painful memories and a quiet desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend Win believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for ten years, and what does he know about the day, more than half a life ago, when he was taken? And most critically: What can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend?”

My rating: *****

I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. It was amazing, spectacular, spellbinding, pretty much any word that describes an incredibly terrific book! _{Okay, I’ll admit that I might be overselling it a little.}

First things first, this book is told in 3^rd person POV focusing on Myron and occasionally 1^st person POV focusing on Win. We read Win’s thoughts and it is amazing. If you’ve never read any of the Myron Bolitar books before there are a lot of important characters, but the main four are: Myron, Windsor “Win” Horne Lockwood III, Esperanza Diaz, and Big Cyndi. The four of them are a very eclectic group and are very entertaining. I’m making a point to mention that we’re reading chapters told through Win’s perspective, because he’s a psychopathic anti-hero. He’s pretty much the type of character I normally wouldn’t be a fan of, and yet for some reason I love this character. Win. An enigma of a character, and it is wonderful to get to read through his perspective.

Oh and Myron’s nephew Mickey Bolitar, and his friends Ema and Spoon from the YA books staring Mickey, also make appearances in Home.

The story itself was one full of twists and turns, because just when you think they’ve figured it out, it turns into something else instead. Which is great, because it kept me at the edge of my seat, trying to figure out exactly what went down with this kidnapping. The answer and ending to this mystery was a bittersweet one though. But I really didn’t dwell on the bittersweetness, because the ending to the novel, the very last page, dropped a bombshell.

To avoid spoilers, I will sum up my thoughts on said bombshell: “WHAT!? WHAT!? WHAT!? AHHH! NO WAY!”

I’m really, really hoping that there’s going to be either another Myron book or another Mickey book, because I really, really, really want to learn more about this.

And I say hoping, because there were moments in Home where I was wondering if this is going to be the last Myron Bolitar novel. I haven’t seen anything that states that it is, so I’m going to remain optimistic that Harlan Coben has more stories for these characters in the future.

Just hopefully it won’t take five more years. 

Book Review: Curious Minds: A Knight and Moon Novel

Author collaborations are always interesting. Each writer has their own unique style, so when you combine two of them you can wind up with two results: a disaster or an enjoyable story. Fortunately, all the ones I’ve read so far, have been very enjoyable. That’s why today, I’ll be reviewing Janet Evanovich’s recent collaboration with Phoef Sutton: Curious Minds: A Knight and Moon Novel.

Here’s the synopsis:

“Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and (some people might say) handsome, or he’d probably be homeless. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight.

What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold, and a life-and-death race across the country. Through the streets of Washington, D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it.”

My rating: *****

I really enjoyed this story. Riley and Emerson are both enjoyable characters, Emerson especially so. He’s a pretty big departure from Janet Evanovich’s usual male leads. Oh, he’s still attractive, just like Ranger, Joe, and Nick are, but his personality is pretty different. Emerson is pretty much a mash up between Sheldon Cooper and Sherlock Holmes. And that makes for a very entertaining character.

The story itself is a pretty average one, nothing spectacular, but it wasn’t bad either. The mystery was interesting, and I was curious to see where the story was going to go. Much like most of Janet Evanovich’s books, it’s the characters that leave a lasting impact, not the story itself. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. I do have to say, that I love the various pop culture references that this book makes. If you manage to make superhero references in a story, I’m pretty much guaranteed to increase my liking of it.

All in all, this is a series I would like to see continued. 

Book Review: Ella: An Everland Ever After Tale

I love fairy tales. Growing up, my favorite movies were Disney’s animated reimaginings of these stories. So it’s only natural that I would enjoy checking out novels that do the same thing. One of the more recent ones that I’ve read has been Ella: An Everland Ever After Tale. This book is the second in the Everland Ever After Tales, and it is a reimagining of Cinderella.

Here’s the synopsis:

"Forget glass slippers... this time she's wearing cowboy boots!

Ella has grown used to the casual cruelty of her stepsisters, the complete control her wicked stepfather exerts, and the exasperating way the birds and the mice keep bothering her while she's trying to do her (extensive) daily chores. But with the big July Fourth celebration coming up in Everland, she's determined to make her sisters the prettiest dresses possible so that they'll finally get married and move out of her life. But she doesn't count on a chance meeting with a handsome shopkeeper...

