Book Review: Midnight Dreary by John Evangelist Walsh

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The full title of this book is Midnight Dreary: The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe. I've had this book on my shelf for some time and finally got around to reading it. Like many before me, I am fascinated by Edgar Alan Poe, and studied him at some length while in college. So, when I heard about this book, I knew it was one I would want to read. Unlike most of my reads, it was a non-fiction.

Discussion/Plot: Walsh takes what little remains of Poe's personal correspondence and the well-documented facts of his life, as well as those surrounding his death, and analyzes them. This includes whether or not Poe's drunkenness truly could have caused his death, what women he was involved with at the time of his death (women, as much as booze were a trial for him) and what can be read between the lines of surviving letters.

He also examines some unfortunate prejudices that have sprung up in popular Poe culture, which have long clouded the issues that must be explored in order to understand the poet's death.

Conclusions: At the risk of spoilers, I won't give the exact conclusions Walsh comes to, in case anyone would like to read for themselves. Besides, Walsh does a good job of explaining the characters that populated Poe's life at the time of his death, and without the history he furnishes, the conclusions would be near-meaningless. 

That said, I found his conclusions to be compelling. He makes a good case for his argument, and I think he may just have it right.

Overall: An easy, thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone who's ever wondered about the mystery of Poe's death. While of course there is a certain amount of conjecture involved, it's all based on established fact. Most people don't understand that in order to truly understand history, conclusions must be drawn. And more often than not, when someone is searching for a specific answer, and does an in-depth study, the inspiration they receive is all kinds of accurate. Because of this, I love reads like this one. I would highly recommend it!

Has anyone else read Midnight Dreary? What did you think of Evangelist's conclusions?

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Book Review: Mojave Green

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So I finally got around to read the sequel to the Brothers Washburn's debut, Pitch Green. I loved the first book and, thankfully, Mojave Green, Dimensions in Death #2 is more of the same!

*Despite discussing things like plot and ending, this review will be largely spoiler-free. I tend to discuss how I liked what happened, rather than giving details about what actually happened.*

Plot: Mojave Green picks up roughly a year after Pitch Green ended. Cam and Cal--our best friend MC duo with the potential to hook up some day--are now college age and hope that the terror of the previous year is behind them. But unfortunately for them, that's wishful thinking. The terrors of the mansion return to haunt them, this time bringing new horrors and new monsters to duck. Cam and Cal had better watch their backs or their old nemeses might just catch them unawares, which would be deadly.

Characters: I loved these characters in the first book! They're just both so likable and human. I had no trouble at all relating to them. We get more of those lovable in this book, which I was glad of. We also got some new characters, my favorite of which was probably Lenny, who had a vocabulary that was made of up mostly of the word, "Dude." He made me laugh.

I will say that the "agents" in the book aren't always one hundred percent realistic. With the exception of the main one, who is friends with our MCs, they are portrayed as somewhat dim-witted, but in a YA novel, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just be aware that this is a YA novel, and not a super-realistic adult novel where the law enforcement officers are concerned.

Writing: I think one of the reasons I was so impressed with the Brothers Washburn's debut novel was the writing. I suppose my expectations must have been low or something. If so, that wasn't intentional. I didn't even realize they were low. I read it and loved the writing. It's just so easy to read and I can totally see the story playing out in detail in front of my eyes. Such a joy to breeze through! Mojave Green was no different. Not a difficult read at all, and fun enough that you just want to keep reading until the end.

Ending: The only thing that I know may bother some readers is that the ending of this book is by no means closed. It ended on somewhat of cliffhanger with a clear intention of another book. That doesn't bother me much--except that I want to know what happens next--but I know some people aren't all about the cliff hangers. For me, I'm excited for what book 3 may hold. (Green Death is slated for release July 2015)

Overall, I really loved this book, and it's predecessor. It's clean YA horror and tons of fun to read. I would highly recommend it. :D

Has anyone else read Mojave Green? What did you think of it?

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Book Review: Gone Girl

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I finally read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Took me long enough, right? This was the most-reviewed book on Goodreads.com in 2013 (I think). I mean, we're talking something like 28,000 reviews. (Holy crap!) And recently a film version came out, which I have not seen. I might watch it eventually, but I'm not in any big hurry to.

Plot: This is your basic wife-disappears, husband-becomes-prime-suspect story. Been done a thousand times, right? But the reason it was such a successful novel is that there's a major twist on it. It's hard to tell whether the husband, Nick, did something to his wife, Amy. Even when we get chapters from his POV, it's unclear. He's definitely hiding things from the cops, and also the reader, so you feel compelled to keep reading to find out what he's hiding, and whether he really hurt Amy.

POV: The point of view oscillates between Nick's first person narrative and diary entries from Amy, leading up to when she disappeared. As it's a diary, they are also in the first person. I'm not usually a huge fan of doing multiple first-person narratives, but in this case it was so well-done, it didn't bother me. Diary entries can also be tricky to write, but Flynn is a master at her craft and it truly didn't feel any different than any other well-written narrative would. 

