#ROW80 Check-in 11/5/17

It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to update. My mom is still recovering from her surgery and things have been nuts. I’m just exhausted.

In cheerier news, it looks like my new medication has finally kicked in. My TN pain is definitely better, though not 100% but I’ll take it!

Here’s the rundown:

~Finish rewrite of Fireborn, revise it, edit it, and submit it for Dec. 1st deadline. ~Currently rewriting the ending. I hope to be done with it in the next few days.
~Transfer Survivor outline to notecards, for reals this time ~Started, but my hand started complaining so I had to stop. May try to do more today.
~Participate in NanoWriMo with an amended goal of 30k (Survivor) ~ I’m not sure if I can now, between helping my mom and Fireborn. I may do a late start possibly. We’ll see.
~Begin edit of Secret Project ~Have not started.
~Decide on next project and start working on that (Covenant and When She Sleeps are the top contenders) ~Currently, it’s When She Sleeps, and I recently wrote 300 words of a new scene. I also figured out how to end the current scene which has been giving me fits.
~Finish In Flames cover or hire someone to do it  ~A writer friend generously offered to make me a cover. Cover reveal soon!

Non-writing stuffs:

~Water 5x a week 
~Read 1 book a week ~Finished reading Blood War by KJ Colt, Death Plague (also by KJ Colt, in the Dominion Rising boxed set), and Queen Takes Knights(ARC). Started reading Deviation by Heather Hildenbrand. 
~Chocolate consumption reports, of course! I don’t think I’ve had any chocolate lately. Must fix this immediately!

#ROW80 Check-in 6/4/14 – No words, just reading

I’ve been rereading Grave Touched. I’m up to page 31. I haven’t written anything, although the urge has been there. I’ve been kind of busy, and my eye’s been hurting for the past few days. This has been sort of like a mini-break. But I want to start writing again!

My cat shifters have been gnawing on my brain. So I might do something with Awaken Me sometime soon.

I’ve also been reading a lot — actual books by other authors. Currently I’m reading Pure by Jennifer Armentrout and Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews. Both are very, very good. (Typically, I read two books at the same time. It’s more fun that way. Plus, how else would I get through my ever-growing TBR pile?)

Let’s see…haven’t been having a lot of chocolate! Must remedy that ASAP.

No stats, as they’re pretty much the same as before.

Sooooo exciting, I know!

Author Spotlight: Tara Maya

Tara Maya is the author of The Unfinished Song (Book 1) : Initiate.  Here’s the blurb:

DEADLY INITIATION

A DETERMINED GIRL…

Dindi can’t do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi’s clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.

AN EXILED WARRIOR…

Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn’t commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don’t kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father’s wars and his mother’s curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her… assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.

Excerpt:

Blue-skinned rusalki grappled Dindi under the churning surface of the river. She could feel their claws dig into her arms. Their riverweed-like hair entangled her legs when she tried to kick back to the surface. She only managed to gulp a few breaths of air before they pulled her under again.

She hadn’t appreciated how fast and deep the river was. On her second gasp for air, she saw that the current was already dragging her out of sight of the screaming girls on the bank. A whirlpool of froth and fae roiled between two large rocks in the middle of the river. The rusalka and her sisters tugged Dindi toward it. Other water fae joined the rusalki. Long snouted pookas, turtle-like kappas and hairy-armed gwyllions all swam around her, leading her to the whirlpool, where even more fae swirled in the whitewater.

“Join our circle, Dindi!” the fae voices gurgled under the water. “Dance with us forever!”

“No!” She kicked and swam and stole another gasp for air before they snagged her again. There were so many of them now, all pulling her down, all singing to the tune of the rushing river. She tried to shout, “Dispel!” but swallowed water instead. Her head hit a rock, disorienting her. She sank, this time sure she wouldn’t be coming up again.

“Dispel!” It was a man’s voice.

Strong arms encircled her and lifted her until her arms and head broke the surface. Her rescuer swam with her toward the shore. He overpowered the current, he shrugged aside the hands of the water faeries stroking his hair and arms. When he reached the shallows, he scooped Dindi into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the grassy bank. He set her down gently.