Having lost a leg at Gettysburg, Ian Crowne knows that he's no princely catch. He's got his store and his dogs, so he's satisfied...until the day when an enigmatic stranger captures his imagination and his heart. Now they're both dreaming of each other and wishing on stars, and the celebration is only days away...”

My rating: ***** (Probably closer to a 3 ½) 

I’m sort of torn on my thoughts when it comes to this story. I enjoyed it, but it’s not a story that I’d necessarily want to read again. This is a really creative story. I’ve never read a western version of a fairy tale before, so that was pretty neat. I liked the small twist of Ella having a wicked stepfather instead of the usual stepmother. Ella and Ian were both nice characters and they seem like a good pair, also props to the author for having them meet a few times before the Fourth of July celebration. And on a more minor note, I did like that Ella didn't have blonde hair for a change.

My main problem with the novel is that it feels like things move very fast as soon as the celebration happens.  It just seems like there was so much building up to it, that as soon as things were getting good the story was over. I’m of the mindset that the story would have been better with a few more chapters about Ella and Ian after the celebration was over. I think that would have kept the ending from feeling rushed.

That being said, the story was still an interesting one. I have two of the other novels in this series on my Kindle, and I’m curious to see how this universe will be expanded.

So what fairy tale retellings do you all enjoy? Are there any you would recommend? 

If At First You Don't Succeed...

The other week I tried to make an iced coffee. Easy, right? Someone had told me that she had started making her own iced coffees and they sounded delicious so I had to give it a try. She said all she would do is pour some vanilla over her ice cubes, then pour her coffee on top of that, and to top it all off she would add in some chocolate syrup. Naturally, I thought with a recipe that simple there was no way I could mess it up.

Boy was I wrong.

Too much vanilla came out of the bottle, then my coffee hadn’t cooled down enough so it ended up melting my ice cubes. And no amount of chocolate syrup can rescue watered down coffee. Yuck!

It was a disaster, and if I’m being honest, I felt really bad about the fact that I couldn’t make an iced coffee. But it was something I could learn from. I know what went wrong and I know how I could improve it next time.

And really, the same thing could be said of writing. Let’s face it, we writers rarely get everything exactly right on our first try. If we did, all of our first drafts would be ready for publication the moment we finish them. Instead we find sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters that just don’t work the way we thought they would. So like many things in life, we go back and try to figure out what went wrong. And once we figure it out, we go back and tweak and rewrite until we get it the way we wanted it to be.

So if that chapter just isn’t going the way you wanted it to, don’t let it get you down. Instead, look at what’s going wrong and look at ways you can improve on it. Then give it another go!

After all, if at first you don’t succeed…

Try, try again.

Book Review: Black Widow Forever Red

I love superheroes. The Marvel Cinematic Universe contains some of my absolute favorite movies. One of my favorite superhero characters is Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. Spies tend to be intriguing characters, and Black Widow is no exception. So when it was announced that Marvel would be releasing a Black Widow YA novel I was very excited. And one of my best friends, knowing how much I love Marvel, got me Black Widow Forever Red for my birthday.

Here’s the synopsis:

Enter the world of the Avengers' iconic master spy

Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives.

Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type.

Until now.

When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . .

My rating: *****

Black Widow Forever Red is an enjoyable story. The characters are interesting, the story is intriguing, and we even get an appearance from one of Natasha’s Avengers teammates. Oh and our favorite agent of SHIELD, Phil Coulson is here too and he’s as enjoyable as always.

I do have one slight complaint though. For a book with Black Widow in the title and Black Widow herself on the cover, Black Widow isn’t really the main character. She’s important sure, and an integral part of the story. But overall the focus of this novel is on Ava, as the synopsis does indicate. Ava’s not a bad character by any means, she’s interesting and enjoyable for the most part, but I really wanted the story to be focused on Natasha.

When this book was announced, I was hoping that maybe we would get to see her life in the Red Room and her transition into SHIELD. We do get glimpses of that in this novel, but it is by no means a major part. But maybe Marvel could cover all of this if they ever get around to making a Black Widow movie. Come on Marvel, you know you want to do it.

Overall, if you enjoy all things Marvel I would recommend checking out Black Widow Forever Red. It’s a good read and I hope that Marvel will release more YA books in the future. 