Characters: Neither of these characters--husband or wife--was particularly likable. They were both majorly flawed, and obviously their marriage suffered for it. That made them both believable and compelling, but I reiterate: unlikable. I had really mixed feelings about the characters. They were both incredibly frustrating at times. I had a really hard time getting behind either one of them. Villainous characters don't need to be likable, but I'm a firm believer that main characters should be. I was obviously compelled enough to finish the book, but I would never say that I loved it, or that I loved the characters because, yeah I didn't.

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Psychological Aspects: Okay, here's the crux of my problem with the book, which happens to coincide with why it's become such a phenomenon. The psychological aspects (read: psycho) are what makes the book so intriguing. We get these really flawed character studies, see these mind games that were played within the marriage, and then as the readers, we have to try and translate that into whether or not Nick did something violent to his wife. I totally understand why this book has been so talked about.

That said, I really didn't like it much. First of all, it was very negative. And I don't just mean the subject matter. Both characters were very pessimistic. Like, they would work hard to find the worst side of everything. Now don't get me wrong, it was very well-written. Kudos to the author. But I would be reading and just think, Wow. No wonder you're so miserable! Just once can you try to look on the bright side of things, or at least not go out of your way to be so cynical? It was actually really annoying. Like I said earlier, just really unlikable characters. No redeeming qualities at all. And I get it: that was the point. But it doesn't make for a very inspiring story.

It also is about the worst, darkest, most terrible picture of a marriage you'll ever come across. The worst kinds of abuse (and not just physical), the worst kinds of name calls two people can call one another, the worst, most un-loving, un-intimate sex you can imagine in a marriage. Etc., etc. 

Content Warning: And while we're on the subject, I'll add that this was a very R-rated book. These two called one another every swear word in the English language, both out loud and in their heads. There was a lot of sexual content and also some mild violence. I definitely wouldn't recommend it for kids, or even teens.

Ending: This definitely doesn't have a "happy" ending. And please understand, that is not a spoiler. I don't mean it's unhappy like, someone dies or, it's oh-so-tragic. Rather, it just really doesn't have a closed ending. Nothing really gets resolved. And where normally the reader would feel betrayed because we stuck with the story so long and then were denied closure, I didn't even feel that way about it. I think, because the story itself was about a messed-up situation, complete with mind games, she wanted the ending to be the same way. And honestly, the ending kind of fit. But for me, I just kind of went, Huh. And moved on. Was kind of relieved to be done, actually.

Overall: As I said earlier, I didn't not like it. I'm glad I read it. But it's not the kind of book you can describe as having "liked." It just wasn't that kind of book. If you like the dark, psychological types of stories (again I'm going to stress the no redeeming qualities angle) then you'll probably enjoy it. It's not the type of book I would recommend to...just about anyone, though. I prefer my stories to have at least some hope and enlightenment, and that was largely missing from this one. 

Has anyone read Gone Girl? Seen the film? What did you think of it?

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Book Review: The Cuckoo's Calling

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Bought The Cuckoo's Calling right around Christmas last year and am just now getting around to reading it, but it's no secret I haven't done as much reading this year as I did last year. I'm just glad I finally got to it. :D

Story: When a young, beautiful model falls to her death one snowy night, it is generally believed to be suicide. You know, a young woman cracking under the pressures of fame. While an investigation is conducted, nothing ever comes of it, and the official findings are consistent with suicide. Months later, the model's brother, convinced his sister was not suicidal, hires down-on-his-luck private detective, Comoran Strike to look into the case. With the help of his scrappy "temp" secretary Robin, Strike plunges them into the case, looking for truths that perhaps the police, the public, and paparazzi might have missed. 

Overall, I had no complaints about the story. It was a great whodunit that kept you guessing. I think I considered the real culprit about half a page before it was revealed, so she obviously did a good job. That said, I wasn't blown away either. But satisfied with the ending. 

Characters: As with Harry Potter, most of the characters in this book are very ordinary. With the exception of the model in question, they aren't beautiful people or particularly well-endowed in any area of life: looks, love, finances, etc. And there's something that's just so compelling about those types of characters. They feel more real, more human than other, cookie-cutter characters do. And Rowling/Galbraith just has a knack for writing them. 

My one complaint is that I wish she could have tied Strike's back story into the current story a bit more. He lost his leg in the war and is going through a hard time both financially and in the love department, so it's not like we don't get a good sense of his background. And it definitely does have a bearing on him now, as he's broke, and has to wear a prosthetic all the time, but that's not really what I mean. I wish he could have used something he learned from one or all of those hardships to help him in the present. To break the case or something. I just think it would have been more powerful that way, but that's not what she does. Not that what she does is terrible, I just think it could have been stronger.

Writing/POV: Here's where I had the biggest complaint. Any writer worth their salt knows that changing POVs in random places is a huge no-no. Yet she does it in this book. Constantly. She changes POVs mid-scene, and sometimes mid-paragraph. Okay, granted. She's J.K. Rowling, so she can get away with it, but that doesn't make it okay. Trying to figure out whose head we're in now always pulls the reader out of the story. ALWAYS. And you don't want that. It really bothered me in this book. I tried to think if she ever did that in Harry Potter, but HP was always from Harry's perspective, right? We didn't ride around in anyone else's head, if I remember right, so she wouldn't have had the chance to do it. I really am all about multiple POVs to tell a complex story, but it needs to be done right. I felt like this could have been a lot better.