She coughed out some water while he supported her back.

“Better?” he asked.

She nodded. He was young–only a few years older than she. The aura of confidence and competence he radiated made him seem older. Without knowing quite why, she was certain he was a Tavaedi.

“Good.” He had a gorgeous smile. A wisp of his dark bangs dangled over one eye. He brushed his dripping hair back over his head.

Dindi’s hand touched skin–he was not wearing any shirt. Both of them were sopping wet. On him, that meant trickles of water coursed over a bedrock of muscle. As for her, the thin white wrap clung transparently to her body like a wet leaf. She blushed.

“It might have been easier to swim if you had let go of that,” he teased. He touched her hand, which was closed around something. “What were you holding onto so tightly that it mattered more than drowning?”

Buy links:

Amazon http://amzn.to/15ciwYc
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/13yM5Dr
Kobo http://bit.ly/1aFhg1P
iTunes http://bit.ly/1baddhN
Smashwords http://bit.ly/17zK8Xn

Initiate is free everywhere except on Barnes and Noble (where it’s $0.99). You can download a free .epub version via Smashwords.

Author links:

Tara’s blog http://bit.ly/12dFdNy
Tara’s Twitter http://bit.ly/162sCtE
The Unfinished Song on Facebook http://on.fb.me/1400mMq

I’ve already grabbed my copy; this book sounds amazing.

WWW Wednesday

It’s WWW Wednesday time again!

1) What books (s) have you recently finished reading?

Remnant by Kate Hansen – I liked this one a lot.  Very different take on the post-apocalypse.  My only issue is that while things were somewhat resolved, there was never an explanation as to why things happened.  Got a sequel in the works, Ms. Hansen?
Blaze of Secrets by Jessie Donovan – Another book for review.  Great book, thrilling, interesting and really unique.  I love the idea of elementals and an institution keeping humans safe from them.
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn – I warmed up slowly to this one.  It seemed like it would be kinda boring, but things heated up and it really got good.  A worthy sequel methinks.

 

2) What book (s) are you reading right now?

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione – This series has been on my radar for a long time, and I finally sat down with this book.  ZOMG I think I have another favorite series.  The series is about demons and a demon hospital, zomg, and the writing is out of this world.  There’s a lot of hot sex, hotter guys (demons), and and and — don’t take my word for it.  Check them out.
Gates of Rapture by Caris Roane – I’ve been following her Ascension series since the beginning and have loved each book.  So far, this book is amazing.

3. What book (s) will you be reading in the near future?

Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn – Naturally!
Sever by Lauren DeStefano – I swear I’m gonna read this one soon, although  I have mixed feelings as this book ends the trilogy.
Phoenix Overture by Jodi Meadows – Can’t. Wait. To. Read. This.

What are you reading and enjoying right now?

WWW Wednesday

Okay, here is this week’s edition of WWW Wednesday!

1) What books are you reading right now?

Remnant by Kate Genet – This one is really interesting.  It’s about a girl who wakes up to find everyone gone.  I’m about halfway in, and so far I’m intrigued.

Wide Awake and Dreaming by Julie Flygare – This a memoir written by a woman with narcolepsy.  I was almost diagnosed with it myself, so I’ve always been fascinated by it and dream/wake states.  It is a great book so far.

2) What books have you finished recently?

Oaths of Blood by SM Reine – #2 in her awesome Ascension series, about a possessed werewolf.  Very, very cool and very unique! And utterly un-putdownable.

The Forever Contract by Avery Sawyer – This one was too short!  It’s about these people who sign this Forever Contract and upload their consciousness to a virtual reality system.  Their bodies are kept alive but are in a coma-like state…and there’s some nefarious stuff going on.  Just when it was getting good, it ended!  But great up till that point.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil – I liked this one, but this was another one of those fallen angel good vs. bad situations, and I think it’s been a bit overdone.  BUT it was somewhat unique, so I can forgive a bit of cliché.  I might pick up the next book (if there’s a next book…not sure if it was a standalone or the first book in a series).