Vacationing With Your Characters

Recently I went on a beach trip with my best friends. I had a lot of fun, and it was a great time to relax and catch up on my reading (which means that I have some more book reviews coming your way soon). I hadn’t planned on necessarily bringing my characters along with me, after all a vacation is supposed to be for R&R. However, this vacation provided me with a unique opportunity to gain some new knowledge on the main character in my WIP novel, Iridescent.

Iridescent takes place in a small rural town. It’s a setting that is very familiar to me, as it’s where I’ve lived my entire life. I’ve experienced poor Wi-Fi, crappy cell service, and having very limited options of entertainment when hanging out with friends, but I’ve also experienced the beauty of the mountains and nature around me (deer are a regular occurrence, and during the past few weeks adorable fawns have made an appearance). So I know how the majority of my characters live and things that they can do in their free time. There is one notable exception to this, my main character Aly.

Aly did not grow up in a rural town, she’s moved to it. For her entire life, she’s lived close to the ocean at a popular tourist destination. This move would be a huge change for her, and there’s bound to be plenty of things that she would miss. While I was on vacation, I was able to see some of the differences between a location similar to where Aly grew up and one where the rest of my characters live.

For example, Aly would have access to more things to do with her friends after school and on the weekends than the characters who grew up in the rural setting.

These differences help me understand what Aly would be missing in her new town, but also see what she would be gaining at the same time.

There were several things that I saw on my trip that I would find myself wishing that I had back at home, and that thought would be immediately followed by Aly. This was something that I don’t have, but she probably did before she moved.

I had never thought about using vacation time as research time before now. But vacations are such a great opportunity to see things that I don’t get to experience on a daily basis. Not to mention it gave me time to plan out future chapters for this story and its sequel.

I usually follow a certain routine when I write. I have my writing spot, my beverage of choice for the day (tea or coffee), and then I’ll get to work on hitting my word count goal. However, floating around in a lazy river with my eyes closed produced better results when it came to plotting and getting in sync with my characters (after all this is their story, I’m just writing it down). So I’ve decided that I should shake up my writing schedule and try working in new places. You never know what will work until you try it after all.

So if you’re ever having trouble getting the right perspective on a character, try taking a little road trip. It doesn’t have to be far, even going a few towns over or to a nearby city can give you a chance to scope out a new setting and meet some new characters. You also might find that idea that you didn’t know you were looking for just by relaxing and having a good time. 

Book Review: The Crown

Time for the second book review of the week to catch up on things! Today, I’m reviewing the final book in Keira Cass’s Selection series: The Crown.

Here’s the synopsis:

"In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own.

Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.”

My rating: ***** (Really more about a 3 ½)

I don’t really know how to put my thoughts together on The Crown. I didn’t hate the book by any means, but I feel overall it isn’t the best ending to have for this series. Eadlyn’s Selection is rather rushed when you consider it, though to be fair it takes place over two books whereas we had three during Maxon’s. Actually it almost feels unfair to compare them. With the first three books in the series, we’re reading through the eyes of America. As a result, we see two possibilities for her future. She’s either going to win the Selection and be with Maxon, or she’ll wind up with Aspen. With Eadlyn, it’s rather unclear who she’s going to go for because she has so many options. This makes things difficult as not enough time is spent with the boys for us as the audience to really make as much of a connection with them.

Of course, everyone still has that one guy they want her to end up with and some people are going to be disappointed as a result. I won’t say who I was leaning towards for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but I did feel like there could have been more building towards the relationship of the guy Eadlyn does end up picking. The way things went felt a little unrealistic. I know it’s a fictional novel, but the characters really weren’t given enough time to get to know each other to fall in love this fast. And that honestly would go with just about any of the guys in her Selection.

Really I think Eadlyn needed three books like America and Maxon. So much was happening in this book with the politics and the romance, it was hard to focus on one particular aspect. 

The novel was still a good read, and I don’t regret purchasing the book. I think in every series there are going to be some books that you don’t care for as much as others, and this book was more in that category for me.

I do still look forward to seeing what Kiera Cass comes up with next, because she comes up with interesting story ideas. 

Book Review: The Stranger

Long time no see, blog world. School and work have kept me busy the past few months, but now I have some more free time and I can catch back up on blog posts. I have two book reviews coming for you, the first of which is this post. So I’ve been able to do plenty of reading, just not much blogging. Let’s get started with the first book review.