Comparisons: Just be advised: this is definitely. Not. Harry Potter. This is an adult novel with plenty of curse words (including the f bomb), violence, sexual innuendo, drugs, etc. It was kind of shocking at first because, even knowing consciously that this is not Harry Potter and you shouldn't expect it to be, you still just don't think she'll go all R-rated movie on you. But she does. You've been warned.

Overall: While I had a few complaints, I actually really enjoyed reading this book. If you like mystery/crime/whodunit-type fiction, you'll enjoy it. It doesn't have the magic of Harry Potter, but it does have it's own, grown up kind of charm. If she writes more Comoran Strike novels, I'll probably read them. If you aren't into crime fiction, or only want to read Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling, then skip this one. You probably won't be impressed. 

Has anyone else read The Cuckoo's Calling? What did you think of it?

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Book Review: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad Poor Dad is a non-fiction book about how most people don't know anything about financial independence and how you can obtain it. It really has very little to do with writing, but as writers, our income is often tenuous, so I found the information in this book most intriguing. 

Audio Book: I actually listened to the audio book of Rich Dad Poor Dad. This was really the first book I'd listened to beginning to end as audio. I have about a 12-15 minute commute to work, which means about half an hour of listening time each day. This book was only about 5 hours long, so it didn't take me a terribly long time to get through it. The narrator was good, if perhaps a bit bland. I don't truly have any qualms about him, except to say that if Robert Kiyosaki himself had been the one read the book, it probably would have been much more animated. That said, I would recommend this as an audio book. It's fun to listen to and not at all hard to follow.

Plot: Robert Kiyosaki tells about he had two dads growing up. One was his biological father, who was a teacher, and struggled most of his life with his finances. The other dad was actually his best friend's father, who was like a second father to him. His rich dad was wealthy and always had plenty of assets and never wanted for money. 

When Robert and his best friend were children, they went to the man Robert later referred to as his rich dad and asked him to teach them how to become rich. Thus began a lifetime of teaching about how to think about money, the habits rich people have that the poor and middle class do not, and what simple things can be done to ensure never having to worry about money.

Content: Now, this book doesn't go into much detail in exact strategy. For example, he talks about investing in the stock market, but there's not a step-by-step guide to investing in stocks or anything. This is more general information to help you get an idea of some things that can be done to get started. Kiyosaki has other books and things that go into more detail, depending on what you want to learn from him.

That said, books are actually a great example of an asset. If you can build a body of work, you can keep selling it and make money on your books for years to come. So, while many of us may have a long way to go, but just the fact that we are all working toward these kinds of assets shows that we may just be ahead of the curve already.

Overall: I found this book tremendously useful, and I plan to get more of Kiyosaki's books to read. I'd like to start following a few of his strategies. If you're interested in ways to become financially independent, this book is for you! I'd recommend it to just about anyone. 

Has anyone else read Rich Dad Poor Dad? What did you think of it?

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Book Review: The Success Principles

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So my brother, Lucas, who is all about self-help, success, and motivational speaking, gave me this book six months ago. I might have even started it around Christmas time and I'm just now finishing! (Dah!) Don't let that fool you, though. It has nothing to do with how good the book was or wasn't. This might just be one of the most inspiring, motivational book I've ever read.

This is a non-fiction book. Jack Canfield is the ridiculously successful co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. But he's more than just an author. He's an entrepreneur and motivational speaker, among many other things. He lays out 52 principles he's gathered over the years that are essential for success. (Hence the title of the book.)

These principles encompass everything from attitude adjustment to taking risks to changing your mindset to having faith. The reader not only gets valuable information from someone who's done it all and been enormously successful, but he tells stories and gives real life examples so we can see the principles in action.

Some of my favorite quotes (There's about a billion, but here are a few):

"Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses."--George Washington Carver

"You only have control over three things in your life--the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take." (pg. 109) 

"The world doesn't owe you anything. You have to create it." (pg. 13)

My favorite principles (Again, they're ALL awesome, but...):

1. Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life 

25. Drop out of the "Ain't it Awful" Club and Surround Yourself with Successful People 

55. Be a Class Act 

58. Pay Yourself First 

63. Start Now!...Just Do It!

If you've ever wanted to begin a new endeavor, run a business (yes, your writing counts!) learn a new skill, or simply find success at anything you are doing or want to do, this book will be invaluable. I'd recommend it for absolutely everyone. After all, what is life without its pinnacle successes?

Has anyone else read The Success Principles? Which is your favorite principle?

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Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Okay, so I've had all KINDS of issues with this book review. The first time it went up, I created the post but hadn't finished the book yet and so hadn't actually filled in the review part, and somehow, accidentally published it. Then I wrote the review and published it for real, but for some reason, it wasn't showing up right on the blog. It's still looked largely blank. Why? I have no idea. I'm sure it was an operator problem. My life has been crazy lately and I haven't been putting the time and energy into my blogs that I should. This is me, trying to remedy that. So, here's the review. For real this time. I hope. *crosses fingers*

I finally read this book! I wanted to get it read before I saw the film. Though, admittedly, I don't know when that will be.