The Living and the Dead by Todd Travis – Short stories featuring the living and the dead!  Very well-written.  I actually enjoyed the short novel at the end a bit more, though.  Maybe because there was much more to it.

Bullets, Teeth, and Fists by Jason Beech – I just finished this one, and it is for review.  Short stories.  Very well-written.

3. What books will you be reading soon?

Blaze of Secrets by Jessie Donovan – This is also for review, and the premise intrigued me.

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock – Been wanting to get my hot little hands on this forever.  And now I have it!

So, it’s your turn!  What are you reading and enjoying (or not) right now?

WWW Wednesday

Okay, it’s that time again!

1. What book (s) are you reading right now?

Lethal Inheritance by Tahlia Newland – This is one for review, and I’m really enjoying it.  It’s fantasy and has an interesting world and an intriguing heroine and did I mention I’m enjoying it?

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn – Next book in her Kitty Norville series.  Not too far into this one yet, but I’m enjoying it so far.

What book (s) did you recently finish reading?

Wake by Amanda Hocking – I forgot to mention this one a few weeks ago.  It was amazing, about these girls who are actually sirens who pull the MC into their inner circle.  Really, really good.  I think I read it in a day or two.

Magic Without Mercy and Magic for a Price by Devon Monk – ZOMG, these books were utterly amazing.  They were the perfect end to the series.  There were no deux ex machina endings, no cop-outs, no perfect happily-ever-afters.  It was true to the story and the characters.  I really love Allie Beckstrom as a heroine — she really shined in both books.  I’m sad to see it end, but am anxiously awaiting the spin off series in November.

Lilith by Victoria Limbert – Another book for review that I really liked.  The premise was cool: a human woman is sharing her body and mind with a demon.  That’s not something I run across very often and it was well-written and very intense and un-put-downable.

3. What book (s) will you be reading next?

A few.  ~winks~

Sever by Lauren DeStefano – the conclusion to her Chemical Garden Trilogy.  I’m a bit apprehensive to see how she ends it, and I’m afraid it’s gonna be sad. 

Dawnbreaker by Jocelynn Drake – book 3 in her Dark Days series.  Looking forward to this one.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil – I’ve been intrigued by this book since I read a synopsis on it quite some time ago. 

I think that does it for this week’s edition.  Got any books you’re reading now?  Any that you’ve finished that wowed you?  Let me know in comments.

WWW Wednesday

So this is this week’s edition of WWW Wednesday.  For those not in the know, it’s a meme where you answer 3 very important questions on books and reading.

So let’s get this shindig started, shall we?

 

1) What book (s) are you reading right now?

I read multiple books at once, so this is always a multi-answer. 

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn – I’ve been meaning to read these books like forever.  I was able to get most of the series when our Borders closed.  I’m fascinated by a werewolf radio show host, and the pack structure is interesting, too.  I like Kitty.  She’s fun to spend time with. (And yes, I am acting like she’s a real person.  Isn’t she?!)

Magic Without Mercy by Devon Monk – Okay, guys, this series is AMAZING.  I’ve been dying to dive into this one after reading Magic on the Line and I’m already twitchy and I’m only about 20% in.  I love the dark, magical world that Monk created and I will be sad once it’s over.  Sad face.

2) What book (s) have you finished recently?

With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent – I loved this book and the ending of the series.  What I didn’t love was how the entire thing hinged on a very careful deception.  It was brilliant, sure, but I would have liked the characters to win the day based on something a bit less easy.

Failure by John Everson – Another book for review.  It’s a novella, and it’s a gorefest, which is totally cool with me.  It was interesting and out there, but well written and well, bloody.

3) What books will you be reading soon?

Too many to count!  But here are a few:

Lay Saints by Adam Connell- Another book for review (do you see a pattern forming?  I’m enjoying reviewing books).  This one features telepathy which perked my ears up.