When it comes to mystery and suspense, my absolute favorite author is Harlan Coben. He always delivers thrilling stories with fantastic characters. As I mentioned in my Top 5 Favorite Book Series post, his Myron Bolitar series is one of my favorites to read. Today though, I’m reviewing one of his standalone stories: The Stranger.

Here’s the synopsis:

“The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world. 

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life. 

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.” 

My rating: ***** 

The Stranger is a real page turner, that constantly keeps the wheels in your head turning as you try to solve the mystery. The characters were all intriguing and I felt for Adam Price throughout the book. The one thing that keeps me from giving this book a full five-star rating, is that the ending didn’t quite hit it out of the park for me. It’s not a terrible ending by any means, but the overall mystery of the novel doesn’t feel fully resolved.

One of my favorite things about Harlan Coben’s novels is that they take place in the same universe. So if you read his various books, you may just spot a character cameo here and there – and this novel is no exception with that. I love it when I’m able to spot a familiar face in a book.

Speaking of familiar faces, I’m also very excited to see that Harlan Coben is releasing a new Myron Bolitar book this year. I’ve missed getting to read the stories about him, and while I’ve enjoyed the YA books about Myron’s nephew Mickey, it’s not quite the same.

If you’re in the mood for a mystery, I recommend checking out The Stranger and some of Harlan Coben’s other books.

Can I Do This?

I would like to be able to say that I am always 100% confident that I will be able to finish my novel, publish it, and that it will be at least somewhat successful.

Unfortunately, that would be a complete and utter lie. In reality, most of the time I’m honestly wondering if I’ll be able to do that at all. Will I actually be able to tell a good enough story that someone will be willing to publish it? If not, would I be able to self-publish it? I’m not great at using social media and talking to people, so if I did self-publish how could I even be remotely successful with it? What if everyone hates it?

I think it’s fairly safe to say that I’m plagued with way too many self-doubts when it comes to writing. And I’m probably not the only person out there who feels this way. Whenever I look at articles and blogs about publishing, so many mention that a writer’s first novel may never be published. Rejection is a huge part of the publication process. And that isn’t exactly the most encouraging thing to see when you’re working on your first novel. At times I start to wonder, am I just wasting my time? I saw that JK Rowling recently posted some of her rejection letters. Seeing that, there's that little voice screaming, "If JK Rowling was rejected, what chance do I have!?" 

The thing is, thinking like this doesn’t do any good. If I spend so much time worrying about failing, then I will fail. I’ll never accomplish anything if I don’t try. Maybe I will fail. But I’ll never know if I don’t try. This is my dream, and it’s not something I can give up on easily.

If I do fail, I can learn from my mistakes and give it another go. Because if there is one thing that I do know, it’s that I love writing. I love coming up with story ideas and the characters that inhabit them. And I am determined that this is something I want to do for the rest of my life. So I will try to prepare myself for the struggles I know will lie ahead, and to try to stay positive at the same time.

I’ll keep reading inspiring quotes of the day. That always seems to be a good pick me up! So can I do this? I'm sure gonna try!

Book Review: The Siren

One of my favorite book series for the longest time has been The Selection series by Kiera Cass. As a result of this, I was very interested when I saw that her first book that she’d written had been re-released. Like all of her books, The Siren had a gorgeous cover and the story sounded so interesting that I just had to check it out!

Here’s the synopsis from Amazon.com:

Kahlen is a Siren, bound to serve the Ocean by luring humans to watery graves with her voice, which is deadly to any human who hears it. Akinli is human—a kind, handsome boy who's everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. Falling in love puts them both in danger . . . but Kahlen can't bear to stay away. Will she risk everything to follow her heart?

For starters, this book is a bit different from my usual reads. Spies, detectives, and occasionally princesses, but I can’t say that I’ve read any stories dealing with sirens. I think that’s what makes this story unique. While mythological creature romances aren’t anything new, it’s refreshing to see something that’s not dealing with vampires, werewolves, witches, or zombies.

Kahlen’s story is a fascinating one, and I was rooting for her and Akinli to be together from the moment they met. Akinli was super sweet, and I could easily see why Kahlen fell in love with him. Their love is naturally forbidden, but this love story had a creative solution that I honestly didn’t think would happen.

