Those who may have seen the original post when it went up this morning,will remember that I said Robert Treskillard
was found on Authonomy. It has since been brought to my attention that
this is not true. Robert did use Authonomy, but was not taken on by
Zondervan for his book, Merlin's Blade, until two years after he left the site. Here
is a link to a post he wrote on the experience.
I apologize for any inconvenience.
Rebekah
Monday, April 28, 2014
Writing Tip- Authonomy
Authonomy is a writing community run by HarperCollins Publishing. It is free to join and use. Members can upload all of or parts of their novel to be read and critiqued by members of the community and every week, the top five rated books are read and reviewed by HarperCollins editors. Some members are editors and publishers from other companies who may contracts to authors they like.
Edit: Those who may have seen this post when it went up this morning, will remember that I said Robert Treskillard was found on Authonomy. It has since been brought to my attention that this is not true. Robert did use authonomy, but was not taken on by Zondervan for his book, Merlin's Blade, until two years after he left the site. Here is a link to a post he wrote on the experience. Robert is good friends with Jill Williamson and many other authors and will soon release his third novel, Merlin's Nightmare.
Once I have gone through another round of edits, I plan to submit my novel, Bonded Souls, to Authonomy and I hope you will join the community and read it!
Friday, April 25, 2014
The Testing- Joelle Charbonneau
My Rating: 3.5 StarsDescription: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.
My Thoughts: I'll be completely honest. This is not the most original plot ever (though, neither is most of the dystopian genre) and there were parts that read like a textbook or how-to-guide. But I still enjoyed it.
Perhaps it was because I enjoy watching survival shows, but I what I liked the most about this book was that the character actually knew how to survive. She didn't just stumble around and magically make it the end of the testing, she knew what she could eat, and drink, and made good shelter, ect. Sure, she probably knew way more than any normal human being who has not spent their entire life living in the wilderness, but at least I could believe that she had kept herself alive.
On the flip side, she was way too smart at times. I mean, I pick up on the things I see too, but this girl thought that making a sustainable energy source for her house was fun. And she knew all about plants because her family engineered them. She also manages to use a gun with complete accuracy without having shot one before.
In the end, I liked this book. Not because the characters seemed like anyone I would know in real life (The Testing was like being in a school populated with Sir Isaac Newton's and Albert Einstein's and principled by Caesar) but because the characters had the skill sets to survive. (However odd of a reason that is.) There was also a theme of betrayal that I thought original to this story and will keep me reading to the next book.
*Note to Readers: This book does contain the "A" word once.*
Monday, April 21, 2014
Numb- John W. Otte
Crusader is numb. He feels neither emotion nor pain, a divine gift that allows him to be the Ministrix's best assassin.
Whether it's heretics from within or heathens from without, Crusader is the sword in the True Church's hand. And if he remains obedient to his superiors, he will be able to let go of his guilt.
But then he's ordered to kill Isolda Westin. It shouldn't be a problem. A target is a target. When Crusader sees Isolda's image, though, something strange happens. He experiences a moment of panic, a wave of emotions--the first he's felt in as long as he can remember.
In that moment, he realizes he can't fulfill his mission. He can't kill Isolda Westin, even if it means he'll be condemned as an enemy of the Ministrix.
Soon Crusader and Isolda are on the run. Will they be able to learn why the Ministrix wants Isolda dead? Or will they both soon face the harsh justice of the "True Church"?
I am currently reading Numb with the CSFF Tour and am really enjoying it. I plan to have my review up on Wednesday. But if you want to read other reviews, you can go to any of the links below.
Numb - http://www.amazon.com/Numb-John-W-Otte/dp/1935929992/
Author Website - http://johnwotte.com/
Numb by John W. Otte- Review
Description: Save the girl...or his soul?
Crusader is numb. He feels neither emotion nor pain, a divine gift that allows him to be the Ministrix's best assassin.
