Book Review: Virtue by Amanda Hocking

Virtue

by Amanda Hocking
Kindle Edition

Summary:
Lux is sent by his evil master to retrieve a girl named Lily.  But when he meets her, his world turns upside down.  He’s never disobeyed his master before, but he can’t bring himself to deliver such an innocent, beautiful girl to a fate of torture, pain, and corruption.  It’s been a long time since Lux felt this way about a girl… it might be love.

Contains: angels, demons, witches, star-crossed love.

What I liked:
Hocking always does a nice blend of fantasy, action, and romance. She knows just how much of each to infuse to get a nice blend. Lux is handsome but dangerous. Lily is beautiful and mysterious. The world has a good blend of heartbreaking beauty and the absolutely disgusting and terrifying. It was a quick, easy stand alone read, and sometimes that’s exactly what you want (instead of a trilogy or multi-book series).

Criticism: While I liked this little fairy tale, it does not compare to her Trylle series, which I absolutely adore. (See my review of the Trylle series here.) I was able to predict most of the story, and the relationships didn’t have the same complexity and depth.

My Rating: For the $2.99 I paid, this fairy tale involving angels and demons was worth the low price.  I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads because I liked it, but won’t go raving to everyone about it.

Writing Advice from Amanda Hocking

NPR published an article about Amanda Hocking’s amazing success story:

A Self-Published Author’s $2-Million Cinderella Story

I already knew her amazing story, but there was a great piece of writing advice at the end of the article that helped validate the resolution I made to make time to write everyday:

Before we leave her story, however, Hocking has some advice to share. She says she got it off a video from Mark Hoppus of the band Blink-182.
“He said that it’s not enough to have a passion — you have to have a work ethic,” she says. “That’s been the most life-changing advice that I got, because I had a passion for writing — and I know a lot of other people do, too — but it’s not enough to just want something, you have to be able to work for it, too, and put in the hours and the time.”

Not only will putting in the hours get words on the page, but hopefully the more hours you put in, the better writer you will become.  Great advice from someone who’s found a happily ever after in writing.

And if you haven’t read Amanda Hocking’s Trylle series (which was previously published only in e-book form), the first book, Switched, came out in paperback this week.  I adored this series (click here for my review) and you should definitely check it out!

Book Review: Jane by April Lindner

Jane

by April Lindner
373 Pages
Published by Poppy

Summary:
Jane goes to work for rockstar Nico Rathburn as the nanny for his daughter.  Jane always thought herself level-headed and practical, but then finds herself falling for Nico.  Will a secret from Nico’s past ruin Jane’s chances at true love?



What I liked:
For fans of Jane Eyre this is a great modern retelling of the classic. I loved seeing how the author was able to put a modern spin on different classic scenes from the original story. I wasn’t sure how well the story would translate to modern day and was impressed with how the author was able to pull it off. The relationships between Jane and the other characters in the novel felt very authentic.

Criticism:
The scenes I liked best were the ones that weren’t trying to be too similar to the original. I liked when I felt grounded in the modern day. But certain scenes (first encounter on road and fire in the bedroom) felt forced and didn’t seem to fit in the modern context of the story. I wished the author could have found a way to give those scenes a more modern twist because when she did, the writing came to life.

My Rating:
I gave it four stars on Goodreads, but it’s probably closer to a 3.5 because I doubt I’ll ever re-read it and when recommending it, I’d say check it out at the library. But it was definitely a fun read for Jane Eyre Lovers.

Oh! And just a word of caution… This book was much steamier than the original Jane Eyre! Did I mention Rochester is a rock star?

Teaser:
And if you’re a fan of Wuthering Heights, Lindner has a modern retelling of that classic coming out in Fall 2012 called Catherine.

Resolution: Week 1

Resolution Icon

My New Year’s Resolution was to write.  Preferably for a novel, but any creative writing will suffice.  I must have my butt in my chair behind my desk for two hours each night and write.  The time frame I set up was from 6-8pm Monday through Friday.




Week One Results:
Did I write all five days for two hours? YES
Word count for the week = 3,242 words


What I Learned This Week:

  1. Even on the days I wrote total crap and was totally braindead exhausted, I was glad afterwards that I stuck with it.
  2. I hadn’t done enough prep work for my novel in the areas of secondary characters and world-building.  I got a little stuck halfway through the week, but then decided to use my two hours to do character bios and setting sketches.  Still progress on my novel.  Still typing.  Still words.  And it’s more than I would have done had I not made this resolution.
  3. I’m going to run late sometimes.  Three of the five days I didn’t get home until after 6pm.  So instead of cutting my writing time short, I adjusted the two hour time window to 7-9pm.  I’m glad that I still kept my writing a priority, and hopefully I’ll continue to do that.
  4. The writing time is cutting into my reading time.  I thought I’d have finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone by now… and I haven’t.  Late night binge reading on the weekend might be in order.
I think that if I can make this a routine for the next three weeks, it will stick.  And while two hours sounded like an enormous chunk of time, I found that it was getting easier later in the week and the time was flying by.
I’m pretty happy I made this resolution, and I can’t wait to see how much progress I will make over the next few months.
Anyone else want to join me in writing every evening?  I swear it’s fun!