Aside from the love story, I also enjoyed seeing Kahlen’s friendships with her fellow sirens. Each of the girls were enjoyable to read about, and I found myself liking all of them. I also enjoyed how the sirens traveled to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina for a while, as I had been there with my own best friends back during the summer. It’s not very often that I can say that I’ve been to one of the settings in a book.

The Siren is a lovely read, and I recommend checking it out! 

Top 5 Favorite Book Series

            There is nothing like finding a new book series to read. I’ve been lucky to find so many great series, and as a result I have several favorites. So today, I thought I would share my top five favorite book series. This list is in no particular order, and I’ve included the synopsis and image from Amazon.com for the first book in each. Each of these books are ones that I would read again and again, and I hope that if you haven’t read them yet, you’ll check them out.

       1.)    Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich

Book 1 of 22 (soon to be 23) – One for the Money: “Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash--fast--but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family.

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water--wanted for murder.

Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn't. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she'll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight--and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man.”

My thoughts: The Stephanie Plum series is a fun, light read. Stephanie’s life as a bounty hunter is a hilarious adventure, and we get to watch her exploits with the dashing Joe Morelli and the mysterious Ranger Manoso. Read the series and then make the decision of whether you’re a Babe or a Cupcake.

2.)    Heist Society by Ally Carter

Book 1 of 3 – Heist Society: “For as long as she can remember, Katarina has been a part of the family business-thieving. When Kat tries to leave "the life" for a normal life, her old friend Hale conspires to bring her back into the fold. Why? A mobster's art collection has been stolen, and Kat's father is the only suspect. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.”

My thoughts: Teenage thieves, what’s not to love? Kat and her friends pull off some amazing heists in this series, and I sincerely hope that Ally Carter will write another book in this series too.

3.)    Myron Bolitar by Harlan Coben

Book 1 of 10 – Deal Breaker: “Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend—a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead—the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.”

My thoughts:  The Myron Bolitar mysteries are really fascinating, with some great characters. These books pretty much cemented Harlan Coben as my favorite mystery writer. In fact, these books are so good, that it’s hard to get a hold of them at the library. There’s also a YA spinoff series that stars Myron’s nephew, Mickey Bolitar, that’s really good.

4.)    The Selection by Kiera Cass

Book 1 of 4 (soon to be 5) – The Selection: “For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.”

My thoughts: First of all, the covers are gorgeous and are great at drawing you in. It’s a dystopian novel, but different from the likes of The Hunger Games and Divergent. Actually it’s pretty much like a dystopian Bachelor, which is pretty fascinating.

5.)    The Glenbrooke Series by Robin Jones Gunn

Book 1 of 9 – Secrets: “The storybook town of Glenbrooke is about to become Jessica's new home and she can't wait to settle in. She has eagerly planned this chance for a fresh start and knows how important it is that she hide the details of her past.
However, an unexpected encounter with a compassionate paramedic named Kyle changes everything.
Come to Glenbrooke - a quiet place where souls are refreshed.”

My thoughts: I read this series during my senior year of high school. It’s a great Christian romance series, and it leaves you wishing that Glenbrooke was a real place that you could move to. Seriously the town sounds like the perfect place to live. This series also introduced me to Irish Breakfast Tea, which I discovered is quite good. Each book centers on a different character, but all of the stories find a way to intertwine. 

Now you know my favorite book series, do you have any to recommend? 

Book Review: See How They Run

                One of my favorite authors is Ally Carter and I started reading her books when I was in sixth grade. My mom had bought me the first book in the Gallagher Girls series, I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, to read while I was at the orthodontist. I remember how funny it was when my orthodontist said, “That title scares me a little bit”. After reading that one, I was hooked and could not wait to start on the next one. Even though I’m no longer considered part of the young-adult bracket, Ally Carter’s books are some of my favorites and I always look forward to reading her books when they come out.  

I recently finished the second book in her Embassy Row series, See HowThey Run. It seemed only fitting that this be the first book review on this blog.

 Here’s the synopsis from Amazon.com:

For the past three years, Grace Blakely has been desperate to find out the truth about her mother’s murder. She thought it would bring her peace. She thought it would lead her to answers. She thought she could put the past to rest. 
          
But the truth has only made her a target.
          
And the past?
          
The only way to put the past to rest is for Grace to kill it once and for all.
          
On Embassy Row, power can make you a victor or a victim; love can turn you into a fool or a fugitive; and family can lead you forward or bury you deep.  Trust is a luxury.  Death is a very real threat. And a girl like Grace must be very careful about which secrets she brings to light.