Whether it's heretics from within or heathens from without, Crusader is the sword in the True Church's hand. And if he remains obedient to his superiors, he will be able to let go of his guilt.
But then he's ordered to kill Isolda Westin. It shouldn't be a problem. A target is a target. When Crusader sees Isolda's image, though, something strange happens. He experiences a moment of panic, a wave of emotions--the first he's felt in as long as he can remember.
In that moment, he realizes he can't fulfill his mission. He can't kill Isolda Westin, even if it means he'll be condemned as an enemy of the Ministrix.
Soon Crusader and Isolda are on the run. Will they be able to learn why the Ministrix wants Isolda dead? Or will they both soon face the harsh justice of the "True Church"?
My Thoughts: Like most things I have seen where the characters do not feel emotions, Numb had a main character who seemed suspiciously curious and irritable... especially irritable. But unlike the other things I have seen, Numb did not drag this portion of the book out for long.
Once Crusader had begun to feel again, I became really interested in his story and that of Isolda. I was also enthralled by the civilization in which they lived and how the Ministrix worked. I look forward to reading more of John's work in the future.
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Numb - http://www.amazon.com/Numb-John-W-Otte/dp/1935929992/
Author Website - http://johnwotte.com/
Monday, April 14, 2014
On the Shoulders of Hobbits- Louis Markos
Descriptions: The world of J. R. R. Tolkien is filled with strange creatures, elaborately crafted lore, ancient tongues, and magic that exists only in fantasy; yet the lessons taught by hobbits and wizards speak powerfully and practically to our real lives. Courage, valor, trust, pride, greed, and jealousy--these are not fictional virtues. This is the stuff of real life, the Christian life. Professor and author Louis Markos takes us on the road with Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, with looks at selected classic works of literature as well, to show how great stories bring us so much more than entertainment. They inspire and convict, imparting truth in unforgettable ways.
Rediscover the virtue of great storytelling and the power of fantasy to transform our reality.
My Thoughts: As a book to learn life lessons from, I would not rate this very high. It does speak of virtues and their application in the stories of C. S. Lewis and Tolken and what they mean to us. However, I found it far more useful from a story telling stand point and writing of ones own stories, then learning from these authors.
On the Shoulders of Hobbits does give some insight into interpretation of events in LOTR, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the Hobbit and what can be taken from them. Yet it was more of a condemnation of modern values (not all of which I disagreed with), but not as much the exploration of the before mentioned works as suggested.
I received this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, April 11, 2014
The Queen's Handmaiden- T. L. Higley and Kindle Giveaway!
Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC
Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.
But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.
Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.
My Thoughts: The Queen's Handmaiden takes you through Egypt, Rome, and Judea. It takes you into the courts of Cleopatra, Marc Antony, and Herod and shows you the inner workings of their lives. The story of Herod's family was not one that I had known before.
Lydia is the handmaiden who has served in all of these households and it is through her eyes that we see the events unfold. Unfortunately, she rarely actually took part in any of the action. As the main character, I had thought that she would play a major role in events, but instead she only watched while the adventure she was to supposed be on was put on hold for years.
The events of Herod's rule were enlightening and filled with conflict. Lydia's task was potentially dangerous and would have made an awesome story─ if told on its own. With no developments for years at a time and its being told along side Herod's family drama, it felt less than important and I often forgot about the scrolls entirely.
There were great parts of the story. The characters drew me to their history. But the two different story arcs divided my attention in a way that stole much of the excitement. I am glad that I read it and hope for a follow up,
I received this title through litfuse in exchange for an honest review.
Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: "Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs."
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley
Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy's blog on April 21st to see if you won.
Monday, April 7, 2014
The Sentinels of Andersonville- Tracy Groot
Description: Near the end of the Civil War, inhumane conditions at Andersonville Prison caused the deaths of 13,000 Union soldiers in only one year. In this gripping and affecting novel, three young Confederates and an entire town come face-to-face with the prison’s atrocities and will learn the cost of compassion, when withheld and when given.