Magic for a Price by Devon Monk – Last book in her Allie Beckstrom series.  Sniffles.  But she does have a spin-off series happening, so that makes my heart hurt a bit less.

There’s more, but I’ll go with just the two for now. 

What are you reading and enjoying right now?  Talk to me!

WWW Wednesday, the Feeling Better Edition

it’s time for this week’s edition of WWW Wednesday.  Since I’ve been sicky these past few weeks, I’m celebrating the fact that I feel much better.

So, onward!

What book (s) are you reading right now?

That’s a trick question, right?  No?  Okay, fine.  I’m reading 3 books currently.

1) From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris.  My dear sweet hubby made it his life goal to get me the entire series and currently I have all but the very last one.  I’m slowing working my way through them.  I like these books because they’re fluffy and fun and not too dark or deep.  Sometimes I need that (she says with the shifty eyeballs).

2) Super Nobody by Brent Meske – In the interest of full disclosure, I’m reading this one for review, and so far, it’s really neat.  A YA novel about superheroes, and the MC is a lot of fun to read.  I’m about halfway through, and I’ve already agreed to review book 2.

3) Jessie’s Song by Eleni Papanou – I’m also reading this one for review.  This one’s very intriguing because it’s told by a jazz musician – a guy — who tried to commit suicide, and I’m not very far into it, but it’s keeping me interested.  So that’s good, right? 

What book (s) did you recently finish?

1) Sacrificed in Shadow by SM Reine – Book 1 of her Ascension series, which is a crossover between her Seasons of the Moon/Cain Chronicles and her Descent series.  Holy Mother of God, this book is fucking amazing.  And for those of us who have read every single book she’s ever published (and then some), you will love the connections in this.  It’s just…I’ve run out of words.  Go forth and buy it. (I don’t think you actually need to read the other series, but you’ll probably be more amazed and astounded if you did.  Ahem.

2) All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris – So picked because I was going on vacation and wanted something light to tear through (that might be a bit of an oxymoron, but whatever).  I enjoyed it.  And the excerpt of From Dead to Worse caused me to abandon all plans of reading other books and dive into that one (I don’t, as a rule, read a series straight through.  I’m funny like that).

What book (s) will you be reading soon?

1) With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent – Yep, that’s the one that got bumped.  Soon, my precious, soon.

And I am drawing a blank and zomg this is evidence that the universe is collapsing on itself and — yeah, um, I had some lined up, but I can’t for the life of me remember what they are.  Oops?  It’ll come to me.  Stay tuned.

And also, I’m a bit miffed that the Royal Baby was deemed more important than General Hospital yesterday.  I’ve been following it myself, and I’ve been intrigued by Royal-anything, but please.  We are not British!  But whatever.  I shall live.  I think.  But they do make a lovely family, don’t they?  Love those accents.

WWW Wednesday

So here we are with another edition of WWW Wednesday, the meme where you ask three questions:

What book(s) are you reading right now?
What book (s) have you just finished reading?
What book (s) will you be reading soon?

Let’s begin, shall we?

What book (s) are you reading right now?

1) Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake. This is book 2 in her Dark Days series. I’m not too far into it, but it’s good so far. It reminds me a bit of early Anita Blake, and that’s a good thing, as I loved LKH’s first eight Anita Blake books. It’s what she did with the rest of them that sucks (and not just the ardeur, either. The whole series went off the rails. But I digress).

2) Asunder by Jodi Meadows. I’ve been following this trilogy since the beginning and after an amazing 1st book (Incarnate), I was dying to read Asunder. These books need to be read slowly to soak up the nuances, and to try to figure out the mystery. I’m about halfway in, and I’m already stunned.

What books (s) have you just finished reading?

1) Archangel’s Storm by Nalini Singh. This one took a bit of getting into, but once the mystery revealed itself, I was so hooked. As with any Nalini Singh book, I devoured it. It was amazing.