**No real spoilers here, but I do discuss a few plot points in some detail, so if you want to know nothing, then skip this review.**

Summary:  Hazel is sixteen and has a terminal case of cancer. Though at this point in her life, she is doing okay, she and her parents know that she probably won't live into adulthood. She meets a boy named Augustus Waters in a cancer support group. He's one leg short but in remission, and the two connect in a morbid-cancer-humor sort of way. They just get one another and soon begin to date.

Characters: I thought both main characters--Hazel and Gus--were pretty good. This is definitely a YA book, which means they're teens. But, because they've both been sick most of their lives, they aren't as whiny and angsty and teen-drama-ish as most YA characters are. They're also both very intelligent. Again, as a result of their respective illnesses, they haven't had the ability to do much except sit around and read, watch TV and play video games. They both have very rye, overblown (albeit morbid) senses of humor, which I enjoyed immensely.

They're also both very human. John Green can write raw human beings like nobody's business.

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Review Day: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

I finally finished the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent with the final volume, With All My Soul.

I totally loved this series and I thought it ended very well. 

Volume 7 picks up pretty much where 6 left off, with Kaylee and her friends trying to live normal lives with hellions and other Underworld beasts trying to interfere in their lives.

Kaylee comes to realize that there might only be one, very undesirable solution that will solve all her hellion problems once and for all and keep her family and friends safe. But, chances are, no one is going to like it.

Okay, that's a VERY brief synopsis, but it is the gist. I can't overstate how much I loved this book. The climax was just that--climatic! I always love and respect authors who know how to ramp up the tension and action before an awesome resolution. 

Not everyone can pull it off, but Rachel Vincent definitely can. I totally loved this entire series and the ending was very fitting and very satisfying. Plenty of action, great take on the banshee legends, awesome characters. Was there lots of teenaged angst? Yes, but it was fun teenaged angst, so that was okay by me. :D 

Overall, I would highly recommend the Soul Screamers series. You won't be disappointed by the final volume!

Has anyone else read With All My Soul? What did you think of it?

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Book Review: Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6)

**If you haven't yet, be sure to enter my Epic Giveaway! The grand prize is a Kindle Paperwhite! Click HERE to enter!**

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6)

Okay, so I finished the 6th installment out of 7. I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record with these books, but there were actually some differences in book 6 that made me feel different about it than about previous books. So, bear with me.

Characters: I really loved what she did with the characters and the relationships in this book. Naturally there's still a lot of resentment between Nash and Tod, which I thought was handled very well. Plus, Kaylee and Tod get to explore their relationship a lot, which is always fun. So basically, as with other books, I really loved what she did here. Yeah, yeah. I know: broken record. 

Plot: Here's where I had a bit of a problem with this book. It wasn't that the plot was boring or terrible in any way, but let's just say the gore level went way up. Not that it was more gore than a PG-13 rating, but rather she just started killing people off left and right. This was The Departed installment of this series. (i.e. everyone dies!) 

Okay, I'm exaggerating. Not everyone. Before you yell at me for posting spoilers, please note that most of our main characters will be returning in book 7. Those killed off were the less-mainstream characters, but some of them were people I really liked. I guess you could say this book was just far darker than earlier installments.

And yes, given that this series deals with banshees, hellions, undead reapers, and other minions of the Netherworld, to be critical because it's "dark" may sound ridiculous, but I promise it's true. After six books, I'm very invested in these characters and it was overkill (pun intended) to me. I suppose it just rubbed me the wrong way. So I wasn't a huge fan of all the death.

Ending: As per usual, it ended on something of a cliff hanger that left me anxious and wanting to jump into the next book.

Will I keep reading? Oh yeah. The final book is called "With All My Soul" but as I understand things, it could easily have been called something along the lines of "Kaylee's Revenge." Sign me up. Somebody's gotta get rid of these evil hellions once and for all. And, after 6 books, I'm gonna have to see it through to he end!

Recommendation: Very High

Have you read Soul Screamers yet? What was your favorite installment?

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Review Day: If I Die and Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent

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Last week I read book 5 of Soul Screamers, If I Die by Rachel Vincent. It was great! I wouldn't have thought the series could get any better but, you guessed it, it did!

Plot: This picks up where the previous book left off. Nash and Kaylee are still struggling with their relationship, but are starting to get to a better place, even if Sabine is still in the picture. At the beginning of the book, Todd pays Kaylee's dad a visit with some grim (get it?) news: Her time is up. She's come up on the reaping list and is scheduled for death in less than a week. Meanwhile, girls at her school are getting pregnant, having horrifying miscarriages, and Kaylee suspects one of her teachers may be a Netherworld creature trying to propagate his own species using high school girls. Kaylee must race against the clock to get rid of this creature before she dies, come to terms with her own, apparently unstoppable death, and help others in her life do the same. High school's never complicated, though. :D

Characters: There's a "surprising" turn of events in this book as far as the characters and their romantic relationships go. I actually wasn't all that surprised, myself. I suspected that a certain crush was happening several books ago, but I couldn't tell if it was just me or if that was where the author was going. Well, now I have my answer. I have to say, it was a very risky thing for the author to do. She introduced a love triangle between major characters a full five books into the series. She ran the risk of fans hating the idea. I have no idea whether many of them did or not, but it wasn't a problem for me. I sort of liked it. Once it happened, I was instantly rooting for the other couple. :D

Ending: I liked the end. Between two possible outcomes, it did the one that was the most provocative and kept the reader going until the final page. It's also the ending that puts the most interesting potential into the next installment of the series.

