Link-a-Licious

Here are some links, some writing related, some not:

• Last day! Check out these writing e-books that are on sale for drastically reduced prices.
• Like Francesca Lia Block? Check out this site.
• Need a laugh? Try this erotica. I haven't actually read it though, since it's released for Kindle & I have a Nook. If you're interested in reading & reviewing this book, let me know! I would love to host a review for it on this blog.
• Stop naming your kids after Internet phenomena! They will not appreciate it when they are older.

Do you have a link you have felt a burning need to share? Share it with me in the comments; I love comments.

Precious Stones & Romance Sucks

Today, I am going to belatedly review the Young Adult novel Sapphire Blue, by Kerstin Gier. The novel was released last month, and is translated from German by Anthea Bell.

Sapphire Blue is the sequel to Ruby Red, as well as the second book in a trilogy. I received an ARE of the novel, and did not previously read the first novel.

Overall, I found this novel fairly enjoyable. The novel appears to leave off approximately where the first one leaves off. This in medias rei approach is nice, because the pace of the novel is quick and fun...

At least, for the most part. The "romance" story line was:

a. predictable, &

b. annoying.

The protagonist's waffling between "empowered female" and "why doesn't he care about meee" whining may be realistic, but here's a secret:

Teenage girls who are in love and unsure if those feelings are returned are boring.

At first, as a reader, you're listening to the whining and you're sympathetic. Poor, poor Gwyneth - the guy she likes seems kind of like a dick. Luckily, she realizes this, and can move on to find someone else.

Oh, wait. She's doing that thing where she lets him kiss her because she's still not over him? Well, that's realistic...

& now she's crushed b/c Douchey Love Interest isn't being nice to her again... Who didn't see that coming?

Oh - Gwyneth didn't see it coming? It's not like this behavior is out of the ordinary for him - What is she, mentally deficient?

OMG - she's still going on about this guy! And acting like she wants to die because of some guy she's only known for a few weeks? (Stephenie Meyer - I'm blaming you for this.)

Ok. She needs to shut up, or I'm going to burst my eardrums, on purpose, even though I'm reading this ridiculousness & that action would do me no good.

So, yeah, the romance story line really got on my nerves.

Other than that, though, I found the novel fairly enjoyable.

The time travel important to the story lines of this trilogy is very interesting, particularly because the writing of the time shifts is very well done.

I was able to follow along very well, but still recommend that you read Ruby Red before delving into this story. I got a good feeling for all of the characters, but felt that it would have been a little bit more fun to be revisiting them in Sapphire Blue rather than meeting them for the first time. Also, while I caught on to most of the time travel lingo going on, it probably would have been easier had I read the first novel.

I will say, despite the annoying romance stuff, that I will probably read the next novel (Emerald Green) in the trilogy to find out how the series ends!

Have you been reading this trilogy/novel? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Interesting Description

This Nook Book is free of charge & got good reviews, so I will download & read it. I just find the description something I want to share -- "...eyes as clean as Jesus..."

Yes. Yes, I want to read this. Don't you?

The Small Ones, The Bad Ones & The Predictable Ones

The adjectival title is referring to secrets, the subject of Kate Morton's latest novel, The Secret Keeper.

THIS novel

This novel was the first that I have read by Kate Morton, but was fairly well done, and makes me interested in reading another by her. As you might have guessed, the novel revolves around personal and family secrets, with a juicy murder at the heart of a daughter's investigation into her ailing elderly mother's past.

Is your interest piqued?

Okay, I admit that most descriptions of this novel are going to sound like a trashy TV show that has jumped the shark, but Morton's writing saves what could be an overwrought, plot-crazy novel into something interesting and sweet.

Morton writes characters who are fleshed out and believable, and whom you want to continue reading about, even though you don't like everything about them. Really, there is only one character who is truly despicable in the novel, though a few of the characters do horrible things - and that is one of the possible flaws. The villain is the only character who is not fully fleshed out. Somehow, this lack of detail for that one character worked for me, as a reader. He became a shadowy kind of bogeyman, creeping me out and causing some part of me to want to pull my covers over my head. I do think, though, that this lack of detail for that one character might bother some readers.

Mm... covers

There was one thing that kind of bothered me about this book. There's a "twist" at the end, but I saw it coming at least 2/3 or my way into the reading (possibly earlier, it's taken me awhile to get around to writing this review, and my memory regarding this is fuzzy - but definitely earlier than I was intended to perceive it). I am also, to put it nicely, no Sherlock Holmes. I'm not even an Hercule Poirot, sitting around being nice to the ladies while twirling & admiring my excessively large mustache. So if I can see a twist coming, it's probably pretty obvious to most people - with the exception, perhaps, of the individuals who do not read very often.

Despite having foreseen what was supposed to be a shocking revelation, I continued to enjoy reading this novel. Not in the compulsive, "OMG, this is so horrible, but I have to keep reading it" way that has occurred in the past, either; I was simply enjoying the writing. And while I knew where the writer was going, I was not entirely sure how she was going to get there.

Thus, The Secret Keeper is a pretty good novel that I highly recommend. While I received a free copy for review, I would not have been disappointed to have paid money for it (and might just do that, with the holiday season right around the corner (I'm ignoring the stores that already have Christmas displays up b/c it is TOO EARLY to begin the madness)).

Creepy Craigslist: Romance Denied

Let me explain something... even if she remembers you, she associates you with the scent of urine-soaked excrement.

Romance denied.