2) Soul Hostage by Jeffrey Littorno, which I’ll be reviewing soon. The synopsis sounded intriguing, and while the beginning didn’t exactly move me (it wasn’t what I expected, but that’s not a bad thing), I got so caught up in it that I spent my entire day at work alone reading (but shh, don’t tell my bosses!). And the twist at the end? I had a seedling of an idea, but I couldn’t have guessed the full meaning or the implications. Great book. And, I must ask, where the hell is the sequel?!

What book (s) will you be reading soon?

Tough choice, as I have so damn many!

I think I’ve narrowed it down to two:

1) With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent. Final book in her Soul Screamers series, a book I’ve been dying to read. I finally bought it and can’t wait to see how she ends this amazing series.

2) Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost. I am really enjoying her Night Huntress series, and have been meaning to read this one for a long time.

So that’s it for this week’s edition of WWW Wednesday. What are you reading right now? Share it with us in comments (and don’t be shy!).

WWW Wednesday

This is a meme I found in my web travels, and thought it would be fun to try.

It consists of three questions:

What book (s) are you reading right now?
What book (s) have you recently finished?
What book (s) might you read next?

Here are my answers.

What book (s) are you reading right now?

Well, I’m glad you asked! I’m currently reading 2 books at the moment. The first one, The Drowning World by Brenda Peterson, is really neat. It is about these merpeople in an undersea world trying to save their world from the Skyeworld’s pollution (that’s us). It features a human/mermaid hybrid who can shift into either form at will, and what looks to be a developing romance. I’m only about halfway through it. It’s totally fascinating and unique. I bought it on a whim one day. The Drowning World on Amazon

The second one is Drawn by James Hankins. This book is about four people who are going through some odd stuff. One of them is a painter who is painting pictures of this little boy that she has no recollection of ever painting (reminds me a bit of Night Echoes by Holly Lisle). One of the people is blind and agoraphobic and is basically driven out of his home by an unseen menace. There are two others. I suspect they will end up converging at the end. Very cool and a bit creepy so far!
Drawn on Amazon

What book (s) have you recently finished?

There are a few:

Her Ladyship’s Curse by Lynn Viehl. I won an ARC of this which made me the first person (outside of Viehl herself and her publishing team) to read this book. I have to admit, I haven’t read a lot of steampunk or Victorian stuff, so this was a new experience for me. It’s about this woman living in an alternate-history America called Toriana, which is basically the U.S. if it had been ruled by England. Kit, the MC, is in the business of basically debunking ghost hauntings and magic curses (she does not believe in magic) and gets caught up in one of her cases. The book is in two parts, and I’m waiting for the second one as I type this. I really, really loved it. Kit is just so much fun and the plot and worldbuilding kept me riveted. Her Ladyship’s Curse on Amazon

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. When I first heard about this, I pretty much freaked out — but a good kind of freaking out. It’s the latest in her amazing Psy/Changeling series and well…let’s just say that it’s a dark story and a beautiful romance. She took a man who had been a bad guy and redeemed him. We also discovered the identity of “The Ghost,” who to date has been a mystery. It’s also interesting because this was a Psy/Psy romance, a first for this series. Big things happen, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Heart of Obsidian on Amazon

Playing Games by Jessica Clare/Jill Myles. Let me preface this by saying I am not a big fan of contemporary romance. However, her Wicked Games hooked me and I had to read the sequel! It was amazing. The romance was awesome and the action kept my attention, which, for a contemporary romance, is really hard to do! I wonder if she has any more of these great books planned for the future? Playing Games on Amazon

What book (s) might you be reading next?

~arches brow~

Is this a trick question? There’s just so many. Must I choose only one or two? No? Well, fine.

Archangel’s Storm by Nalini Singh. I’ve been floored by her Guild Hunter series since the beginning, and have been looking forward to Jason’s story for a long time. (If I can keep from getting distracted by other books!). Archangel’s Storm on Amazon

Asunder by Jodi Meadows. Jodi Meadows stunned me with her debut Incarnate. I have been patiently waiting for Asunder. Her idea of reincarnation and one person not being reincarnated is fascinating. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us. Asunder on Amazon

Have you read any of these books? What are you reading right now? What book (s) have astounded you? Let me know in comments.