A New Year, A New Beginning

Hello all!

Happy New Year to you and all you hold dear! It is the beginning of a new chapter of our lives and with that newness comes all sorts of fresh ideas and possibilities.

A lot happened in 2014 for me - my long distance boyfriend proposed, I moved to New England in November to be with him, and we just adopted a new kitten since I had to leave Bijoux behind with my folks when I moved across the country and I've been home sick for my Bijoux.

His name is Ra'koun - so named because when he purrs he sounds like a raccoon chattering and it's freakin' adorable. He's 5 months old and is the single most cuddly kitty I've ever met - and I've cared for a lot of cats throughout my life. The Mythical Man Beast and I have discovered that he has a multitude of purrs as he doesn't meow much. We have identified the following: The Percolator, The Dove [he actually coos...], The Raccoon, The Motorboat, and The Gremlin [only when he's eating].

Ra'koun!

ISN'T HE ADORABIBBLE?!

Anyway....

Considering all that has happened over the course of the year, I didn't reach my yearly 50 book goal. I got close! 45 books total for the year. I didn't really do any reviews this past year, or many in total since I've started this blog. I always start out with a plan in mind to review each and every book and then life has a tendency to list sideways and I quickly loose track.

Since I'm [currently - though not for long] jobless due to extenuating circumstances, I've decided to make book reviews and writing my job until everything smooths out and stabilizes. Because, seriously, being home alone all day - all week - for months....is starting to bore the ever living shit out of me and I need something to do to keep me busy.

Don't get me wrong, I've been writing and such to pass the time, but my approach has more sporadic than systematic. It now helps that I have a desk and chair to work from instead of the couch, so that will make focusing on writing and not being distracted by video games or Netflix a ton easier.

So, I'm amassing a plan of strict and epic proportions between my writing The Welkinbane and assembling all of the books I wish to read this year. I have a backlog of books that are sitting on my Nook, calling my name with the siren song of make-believe worlds.

Until the time when I have begun the attack on my backlog of reading material, I shall say adieu!

Happy New Years and may all the happiness and blessings of the world grace you this year!

~Quinn

Reading for January 2014

Hello All!

The month of January for 2014 is almost at a close. A few more days remain until February rolls around and starts spewing hearts and flowers forth for St. Valentine's Day. Here is a quick recap of what I have read for the month and my thoughts on each book. I know this is the lazy way of reviewing each book, but hey, at least I'm doing it.

01. Fair Game - Patricia Briggs:

Buy it on Amazon!

Patricia Briggs has created a lively urban fantasy world. I've been a fan of her Alpha and Omega series since I picked up the first volume Cry Wolf. I've even got the first installment of the Mercy Thompson series that takes place in the same universe lined up to read. Charles and Anna team up with a special task force including the FBI to track down a serial killer who has decided he likes the taste of other. The Fae, a previously overlooked group, as well as a few witches take the stage in this book - breaking down the iron grip of pack politics in the series. A good solid read, I really enjoy the series!

4 out of 5 Bijouxs









02. Hunted - Kevin Hearne:

Buy it on Amazon!

I've been a serious fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles since I first picked up the first installment of the series, Hounded. Quick, witty and oozing mythological fun like the wealthy ooze class, this series is unlike anything else I've read. Some have called it the next Dresden Files, but I personally like The Iron Druid Chronicles better. The one liners are priceless and Oberon is my favorite in a broad cast of colorful characters. Sometimes the series gallops off on weird tangents but they mostly all come home to pasture by the end of each book. In this installment, Granuaille is now a full fledged Druid and she, Atticus and Oberon must thwart the Olympians!

4.5 out of 5 Bijouxs








03. Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb:

Buy it on Amazon!

I'd fallen in love with Robin Hobb's colorful, vibrant and living Rain Wilds back when I first picked up Ship of Magic of the first in the Liveship Traders trilogy many years ago. The Rain Wilds series is an extension of the Liveship Traders trilogy and revolves around the lives of the Serpents Tintaglia had found. Dragon Keeper sets the stage for the series by showing the process serpent goes through in order to become a dragon. Keepers are appointed by the Cassarick Traders Council. The group of youngsters are extremely touched by the Rain Wilds and are considered outcasts by their community. The mission to transport the newly hatched dragons upriver to the fabled Elderling city of Kelsingra is fraught with danger, insidious plots and the behemothic nature of the Rain Wild River. Beautifully done. I especially love how Hobb describes the landscape, flora and fauna and how they change as the group travels upriver - it really breathes life into the series.

5 out of 5 Bijouxs



04. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb:

Buy it on Amazon!