Doubts as a Writer

My New Year’s Writing Resolution is in its first week, and so far I’ve kept with it.  Each night for two hours (typically 6-8pm) I’ve been sitting my butt behind my desk and working on a new novel.

The first night went splendid.  I wrote a whopping 1,256 words of glorious stuff.  Afterwards I was merrily leaping around my living room in joy and so full of energy that I did not get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Second day, I was dragging.  I was tired from a lack of sleep the night before.  I didn’t know what I wanted to write next.  I tried to eek out some words and got 400 words of crap.  So then I decided I needed to do some research for my novel.  But research and reading about tons of stuff I don’t know much about… threw me over the edge.

Some doubts from my second day:
-My novel is going to be too weird.  No one will like it.
-This novel isn’t going to fit in a genre.  People will hate that it’s not quite ______ genre and also not any other genre.
-I’m a lazy writer for making up my own world instead of researching a real place that I’ll never be able to afford to visit.
-I don’t know anything!  There’s so much I have to research!  How can I possibly do it?!?
-If this novel isn’t going to work, then why should I invest so much time in it?
-Gosh!  Am I bipolar?  Yesterday was great.  What’s wrong with me?  Why do I feel this way?

Then this morning, one of my professors from grad school posted this link on Facebook:
25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing
Beware–There’s lots of profanity…if that bothers you.

Within that article was everything I needed to hear.
From #1 Stop Running Away to #4 Stop Worrying to #14 Stop Playing it Safe
These were all things I needed to hear, and it helped me move forward on Day Three.

Who cares if I don’t fit perfectly in a genre mold?
I have a story to tell.  I have to be confident that if I love it, others will too.
And who cares if it’s weird and different?  There’s plenty of weird stuff out there (sparkly vampires would have sounded pretty darn strange ten years ago).

So my doubts have been stuffed back in their box.  Day Three was spent doing a character sketch and drawing a floorplan of a house.

Hopefully Day Four will be another day of writing progress–and doubt free.

Busting the Newbie Blues 2012

I’m participating in a blogger event called “Busting the Newbie Blues.”  If you would like to participate too, check out Small Review’s site.
This event is designed to:
• Put new YA book bloggers on the map
• Increase blogger interaction
• Start a discussion blogging experiences
• Learn from established bloggers
Below is a questionnaire about my blogging experiences as a new blogger:
When did you start your blog?
I began my blog in June of 2010 as a way to share with family and friends what I was doing in my graduate program.  I am getting my Masters in Children’s Literature and the program encompasses picture books all the way up to YA.  I’ve expanded my blog beyond just my graduate studies to also encompass book reviews and writing.

Why did you start your blog?
Being that I would be a five hour drive from everyone who loved me while away at graduate school, a blog seemed like an easier way to share what I was doing than lots of hours of phone time.  I grew to enjoy posting, and am now striving to maintain the blog year round.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
I’m also a middle school teacher, so balancing hobbies (reading, writing, blogging) with my work (planning, grading, etc.) has always been a difficult for me.  It is challenging to post regularly and also post comments on fellow blogs, but I’d really like to become a more solid part of the blogging community.

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?
Breaking into the network of established bloggers and learning the lingo was intimidating at first.  But I’ve never been shy of learning something new!

What do you find most encouraging?
Established bloggers are welcoming and encouraging to newbies.  Writers make themselves accessible through blogs.  And I love the support that bloggers give to debut authors.

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?
I tend to like blogs that offer a mix of book reviews and writing advice.  As I mentioned earlier, that is what my blog has become: book reviews and writing pursuits.  Author Maggie Stiefvater’s blog is one of my favorites that I follow.  I like my book reviews honest.  If you gush about every single book you read… then I’m going to doubt your sincerity.  

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?
My biggest turn-off is blogs that are too flashy or cluttered.  I prefer a streamlined look, no white text on a dark background, no moving/flashing graphics, no ads all over the place.  I’m always careful to pick a background that is somewhat cute but neutral.  But most importantly–the text is clear and easy to read.  If you can’t read my text, then what’s the point in posting?

Any advice for other new bloggers?
Read other established blogs!  Best way to learn!

Any questions you’d like to ask newbie or established bloggers?
Are there any blogs that you recommend as essential reading?

Here’s a few of my favorite posts:

To-Read January 2012

This year, I’m striving to read 75 books.  In 2011, I read 63 (my goal was 50).  Since I overshot my goal by 13, I decided to aim higher for 2012.

In order to stay on track with my goal (which averages at 6.25 books per month) and also keep up with the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, I decided to set up a “To-Read Notebook” where I planned out my reading selections.