Overall: I loved this book! Out of the entire series so far, I think this is my favorite! So great! Can't wait to dive into the next volume!

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Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers 5.5)

Plot: This short story between installments begins near the end of the last book, but it's told from Sophie's (Kaylee's snotty cousin) point of view. Basically, Sophie has her first Netherworld experience--that she is conscious for and remembers, anyway--and meets a boy who happens to be Necromancer along the way.

Characters: I'll admit I didn't think I'd like this short very much. Kaylee's cousin is a mean-girl super-princess who the reader has been primed to hate in the regular series. Why would I want to read something from her point of view? Yet, I was pleasantly surprised at how readable the story was. Written in Vincent's trademark, high-school-girl style, we actually learn a lot about Sophie and her motivations. Don't get me wrong, how shallow Sophie is, is also driven home plenty of times. But given her personality and the world she was raised in, you can at least see why she believes and acts like what she does.

Ending: I really like how his ended. In a matter of 70 pages, Sophie gains strength of character and the ability to stand up to her even-snottier friend and competition for dance team captain. I liked that she came away from the experience feeling stronger and more confident. Very well-executed character arc.

Overall: Really enjoyed it. It just makes me want to dive into the next installment that much more to see how Sophie's role in the story will change, now that she knows all about the Netherworld.

Have you read the Soul Screamers series?

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Review Day: Writing How-To Books

I'm trying to read lots of writing/marketing how-to books this year. In fact, I'm trying to read at least two a month. These are small, novella or ebook type things that just give helpful tips either to authors, or to anybody marketing, or running a business in general. Today, I'll be reviewing the last five of these types of books that I've read.

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Your First 1000 Copies by Tim Grahl

What it's about: As the sub-title says, this is a step-by-step guide to marketing your book. It defines marketing, talks about tools available to the author, and then goes into what the Grahl calls the Connection System, which will help get you "From nobody to bestselling author." (A section heading in the book.)

Did it help me? Yes. There are some excellent tips in here and some great advice on things to watch out for and/or not do. I especially got a lot out of his tips for growing your email list, as that's an area where I struggle. I read it through quickly the first time, taking a few notes but nothing in depth. There's so much information, though, that I plan to read it again, more slowly, and put into action more of his suggestions as I go. A highly recommended read!

(Kindle edition, $3.99. Scroll down for link.)

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How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling my Kindle eBooks by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

What it's about: This is a step-by-step guide to KDP promos. Now, this has been on my kindle for some time and, based on the title, I figured it might be out of date. This is the kind of windfall authors used to make on their books after the KDP promos, but that was only with the pioneers in the industry. Since then, Amazon has changed up their algorithms, and authors today rarely see these kinds of results. I was curious, though, and it was a quick read. Turns out I was right. This author had this success years ago, and it no longer applies today. The edition of her ebook I have has a "revised and updated" stamp on the title page. Her updates explain that this doesn't really happen anymore, but claim that her methods are still effective for marketing, which is true. She has a few other updates as well that explain small changes in the industry since she wrote her book.

Did it help me? Not really. As someone who's already done a couple of KDP promos, there wasn't much in it that I didn't already know. But that doesn't mean the content isn't valuable. Her tips are good; her advice, sound. I just didn't particularly need it. For anyone who's a complete newbie to selling ebooks, reading this could be a decent marketing template for your first time out of the gates. For more experienced authors, it will probably seem superfluous.

(Kindle edition, $2.99. Scroll down for link.)

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All the Doors to Hollywood and How to Open Them by Anne M. Strick

What it's about: This is about what the titles makes it sound like it's about. It's about multiple ways--other than acting, directing, producing, and other things we generally associate with Hollywood--that the average joe can find a job in Hollywood. It's based on the author's own experiences in Hollywood, people she interviewed, and how they ended up where they did. There's a list of jobs that Hollywood needs done, and then interviews/stories about how people got there.

Did it help me? Um, no. Unfortunately, I was extremely underwhelmed with this book. I think I bought it back when I was writing my screenplay, and it was a super-cheap download. But this was by no means an exhaustive list of Hollywood jobs. Yeah, there were like ten, I think. Maybe an even dozen. And the stories she told were single stories about how one person ended up in that job. I was hoping for lots of interesting ideas and jobs that revolve around Hollywood. Instead, most of the jobs were things like hair, makeup, set-designers, and publicists. So other than acting, Hollywood consists of artsy people and marketing people. Shocking! I really wanted more. Don't get me wrong, a few of the stories were kind of interesting, but most were downright boring. In fact, I skimmed a lot of the book, and it's not even long. Not recommended unless you enjoy obscure Hollywood stories from the sets of movies no one's ever seen that involve people no one's ever heard of. (Sorry if that sounds snobbish. This woman has apparently worked in Hollywood for a long time, and I'm not denying her credentials. This book just wasn't awesome.)