The sequel to Dragon Keeper - Dragon Haven continues the keeper party's adventures upriver. The youngsters are beginning to realize that they can grow and become more than what they are alongside the dragons who are growing in mind and body themselves. The dangers of the Rain Wild River are always present and ever changing the farther upriver the team goes. The party of keepers, dragons, the crew of the Tarman finally arrives at Kelsingra.

5 out of 5 Bijouxs










05. City of Dragons - Robin Hobb:

Buy it on Amazon!

Dragons are beginning to change the keepers into Elderlings in earnest. The party stays to help the dragons grow and be able to fly as well as exploring the untouched city of Kelsingra. Tarman and his crew return to Cassarick with tidings of the newly discovered city and run into some serious trouble.

5 out of 5 Bijouxs













06. Fury of the Demon - Diana Rowland:

Buy it on Amazon!

The latest installment of the Kara Gillian series, Fury of the Demon is a bit of a roller coaster. I've really enjoyed the series so far as it takes an ENTIRELY different approach to demon summoning that is really neat. Fury of the Demon is a little bit more hectic than previous books as Rowland adds a whole slew of new characters to the pot. A lot of questions are answered and the end of the book gives a glimpse to the magnitude of a back plot that has been surfacing occasionally throughout the series - mainly - the truth behind the Qaztahl. Dun dun DUUUUUNNNN....I do feel like I'll have to go re-read the entire series before the next book comes out, just to refresh myself as I'm 6 books into the series and am starting to not remember stuff or not quite get plot hints like I should. At this point in the series, it would be really nice if Diana began doing recaps of what happened in the previous book past about a paragraph or two.


4 out of 5 Bijouxs

2013 Reading Summary

Hello all!

I have not died! I apologize sincerely for not keeping up on my book reviews like I've repeatedly promised. While life has been incredibly busy and I've had less time to read this year, I have been keeping track of what I have read.

In 2012 I read 55 books. In 2013 I read a total of 40. 15 less than the previous year, but quite frankly, a fair number of those books were 700-800+ pages each so I feel justified. I've already started off my reading for 2014 and where I know I probably won't be able to consistently keep up on my reviews due to my job and writing, I will try.

Here's to hoping you have a fantastic new year and that all of your goals are achievable! I'll be posting updates this year on when I publish Thistletorn, the sequel to Thistledown, and any hot reads I find!

~The Book Addict

Book Review: A Lady of Resources - Shelley Adina

Buy Me!

I realize I've skipped reviewing the 4th book...I shall remedy that!

Pluses:
Yet another great book by Shelley Adina. This installment switches between the point of view of Lizzie, the more outspoken and brash of the Mopsie twins, and Lady Claire. I wasn't sure if it was going to be an entirely new series only from the point of view of Lizzie or a continuation of the last at first. Seems it is a continuation, which is fantastic. It would have been interesting had it been a new series, so to speak, but I wanted to read more about the Lady from her own perspective. 

Seeing all of the Lady's flock a lot older is interesting and I love Tigg even more now! The twists and turns the plot takes are definitely gripping and got me riled up as any good book should. In addition, there are some nice set ups for some serious character growth and development in the coming books on the part of Lizzie. Looking forward to it!

Minuses:
Again, not long enough!!! I feel teased. Honestly, I do. I love that Shelly Adina comes out with her novels fairly regularly, but they're so darned SHORT. 

Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a satisfying story arc, plot, character development and settings to make it solid. Just wish it lasted longer!

Overall:
Loved it! I haven't read a book in this series yet that I didn't love and stay up till 3am to finish reading! Worth the buy and worth the read!

Rating:         4.5 out of 5 Bijouxs

Embrace the Geek

Hello all!

Again, I have not died! Indeed, I have too much of a social life right now and all of my projects and my stack of reading material has grown dusty with neglect. Though I'm not sure if work can truly be considered a social life...but really I talk to people all day and am wiped out by the time I get home - much like having an overly active social life - so I call it even.

A lot has happened since the last time I wrote a blog post. Thistledown is published and I have sold a few copies [hooray! :)]. I've begun writing the sequel, Thistletorn. I read a few books - not as much as usual but still a few. I've even found someone absolutely amazing after all of the hooplah that came before. Strangely enough, we met on a geeky dating website called Soul Geek. And I have to say it defied all of the odds. All of them.

I managed to find the one flawless gem in the pile of very scary rubble. He lives 3k miles away, we've been visiting back and forth, it's been almost 6 months and we're still so lovey dovey it's probably illegal in some countries. It also goes to prove that if you embrace your inner geek, are honest with yourself about who you are and what you want, and generally focus on what makes you happy - the right person will appear who fits you and accepts you and loves you as you are. And thinks you're totally worth it.

