Below I have made a list of 10 books/series that I highly recommend. These are all books that I read in the year 2013, not necessarily just books published this year. Also, because I am not one to say well this was my absolute favorite and this was my least favorite, these books/series are in no particular order.
Nikki Glass series by Jenna Black (Dark Descendant, Deadly Descendant, and Rogue Descendant)
I stumbled across this series while browsing the shelves at B&N, and the idea drew me in. I am a complete sucker for mythology and this series has all the pantheons which I found to be awesome. You follow Nikki Glass, who is a rare descendant of Artemis, and is rather talented at tracking down people. What I find to be great is that when her abilities kick in, she doesn't really know how to use them or control them and three books in she is still working out the kinks. Also, can I just say Jamaal? Seriously, I love him, and am rather frustrated with him at the same time, something I can see that Nikki fluctuates with as well. I am very much looking forward to the next book.
The Half-Light City series by M.J. Scott (Shadow Kin, Blood Kin, and Iron Kin)
Another series discovered while browsing at B&N, this one has the Fae, and vampires more commonly called the Blood, and werewolves called the Beast-Kind, and humans. It has a really cool world and characters and political wars, and of course, romance. Each book focuses on a different couple, and they have plenty of issues to work through, and secrets that sometimes threaten to destroy them, and there is also a plot that winds through the entire series and builds with each book. When Fire Kin comes out in May 2014, I will be running to grab a copy.
Geekomancy by Michael R. Underwood (Also the sequel Celebromancy)
This is e-book only, but I just have one thing to say about why they are worth a read: Pure Geeky Fun. There are so many references to the many geek fandoms out there and it made me squeal with delight. This book honestly made an ability based on the strength of a communities belief in certain characters or abilities, etc. Ree Reyes, the main character is a Geekomancer, and she can watch something, like say Star Wars, and then she could actually channel the Force and use it in the real world. Amazing...and I would love to have that ability.
The Baskerville Affair trilogy by Emma Jane Holloway (A Study in Silks, A Study in Ashes, and A Study in Darkness)
All three of these books came out in 2013 and they are all hefty books (like around 500 pages each). It was an amazing sort of alternate version of Victorian London, complete with magic and steampunk and a new addition to the Sherlock Holmes family (did you know he had a sister, who then had a daughter?) No, well, you should really introduce yourself to Evelina Cooper, the niece of Sherlock Holmes. Also, Sherlock, Watson, Mycroft, and Moriarty all show up in these books as well, so it is definitely a must-read for fans of Sherlock.
The Souls of the Stones series by Kelly Walker (Cornerstone, Second Stone, and Broken Stone)
I have only listed the main novels of the trilogy but Kelly Walker has also written companion novellas and prequel novellas, including Severed Stone, and Jaded Stone. These are YA books, and I discovered Kelly Walker through using Critique Circle online. I was able to join her group of reviewers while she wrote and edited a couple of these stories and it makes reading them after publication just a bit more rewarding because I feel like I'm doing something to help fellow authors. Plus, the books are good YA fantasy with a dash of romance. They are also easy reads, and she does have the first book available for free in e-book.
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead (book four of the Bloodlines series)
I counted down the days until this book's release and then when I got my hands on a copy, I couldn't put it down. And now I'm wishing I had waited because it is going to be such a long wait until book 5 comes out around June. Richelle Mead knows how to amp up the tension and the romance and all the feelings in the world. I have been cheering on Sydney and Adrian (aka Sydrian) since the start of this spin-off series, and now I'm almost desperately waiting to see how they will deal with this latest roadblock, because it most certainly won't be easy. Vampires and witches and cult-like organizations and just all around awesomeness...check out this series and its predecessor, the Vampire Academy series.
The Hearts and Thrones novels by Amy Raby (Assassin's Gambit and Spy's Honor)
This is a fantasy novel that sort of feels like a version of the Roman Empire, but with magic. Guys, I seriously love fantasy novels, and I read a whole lot of fantasy romance novels. The first book deals with two characters with issues, one is an amputee and one has PTSD, and that is something you just don't really see in romance novels, which gives it a unique flavor. The second book is more of a prequel, but I still think they should be read in publication order since that introduces the world a bit better. I am eagerly awaiting the third book and hope that there will be many more in the future.
Spirit and Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer (Elemental series, #3 and #2.5)
I've already reviewed these stories, but let me just say that Spirit and Breathless only make me love these books even more. I am very impatiently awaiting the release of book #4 Secret because I need to know what happens next. This is another YA series and deals with people who can control the elements, focusing mostly on a family of four brothers. Just go out and read these, no matter if you are a teenager or an adult. They're so worth it.
Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)
I know there have been a lot of mixed reviews from fans of this dystopian trilogy, but I honestly think if it had ended any other way I would have been disappointed. Considering how the world was built with a dystopian society basically on the brink of war, this trilogy could not have ended without at least a few casualties, and I applaud Veronica Roth for sticking to her guns and doing what was right for the world she had created. Yes, I cried a lot at the end, but at the same time, I was glad that I had spent the time reading the books.
A Warlord's Lady by Nicola E. Sheridan
I absolutely adored her Magic series, which focused on genies, though there were a number of other creatures involved as well, and I had hoped that there would be more set in the same world, and Nicola Sheridan did not disappoint, because her latest also has the Magical Mafia who played a pretty major role in her other novels, but the focus shifts from genies to so many other creatures. You can tell that the author is a fan of mythology and that she takes the time to figure out how some of these beings would fit into the modern world and that research shows in a world that I can honestly believe exists. Plus, the male romantic leads are absolutely yummy.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Farewell 2013 and Hello 2014
Well, this is the end of 2013, and that really means that it is time to focus on 2014 and the goals I have for the upcoming year. But before I really get into my 2014 plans, I should take a moment to look back over the past year and be grateful for everything that has happened.
It was a big year for me. I self-published my first novel, Project Death: Resurrection. Overall I think I've sold about 50 copies since July 1st, which considering I am a new and self-published author, I'll take that as a pretty good number so far. This is especially true since most of what I've sold has been paperback. Oh, but the e-book is on sale for FREE right now at Smashwords. There you can download the e-book in any format, from NOOK and Kindle, to Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, even PDF. This is a great deal that won't last long. I will be moving the price back to $1.99 on Saturday, January 4th.
All things considered, it was also a big year on the reading front for me. I just finished reading book #128 a few minutes ago and I'm debating about whether or not I can squeeze another book or two in before the year is up. This year I discovered some new to me authors who will now be on my auto-buy list and I devoured some new and amazing books from some of my old favorites. I'll probably write up a post about some of my favorite books in 2013 later.
Finally (and very briefly), I don't really talk a lot about my personal life because I consider that to be personal, but everything in my life has improved since August when my best friend in the world asked me to be his girlfriend. He supports my dreams of being an author and was surprisingly okay when I almost completely ignored him through the month of November while working on my NaNovel for NaNoWriMo.
Now, for the 2014 goals. Souls Unknowing will be out in January and I'll have more information about that soon. I am also predicting that it will be June or July when Project Death: Revelation is released. There are a couple of my novels that I set aside a few years ago that have recently begun to beg for attention again, so I may go back and either finish them or re-write them or just edit them, depending on the novel. However, since those side-projects are also usually the start to another series, I most likely won't publish them until after I've finished work with the Souls trilogy and the Project Death series.
I'm thinking that since I have a bit more writing on the schedule for the year that I'm going to have to lighten up a bit on my reading goal. My original goal for 2013 was 100 but then I bumped it up to 120. So, right now, my goal for 2014 is 75. Depending on how the writing goes, that may be increased, so we'll just see what happens.
It was a big year for me. I self-published my first novel, Project Death: Resurrection. Overall I think I've sold about 50 copies since July 1st, which considering I am a new and self-published author, I'll take that as a pretty good number so far. This is especially true since most of what I've sold has been paperback. Oh, but the e-book is on sale for FREE right now at Smashwords. There you can download the e-book in any format, from NOOK and Kindle, to Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, even PDF. This is a great deal that won't last long. I will be moving the price back to $1.99 on Saturday, January 4th.
All things considered, it was also a big year on the reading front for me. I just finished reading book #128 a few minutes ago and I'm debating about whether or not I can squeeze another book or two in before the year is up. This year I discovered some new to me authors who will now be on my auto-buy list and I devoured some new and amazing books from some of my old favorites. I'll probably write up a post about some of my favorite books in 2013 later.
Finally (and very briefly), I don't really talk a lot about my personal life because I consider that to be personal, but everything in my life has improved since August when my best friend in the world asked me to be his girlfriend. He supports my dreams of being an author and was surprisingly okay when I almost completely ignored him through the month of November while working on my NaNovel for NaNoWriMo.
Now, for the 2014 goals. Souls Unknowing will be out in January and I'll have more information about that soon. I am also predicting that it will be June or July when Project Death: Revelation is released. There are a couple of my novels that I set aside a few years ago that have recently begun to beg for attention again, so I may go back and either finish them or re-write them or just edit them, depending on the novel. However, since those side-projects are also usually the start to another series, I most likely won't publish them until after I've finished work with the Souls trilogy and the Project Death series.