(Kindle edition, $7.99. Scroll down for link.)

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The Dead-Simple Guide to Amazing Headlines/The Dead-Simple Guide to Guest Posts by Nick Thacker

What they're about: Again, the titles pretty much sum things up. Anyone who knows or follows Nick Thacker knows he's a great blogger and resource who consistently puts out quality content. The "headlines" ebook gives great advice on how to recognize and craft great headlines as well as giving lists of many proven headlines you can borrow from. The "guest posts" ebook gives advice on how to secure guest posts, why they're important, and how to make them great once you've been invited to do one. 

Did they help me? Most definitely. I'm definitely not a headlines genius, but I've found myself going to this guide and reading through his lists of headlines to get ideas for my blog posts. More than once, now, I've seen a spike in pageviews. I use them not only for the headline itself, but to help broadcast on Twitter in different ways. As for guest posts, I've done a lot of those, but I still found Nick's advice useful and even took a few notes. These are the kinds of skills that can still be honed, even in experiences authors and bloggers. Super fast reads, short, but packed with high-quality information. Highly recommended.

(Kindle editions, both $2.99.)

Has anyone read any of these before? What did you think of them?

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Book Review: My Soul to Keep, Reaper

I'm still making my way through the Soul Screamers series and really enjoying them. My reading time has gone seriously down lately due to other commitments, but this past week I got through book 3 and installment 3.5, which is a short story. Here's what I thought of them:

(Warning: while as a general rule I try to avoid spoilers, there may be mild spoilers for what's come in previous books. You've been warned!)

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My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Plot: So this installment picks up not long after the last one left off. After a not-so-jolly jaunt to the Netherworld, Kaylee is grounded for a month, and by the time she gets un-grounded, her boyfriend, Nash, is acting really weird.

Meanwhile, a strange (perhaps paranormal) drug is making its way through her party-inclined classmates, and more and more Kaylee wonders if it might have some tie to what happened during their previous adventure. When classmates start dropping dead after using the drug, and Nash acts weirder and weirder, Kaylee knows she has to get to the bottom of things before they become infinitely worse.

Characters: I'm still enjoying the character development here. This was kind of the obligatory they've-got-to-have-relationship-problems-eventually installment. Not that it's a bad thing, but you had to figure it wouldn't continue to be all hot make-out scenes and valentines. Still, the way things progressed felt very real. Vincent does a good job of finding a medium between the teenage girl trying to cut her boyfriend some slack, and the no-nonsense heroine that won't put up with his crap. 

The only thing I'm starting to not like is the best friend, Emma. She's a character who knows all about Kaylee and Nash's banshee origins, and for the most part stays out of it. She wants a normal life enough that she really doesn't want to know everything. I get that, and it's kind of refreshing, to be honest. But after so much has happened that directly involves her, Emma still not being even the least bit curious is starting to come off as dumb blond rather than educated, informed decision. I'm hoping this will be remedied in the next volume.

Ending: Don't worry, I won't say what happens except that I thought the ending was pretty good. In terms of the overall problem (the drug and everything it entailed) we got a fitting resolution with some intense action at the end. In terms of the troubles in the Kaylee/Nash relationship, we were left on a bit of a cliff hanger. Just enough to make us want to dive into the next novel. Well played, Rachel Vincent. Well played.

Overall: I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record, but I'm simply still enjoying the series overall. I want to continue reading. The fact that I'm not sick of the story or the characters yet (which is saying something in my case, given my proclivities against YA) says a lot. I'm hoping to finish the series by the end of the month.  So, if you're into YA, paranormal, or just a great, fun story, check out Soul Screamers. I'd recommend it!

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Reaper by Rachel Vincent

Plot: This is basically a prequel that goes over exactly what happened with Tod. From what I can tell, Tod is a lot of people's favorite character, and I completely understand. He's got an anti-hero flair to him. He's always quick with a joke, and is often the comic relief. Yet, he's brooding with a bad boy vibe. You can't help but be curious and want more information about him.

I also like that, in the main series, he's become quite protective of Kaylee. I've wondered more than once if this will become a Salvatore-Brothers kind of situation, with both brothers having feelings for our heroine. So far, Vincent hasn't gone in that direction, but I like that he's protective, even if it's just in a brotherly manner.  So, Reaper tells his story. It expounds on what we already know of how he died, was recruited as a Reaper, and came to be in the situation we find him in, in book 1 of the series.

Characters: This short story definitely gives Tod a lot of depth. We see him first as a living teenager who is supposed to watch out for his younger brother. He's human (read: teenage boy) enough that he'd rather make out with his girlfriend that keep his kid brother in check. Then when disaster strikes, we see him be very selfless. I'd even say transcendent. This was a very sad story, but it makes you love and respect the characters even more for that. Tod's situation is bleak, but I was glad to read more about him and get something from his POV. 