Sentry Dance Pickett has watched, helpless, for months as conditions in the camp worsen by the day. He knows any mercy will be seen as treason. Southern belle Violet Stiles cannot believe the good folk of Americus would knowingly condone such barbarism, despite the losses they’ve suffered. When her goodwill campaign stirs up accusations of Union sympathies and endangers her family, however, she realizes she must tread carefully. Confederate corporal Emery Jones didn’t expect to find camaraderie with the Union prisoner he escorted to Andersonville. But the soldier’s wit and integrity strike a chord in Emery. How could this man be an enemy? Emery vows that their unlikely friendship will survive the war—little knowing what that promise will cost him.
As these three young Rebels cross paths, Emery leads Dance and Violet to a daring act that could hang them for treason. Wrestling with God’s harsh truth, they must decide, once and for all, Who is my neighbor?
My Thoughts: Of all historicals, my favorites tend to be about the horror stories of war. Andersonville is a story that previously I had only heard of in passing, so I was interested to learn more by reading this. And I am extremely glad that I did.
Andersonville was a Confederate prison, with conditions that rivaled most any other prison camp I have read of. Tracy managed to bring this place to life in an amazing way. I fell in love with the characters and felt their pain. I laughed and felt heartbreak.
The one issue I had was that there were moments where I forgot who was talking, because the conversation was between minor characters and names had not been used in the last page. It was a little confusing, but also made it feel as though the book had been written soon after the Civil War. So in a way, my one complaint made the story a little better.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, April 4, 2014
One Realm Beyond- Donita K. Paul
Description: Cantor D Ahma waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift to jump between worlds, the young realm walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms. But mere hours after he steps through his first portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are plagued with crime and cruelty, and even members of the once-noble Realm Walkers Guild can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment---finding a dragon to assist him on his quest---has led him to Bridger, who is clearly inept and won t leave him alone. With the help of his new friends Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But his skills aren't progressing as fast as he would like, and as he finds himself deeper and deeper in the guild's layers of deceit, Cantor struggles to determine where his true allegiance lies.
My Thoughts: I had thought that this would be a much like Donita's other books, the Dragon Keeper Chronicles, which I loved. In some ways it was, but not enough to keep me wholly interested. The things that I didn't like included the dragons. The shape-shifting was not something I liked, especially with the forms they took (e.g. Hay bale, old dog, stretcher). I'm sure they were meant to be amusing, but I didn't think that they were. I was not too fond of Bixby either, who behaved like a juvenile.
What brought this book to three stars was Cantor. He was the only character that I could relate with, his being somewhat normal. I completely understood his insistence that Bridger was not his dragon. Why none of the other characters understood that is beyond me. ( I also liked Jesha, Bridger's cat). In the end, there were some laughs from situational comedy, and I think that tweens would love this story, I just could not get into it myself.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Fool for Books HOP
Today I am giving away a copy of Love on Assignment. This book comes from my shelf and is new, though one corner of the cover was damaged slightly when sent to me and it has shelf wear. It is still a great read, and I believe a good choice for Fools for Books as the heroine is a reporter who goes undercover, fooling everyone around her.
Description: The chance to break the big story is all Charlotte needs to secure her future. But when the truth comes out--it may cost her the love of her life.
Newport, Rhode Island, in 1900--a glamorous resort town where the rich and famous go to see and be seen.
Charlotte Hale isn't part of that world. She's a working girl, a secretary for a local newspaper, who dreams of becoming a real reporter. When her boss offers her an assignment, she jumps at the opportunity. She'll go undercover as a governess to investigate a scandal about her new employer, Daniel Wilmont, a young widowed professor of religion who writes a controversial column in a rival newspaper.
Charlotte's qualms about misrepresenting herself to Daniel soon morph into a deeper quandary. How can she get the goods on a man who turns out to be so honorable? How can she plot the downfall of a family that has inspired her to rediscover her faith? And how can she protect the man she now loves from a scheme she's been part of since the beginning?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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