I'm thinking that since I have a bit more writing on the schedule for the year that I'm going to have to lighten up a bit on my reading goal. My original goal for 2013 was 100 but then I bumped it up to 120. So, right now, my goal for 2014 is 75. Depending on how the writing goes, that may be increased, so we'll just see what happens.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
My First Ever Book Signing
So, today is a pretty big day for me. I will participate in my first book signing ever of my published life. Have I gone to book signings to meet other authors and buy their books? Absolutely and I have a nice collection of autographed books because of it. But today I get to be one of those authors.
It is a huge step for me, especially considering that I started this journey with a pen name and some scribbled down story ideas, wanting to basically do nothing more than hide behind my computer. Truthfully I wanted to have some separation between my published life and my personal life, but now the more I look at that decision, the more I realize that it was fairly silly. Writing is my life and I love what I do. Yes, I have to hold another full time job to pay the bills because so far it isn't feasible to survive on about $100 every six months or so, but I still dream that someday I'll be able to make it to a part-time job only because writing will be getting me somewhere.
I'm still using my pen name. I love it and answer to it as easily as I do the name I was given at birth. I actually have friends who have gone to introduce me to someone they now and they say "This is Danielle." Trust me, that is perfectly fine with me. Of course, if you know me personally and want to use my birth name, then that's fine too. However, I am still going to try and maintain a slight veil of separation between my author persona and who I am the rest of the time. Right now I still don't feel like putting an author photo in my books, and if I do, you could almost guarantee that I will have my face partially obscured by a copy of my books or something similar. I don't like taking pictures of myself or having my picture taken. I think my smile looks awkward or entirely too goofy and an author photo is a professional thing and having a bad picture could reflect negatively on sales.
I think about these sorts of things all the time. Really, I do. And that might be why I'm a bit nervous for this book signing today. What happens if I get there and nobody wants to buy my book? I know of a few of my mom's friends who are coming there to see me, and the amusing thing is that they've all bought and read my book. The show of support for me and my dream is amazing and I am super grateful for it, but self-publishing (or any route of publication) is not easy and I can admit to still feeling like I've just taken a leap of faith and I'm waiting to see if I'll fly or fall. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation but I'm trying to hold on to my optimism about it all.
Why? Because the readers I have accumulated so far are absolutely amazing people. A few of them have brought me to tears with their words of how much they loved reading my book and how moved they were by the story. Hearing how desperately they want the next book is also extremely touching and motivating.
The doors for the signing open in three and a half hours. Whether this is successful or not, I at least know that I've taken another step forward and had another experience I couldn't have had if I hadn't published my book back in July. Basically, I'm just going to try and enjoy the roller coaster ride of being an author. It's been wild and amazing and difficult and exhilarating so far. Let's see what happens next.
It is a huge step for me, especially considering that I started this journey with a pen name and some scribbled down story ideas, wanting to basically do nothing more than hide behind my computer. Truthfully I wanted to have some separation between my published life and my personal life, but now the more I look at that decision, the more I realize that it was fairly silly. Writing is my life and I love what I do. Yes, I have to hold another full time job to pay the bills because so far it isn't feasible to survive on about $100 every six months or so, but I still dream that someday I'll be able to make it to a part-time job only because writing will be getting me somewhere.
I'm still using my pen name. I love it and answer to it as easily as I do the name I was given at birth. I actually have friends who have gone to introduce me to someone they now and they say "This is Danielle." Trust me, that is perfectly fine with me. Of course, if you know me personally and want to use my birth name, then that's fine too. However, I am still going to try and maintain a slight veil of separation between my author persona and who I am the rest of the time. Right now I still don't feel like putting an author photo in my books, and if I do, you could almost guarantee that I will have my face partially obscured by a copy of my books or something similar. I don't like taking pictures of myself or having my picture taken. I think my smile looks awkward or entirely too goofy and an author photo is a professional thing and having a bad picture could reflect negatively on sales.
I think about these sorts of things all the time. Really, I do. And that might be why I'm a bit nervous for this book signing today. What happens if I get there and nobody wants to buy my book? I know of a few of my mom's friends who are coming there to see me, and the amusing thing is that they've all bought and read my book. The show of support for me and my dream is amazing and I am super grateful for it, but self-publishing (or any route of publication) is not easy and I can admit to still feeling like I've just taken a leap of faith and I'm waiting to see if I'll fly or fall. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation but I'm trying to hold on to my optimism about it all.
Why? Because the readers I have accumulated so far are absolutely amazing people. A few of them have brought me to tears with their words of how much they loved reading my book and how moved they were by the story. Hearing how desperately they want the next book is also extremely touching and motivating.
The doors for the signing open in three and a half hours. Whether this is successful or not, I at least know that I've taken another step forward and had another experience I couldn't have had if I hadn't published my book back in July. Basically, I'm just going to try and enjoy the roller coaster ride of being an author. It's been wild and amazing and difficult and exhilarating so far. Let's see what happens next.
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