Ending: No big mystery here. Being a prequel, it ends in he situation we find him in for book 1 of the Soul Screamers series, only with much more understanding of his character and how he came to be there. Like I said, there's definitely a melancholy vibe to this story, but that's not uncommon for prequels. 

Overall: I really enjoyed being in Tod's head and love him more for knowing more about him. I hope we get lots more great Tod moments in coming installments. 

Anyone else read Soul Screamers?

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Review Day: Writing How-To Books

I'm trying to read lots of writing/marketing how-to books this year. In fact, I'm trying to read at least two a month. These are small, novella or ebook type things that just give helpful tips either to authors, or to anybody marketing, or running a business in general. Today, I'll be reviewing the last five of these types of books that I've read.

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Becoming the 1% by Dennis Crosby

What it's about: I totally loved this book! It is so great. I think I've mentioned it in a couple of posts, but haven't actually reviewed it. This book is about PRODUCTIVITY. It gives tips on planning and making lists that will increase your productivity by 500% in only a couple of weeks. The 1% the title refers to is the top 1% of productive people in the world, which you can become by following these tips.

Did it help me? Yes. I was already a list-maker by nature, but this gave me a great way to structure my lists as well as lots of small things I wasn't doing that can make a big difference. I think Crosby has made me a list-maker for life. Anyone who needs to structure what little time they have to get optimal work done (pretty much all authors) should read this!

(Kindle Edition: $3.99. Scroll down for purchase link.)

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How to Sell Your Books by the Truckload on Amazon.com by Penny C. Sansevieri

What it's about: This short ebook could be read in one sitting. It focuses on the basics of Amazon that will help you use your Amazon account to it's max. It goes over basic things like categories and writing great descriptions, but it also goes into Amazon's Algorithms, perfect keywords, and why Shelfari matters. 

Did it help me? Yes. There were several things--like shelfari--that I wasn't taking advantage of and am now working steadily to get set up. Overall I found this book informative and am glad I got the chance to read it.

(Kindle Edition: $1.99. Scroll down for purchase link.)

From Freelance to Freedom by Michelle Shaeffer

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What it's about: This was basically the transcript of an interview. Michelle Shaffer--who I follow--interviews Debra Jason, who has been a Freelance writer for decades. She gives tips on how to create and maintain your own freelance business.

Did this help me? I'll admit to being a bit disappointed with this one. For one, I believe it was a free download and I didn't entirely know what it was when I put it on my kindle. It wasn't bad, by any means, but it just didn't give very useful information. The tips Debra Jason gives are things like 'never give up,' 'remain positive' and such. Now, I'm all about this kind of attitude, but I think I was hoping for more practical tips that could be applied to a business. So, if you're looking for positive self-talk pick me up, this is the download for you. If you want more practical tips, I'd skip it.

(Kindle Edition: $2.99. Scroll down for purchase link.)

How to Love Your Job or Find a New One by Joanna Penn

What it's about: I've followed Johanna's blog, The Creative Penn, for more than a year now. She's an indie author who's been around the block a few times and definitely knows her stuff. This book gives tips on how to go from where you are in your career to where you want to be. If you hate your job, or just wish you had a different one, Joanna has some tips for you.

Did this help me? Yes. I will say that neither finding nor loving my job particularly applied to me for various reasons. Even so, I found some great tips and useful information in these pages. Her other book, How to Market a Book, was probably better in my opinion, but that's because it's more applicable to me. That book had SOOO many great tips in it. But, if you're someone who doesn't like your job or has a dream job you've always aimed for and never obtained, this is definitely the book for you! I'd recommend it.

(Since I downloaded this, Joanna has changed the title for marketing. It is now available under the title, Career Change. Kindle Edition $4.99. Scroll down for purchase link.)

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Making Killer Profiles on Google Plus by Evo Terra

What it's about: I've known for some time that I needed to be more active on Google Plus. I do post my blogs there, but I'm not familiar enough with the platform to really use it to my advantage. This book is a step-by-step guide for how authors can maximize their use of the Google Plus platform, use it to get their name out there and ultimately sell their books.

Did this help me? Definitely. This was exactly the guide to Google Plus I was looking for. Whether you're totally clueless about Google Plus, have been on it for some time but would like to learn more, or are anywhere in between, this books if full of great tips and shortcuts. Anyone trying to run a legitimate business MUST BE on Google Plus! Evo knows his stuff and gives very helpful instructions. Definitely read this one.

(Kindle Edition $4.95. Purchase link below.)

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Book Review: The Book Thief

I finally got around to reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in December. Everyone always told me what a great book this is and I felt all left behind because I hadn't read it. Yeah, I totally LOVED it! I haven't seen the film yet, but now I really want to.

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Plot: The Book Thief is the story of a young girl--who shares my name, btw. Yeah, that was weird. I hardly ever find other people with my name--who lives in a poor town right smack in the middle of Nazi Germany during World War II. Liesel's mother gives her up to another couple because she's incapable of caring for her daughter anymore. Liesel already has a lot of emotional baggage because her brother died on the train ride to her new home, and she's haunted by the abandonment of her mother. Liesel bonds with her foster parents in very different ways, and soon embarks on what, for someone in her place and time, is as normal as she could ask for. She goes to school and makes friends with a boy who's always asking if he can kiss her. She never lets him. She helps her parents with their work and gets to know the others in the small town; all their secrets and their lives.