Moving on! NaNoWriMo is just around the corner and I'm pretty sure I'm just going to work on Thistletorn for this. I'm already breaking the rules a bit by working on something that already exists but you know what? Don't care! It's just more of a motivator for me to get the sequel done and out! I've planned out the chapters, am currently writing chapter 3, have a whole host of new characters and a plot point that will occur later that will make you hate my guts. :D Yeee! I can't wait!

Anyway! Back to books! I've had some spurts with reading this year, surprisingly most of them now are NOT on my Nook - but instead are just old fashioned books. I read Diana Rowland's Touch of the Demon, Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues, & White Trash Zombie Apocalypse all in paperback and I breezed through them. It's like pulling teeth now reading from my Nook.

I guess what they say is true - once a bookworm, always a bookworm.

I think a lot of my lack of interest in reading this year stems from the fact that there's a combination in the market of too few interesting new books and too many authors I love pumping out best sellers. I've got too much to read in pretty much the same pool I've been reading from for the past 5 years. Plus I'm focusing a lot on my own book and trying to get THAT mess straight in my head without muddling it up with new inspirations that will lead to new stories and I will become a magpie and get distracted by the shiny new plot instead of finishing what I've got. If I'm honest with myself it's also because most of the time I had set aside for reading has been spent on the shiny new Man beast. [I shall refer to him from now on as the Man beast.]

Normally, I'd be all upset about that. My inner librarian shaking her fist in quiet indignation whispering vehemently "I need to read, damn you! SHHHHH!" Now? Now she's quietly biting her fist in glee as the sparkly romance unfolds in my life like a really good romance novel. Little traitor! The fact that he's a reader too has also gone a long way to placating her. Now if only I can get him to read some of the books I like and I can get into Clive Cussler, I think we'll be set.

Anyway!
I promise I will eventually begin posting reviews again...after all I'm going to be adding them to my GoodReads account! :) If you get a chance to read Thistledown, please write a review on there! I'd appreciate it greatly and with gusto!

Until then, be true to yourself, keep reading, and embrace the geek!

Not Dead, I Swear!

Hello, All!

I apologize for my long absence considering I'm supposed to be writing book reviews and all. But if you've read my  last post, you know that I've been going through a personal crisis of desperate levels. Likewise, if you've checked my rapidly growing reading list, you also know that I haven't been able to stop reading Sherrilyn Kenyon books and I am currently reading my 8th book of the year. Nearly one fifth of the way to reaching last year's book goal of 55 books and January isn't even over with yet. That's what a book lover's broken heart does, forces you to read romance novels until you're blind.

Alas, my writing has suffered because of my obsessive need for escape and I'm trying to scramble to finish Thistledown by my own self-imposed launch date. Consequently, there won't be a lot more reading or any reviews until that has happened since I've got a buttload of stuff to do and very little time to do it in.

Just know that I've lost the ex, lost the hair, and will probably lose my sanity as the deadline approaches. I have gained a major lead on my book list for the year and I will be more than tickled to play catch up on my book reviews after February 1st!

Love you all, don't poke out an eye running with scissors.

Reading Blurb: Devouring Romance Novels to Keep Hope Alive

We all go through those crappy times in our lives when a relationship is falling apart or has completely hit the fan with the force of a pack of synchronized orangutans flinging their own shit. I dunno about you, dear reader, but during those times I begin to wonder what's wrong with me that my partner has decided to do whatever horrid selfish thing which makes me throw up my hands and say "Fuck this, I'm out." I begin wondering if true love exists, if I'll ever find happiness, if I'll ever find the other half of my soul. I've always been a romantic at heart and there is a small part of me that still believes in Happily Ever After and I refuse to let her die.

With so many romance novels out there, true love must exist if so many people have written about it, right? They must have experienced it once in order to write about it. Otherwise is it all just bullshit? I can't believe that, statistically at least.

It is on this tiny spark of faith that I throw all of my hopes. And I end up devouring romance novel after romance novel....after romance novel. I feel like I need to read it until all of the broken little pieces of my heart begin to heal and shiver with hope. I refuse to let an inconsiderate asswipe ruin my heart.

Which is why, after two years of disappointment after disappointment, I've dropped my ex like a two ton lead ball into a vat of quicksand. And now I'm devouring Sherrilyn Kenyon books like there's no tomorrow. She's a great author who has enough passionate scenes, enough of a plot, and a wide cast of unusual characters that I can just keep reading book after book. Plus there's just the right amount of magic and supernatural stuff to keep my imagination happy. Sherrilyn Kenyon, you are a saint.

So when you've kicked your ex to the curb where he belongs, do yourself a favor and pick up a romance novel. It will hurt to read about someone else finding happiness, but read enough of them and you'll begin to hope again. Someone is waiting for you out there in the wide world. Someone who fits you perfectly, someone who clicks with your strangeness like a missing puzzle piece. Don't loose faith. I know I won't.