Above is page one, with titles and authors in blue, reasons behind the selection in red.  And the pretty typewriter paperweight I got for Christmas is holding my notebook open.  Don’t you love it?  😛

I chose Cinder as my first debut novel because I’ve heard sooooo much about it, and I’ve been bit by curiosity.

Other debut novels I’m interested in:
-The Cabinet of Earths
-Black Boy White School
-The Alchemy of Forever (after reading rave reviews)
-The Gathering Storm
-Tempest
-The Book of Wonders
-Incarnate (after reading rave reviews)
-Article 5 (after reading rave reviews)

This is the first time I’ve done this… planned my reading selections in advance… so we’ll see how it goes.  I tried to balance traditional paper books with Kindle selections.  Because I still own and buy paper books… despite the fact that I now prefer the experience of reading on my Kindle…

And so far I’m LOVE, LOVE, LOVING Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

2012 Debut Author Challenge

Want to support new authors in middle grade/YA?
Want to read fresh, new titles released in 2012?
Want to help generate buzz for great new books?
Want to be up to date in what is getting published?

Join me in the 2012 Debut Author Challenge by The Story Siren.

The challenge is to read and review a minimum of 12 middle grade/YA debut novels in the year 2012. You can review via Goodreads or your own blog.

Sign up at The Story Siren by clicking the blue “Add your Link” button.

Story Siren also compiled a great blog post of debut novels being released in January to get you started.

New Kindle Touch

Two years ago, my big Christmas gift was a Kindle.  I still think paper books are great.  They smell good and have pretty covers and all.  But my Kindle is amazing.  I don’t have room to store loads of books.  Books are heavy to pack or travel with.  And the ease of downloading a book from the comfort of my couch in 60 seconds is pretty freaking awesome (especially when you finish a cliffhanger first book in a series and want to immediately start reading the next one).

I wish I’d started using Goodreads before I bought my Kindle, because it has a nifty feature that lets you keep track of how many books you’ve read in a single year.  (For 2011, I read 63 books!)  I wish I could see the difference in how many books I read post-Kindle versus pre-Kindle.  I am absolutely confident I read more now than I used to.  I carry my Kindle everywhere and read everywhere.  You’d be amazed at how often you find yourself waiting around and can get in 10-20 minutes of reading time.
So when Amazon announced a whole new line of Kindles before the holiday season… I was very tempted to upgrade.  And after reading reviews and doing my research, I asked my parents for the new Kindle Touch as my big Christmas gift this year.  (I did not get the Kindle Fire, which is more like a tablet because I read soooooo much and my eyes would feel the strain of a backlit screen.  E-ink is more eye-friendly if you’re doing a lot of reading.)
I am in love with my new Kindle Touch.
It is sleeker, smoother, and smaller than my old Kindle.  The touch screen makes navigation and note-taking so much easier.  I used to have to navigate a page using a little nubby joystick thing which was slow and imprecise.  The touch screen replaces this and makes interacting with the page (scrolling, highlighting, note-taking) so much simpler.  I have yet to encounter any glitches (and I’ve been playing with it quite a bit!).  It is a glorious, beautiful device.  Plus the new screensavers are super pretty!  
No more creepy Emily Dickinson!
Hello pretty close-up shots of typewriters!
 
If you’ve been thinking about buying an e-reader, do it.  Best thing I ever did.

Setting Up a New Year’s Writing Resolution

Resolution Icon
I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, but this year I’m taking the opportunity to goal set and start up a writing routine.  No more excuses.  If I want to call myself a writer, then I need to write! (And regularly, not just when the mood strikes me.)

Between now and April is the most free time I will get all year.  No grad classes.  No reading lists to get ahead on.  Just me and my time.  I’ve already said that I relish this time of year because I get to read what I want to read, but this year, I’m setting a goal to start and complete a first draft of a new novel…by April 1st.  (April is when I get started on my reading list for summer, hence the April 1st deadline.)

It’s no NaNo (writing 50,000 words in a single month), but considering there’s some research that needs to be done, I think 3 months is a tough but realistic time frame.

Now here’s where I had to do some troubleshooting.  I wanted to set up a specific time of day where I could productively write.  I’ve struggled with this in the past.  I get out of school around 3pm each day.  And while afternoons would be the preferred time to write because I’m not dragging tired yet… it’s not realistic considering after school I could have meetings, parent conferences, errands, etc.  So 3-5pm is out.

And 8pm is prime TV hour.  So 8-9pm is out of the picture.  And then to be totally honest, any time after that I’m too tired to be productive.  And I need to start winding down around that time or else I suffer from insomnia.

So, I’ve decided prime writing time is going to be after fixing dinner, while drinking tea, from 6-8pm.  My goal will be 500-1000 words per day which will place me at perfect first draft range of 45,000-90,000 words over a 3 month time frame.

So if anyone would like to join me in gluing their butt to their chair from 6-8pm every night and cranking out some words.  Let me know.  We can exchange word counts or something.

Here’s to a new year filled with the click clacking of freshly typed words!