Of course, there are the abnormal things, too. Everyone has to beware of the German soldiers who periodically walk through the town. Eventually a young Jewish man hiding from the Nazi's takes up residents in Liesel's home, hiding in the basement, which increases the danger. And when the sirens go off, everyone in town jumps out of bed in their pjs and heads for the basement bomb shelters.

Then there's Liesel's love of reading. Her father teaches her how, and not only does she swipe a number of books when the opportunities present themselves, but even makes friends with the wife of the wealthy mayor, who has an entire library in her house. Soon enough, Liesel graduates from just reading books to writing her own, complete with illustrations, but Nazi Germany is full of hardship and tragedy that means nothing will stay the same for long...

Writing: This books is written in a different format than most, but it's fabulous! It's narrated, not by the characters themselves, but by death, who crosses paths with Liesel many times in her life. Each time he sees her, he is impressed by her character and emotional stamina; by the fact that he often gathers up the souls of many of those around her, but never her. Telling the story this way is beautiful and tragic, and one you just can't stop reading. Or crying over. I cried off and on throughout the book while reading it, but sobbed uncontrollably through the ending. Yet, I loved it. I told my brothers they all had to read it. It's the kind of story everyone should read once.

In a way, it's the perfect story for me because it combines history and tragedy and beauty in a way no one else has ever done. World War II has never been my favorite historical period, but this is exactly the kind of book that makes me want to re-think my preferences. If you haven't read this, squeeze it into your reading schedule, ASAP. It just might change your life. 

Has anyone else read The Book Thief?

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Book Review: Man in the Iron Mask

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So this is going to be the week of many reviews between my two blogs! I finished several books either during the holidays or right before and haven't had a chance to review them yet. So, I'm playing catch up with my reviews this week.

Right at the end of the year, I realized I hadn't read as many of the classics as I'd wanted to, so I decided to just slip one in under the wire and read Alexander Dumas's Man in the Iron Mask. I've wanted to read this for a while, both because I'd never read Dumas before, and also because I loved the DiCaprio film that came out in 1998 and I was curious as to how it differed from the book.

And the answer is A LOT!

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Plot: So the basic plot of the book was the same: A less-than-desirable king has a secret twin brother in prison, and a group of middle-aged musketeers hatches a plot to put the other sibling, Philippe on the throne in his brother Louis's place.

But, that's where the similarities end. Spoiler alert*** I'm going to talk about how the book is different from the film, and it's pretty much synonymous with spoilers. 1) In the book, Phillipe doesn't have the iron mask on at the beginning of the novel. It isn't forced on him for later. 2) In the book, the plot doesn't work at all, and in the end, the same king--Louis--stays on the throne and his brother is thrown back into prison. End of story. The "good" king, as portrayed in the film doesn't stay on the throne of France. 3) It's really Aramis, more than anyone else who does the entire plot. Porthos plays along, but is pretty clueless all the while, just doing as Aramis tells him. Athos knows nothing at all about it and really isn't involved. D'Artagnon brings down the plot and remains loyal to Louis. Even though the plot is different, D'Artagnon's character and motivations were the most the same in the book. 4) Athos's son, Raoul, doesn't die until near the end of the book. Losing his son is kind of what kills him, rather than being a motivation to join in the coup. 5) There's no D'Artagon being the twins' real father because he had an affair with the queen plot at all. That was entirely a Hollywood thing.

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Ending: Overall, I felt like the book was more about what happened to these musketeers (first introduced in The Three Musketeers) in middle age. The plot to replace the king was over by half way through the book and after that it was about the king trying to kill Aramis and Porthos for their treason, D'Artagnon struggling with his loyalties, and Athos struggling with sending his son off to war. The "man in the iron mask" is actually a trifling part of the story. The biggest change was that three of the four musketeers die by the end. Aramis is the only survivor of this book. While all the deaths were tragic, I actually thought Porthos' death was the most powerful. It was poignant and very well-written. It was probably my favorite part of the book, not because he died, but just because it's the part I had the biggest emotional connection to. Like I said, I think Dumas wrote it more as a way to write about the musketeers in older age than anything else. ***End of Spoilers 

Overall: It wasn't bad for all that; just not what I expected. Over all, did I like it? Was I glad I read it? Yes. I am. But, would I recommend it? Eh. I didn't love it. A big part of that was that it was really hard to read. It's a very old novel and a translation from French, which makes it choppy and almost entirely in passive voice. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I got through it. Now I can say I've read Dumas. But, unless you enjoy wading through difficult stories, I wouldn't dive in. As for me, I'm open to reading more Dumas, but probably won't pick another of his stories up anytime soon.

And for the record, the film was better. Not because it's a film or because it had Leo in it, but rather just because the story was strong, more compelling, with much more clearly defined themes and morals. I just enjoyed it more. 

Has anyone else read any Dumas?

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