            See How They Run begins right where the first book in the series, All Fall Down, left off. The truth behind her mother’s murder has not brought Grace the peace that she hoped for. Instead only more mysteries and secrets are rising. The more Grace learns about the secrets of Adria’s history and those of her own family, the more of a target she becomes. See How They Run is a gripping page-turner that leaves you wondering what will happen next.

            Adria, as we learn in this book, has a very interesting history and that history is coming back to haunt those in the present. I’m not going to give any spoilers, but I will say that the cliffhanger ending leaves us with a secret about Grace that I never saw coming.

            The Embassy Row series is a series that can appeal to all age groups, and I’m anxiously looking forward to Ally Carter’s next installment in this series! 

Love Triangle Woes

                Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and it can be a sad time if you’re single. Luckily we can live vicariously through our favorite characters in our books and movies. And everything is great. They’re happy and madly in love, it’s only a matter of time until they get their happily ever after.

                But wait, who’s this guy? Why is she spending so much time with him and questioning her relationship? No, wait, you belong with the other guy not him! AGH!

                Love triangles can suck. Our happy couple is no longer quite so happy. He’s trying to prove his love, while she’s trying to figure out who it is that she wants to be with. Outside of the story, the fandom is splitting at its seams. Teams have formed, ship wars are being waged, and suddenly things aren’t quite as happy as they were before.

                As a writer, is this something that I want for my storyline? Do I want to venture into the realm of love triangles? I know who I want my main character to end up with. I also know that there is a chance that one of the platonic relationships could be misread as something else. What if readers think that these two would be better together than the intended endgame I have?

                I know that some might would recommend a love triangle to add in some drama and angst, but honestly, as a reader, I’m really getting tired of them.

                Sometimes they’re not too bad. I didn’t mind the love triangle in the first three novels of Keira Cass’s Selection series. All of the characters had their good moments, and it wasn’t dragged out too terribly long. It also might have helped that she ended up with the guy I wanted.

                Other times I get really frustrated.

                Take the Stephanie Plum series for example. I love the books, they’re humorous and a good light read, and I would definitely recommend checking them out. The only complaint I have is how long the love triangle has lasted. The series is going on 23 books now, and Stephanie still keeps going back and forth between Joe and Ranger. Honestly at this point I don’t think Janet Evanovich can really end the love triangle without alienating a large portion of her fanbase.

                After all these years, the fandom has grown and you have a large group of Cupcakes (Joe/Stephanie supporters) and a large group of Babes (Ranger/Stephanie supporters). And then you also have some who don’t care either way. Personally I am a Babe, and I have it worked out in my mind what it could be like if Stephanie and Ranger wind up together and the adventures they could have. This is a book series I have invested a lot of time in, and honestly, the series will probably be over for me if she goes with Joe.

                I’ll admit that I get very attached to characters. I know that it might sound unreasonable to quit something just because things didn’t turn out the way I wanted, but at the same time I don’t want to spend money or time on something that doesn’t appeal to me anymore. It’s happened to me before.

 

                I loved Once Upon a Time during its first two seasons, and during season two I became a Swanfire shipper. I loved Neal and Emma’s story and I really wanted to see them work things out. Neal actually became one of my favorite characters. Then the love triangle happened. Captain Swan vs Swanfire, and I’ll be honest and say that I might would have been fine with Captain Swan if Neal had still gotten a happy ending. Instead he was killed and my interest in the show died with him.

Gif  from ask-neal-baelfire.tumblr.com

                In a way, it doesn’t feel like a satisfying conclusion to a love triangle because one side just wins by default due to a tragedy. Or maybe it was satisfying to some and I’m just bitter.

                So what should be done when it comes to love triangles? I’m not saying that they’re completely bad, because they can be done well in the right hands.

In the end I think that the writer needs to hold firm. We may write for our readers, but we also write for ourselves. If a love triangle is planned, then it shall happen. If one is not destined to appear, then don’t force it to happen. There’s a good chance that things may get out of control if you step off course. Just try to stick with your guns, and keep with the story you’ve planned all along.  Even if you do end up making fangirls everywhere cry. I’ll admit I’ve shed some tears myself over a fictional breakup. I hope someday I can write such lovable characters, that they’ll affect people that way.