Morgan's Musings
Just my rambling, plus whatever book I've recently read!
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance Blurb: All she wanted was to disappear… Claire Martin is an empath. She’s lived her entire life as a slave to a constant barrage of emotions that weren't hers. Off to college, she hopes simply to blend with the crowd where she can best hide her curse. Within her first few weeks at school Claire meets Stephen Andrews, a small, fragile looking boy who changes her life forever. Stephen, a boy with a secret of his own, instantly recognizes Claire for what she is. It is through Stephen's aid that Claire meets James, a vampire with a talent of his own. As soon as they touch, their abilities connect in a way that has not occurred in over three hundred years forming a bond that cannot be broken. My Thoughts: EMPATH is the first book in The Empath Trilogy and we are introduced to Claire, an empath who shies away from touch - any touch, even that of her family. She is cutting the apron strings though, and heading off to college, where she hopes her gift will be kept under control simply by the fact of not knowing anyone there. This was the first in a series so I didn't expect to have all the answers by the time it finished. However, a few more would have been nice. Claire in thrust into the paranormal world with nary the blink of an eye. She finds out about different types of people, most having gifts of their own, and also meets someone she wants to call her own. The relationship between Claire and James moved in fits and starts for me. It was very quick in places (post-nightclub) and then slow in others. I did like that she didn't automatically put herself in danger and wait for James to rescue her. I would have liked more of a relationship between her and other characters though - Henry, Stephen, Heidi, to name a few. We end with a HFN and a lead into the next book. This was a long book that allowed me to become immersed in the story. I enjoyed it and look forward to continuing the trilogy. HK lives in the frozen hinterlands of the far North. The long, cold months provide ample opportunity to hunker down with her computer and create adventures far more enticing than scraping ice and getting frostbite.
Between books HK reads voraciously. Anything with a good plot and compelling characters are her broad parameters. One is as likely to catch her with a copy of Don Quixote as with the latest Kristen Ashley. When not writing or wowing the corporate world by day, HK practices martial arts, plays with her dogs and matches wits with her teen. Next winter she intends to brush up on her Spanish and escape the cold for somewhere more tropical.
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Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult Blurb: Addison Sanders thought her life was already as complicated as it could possibly get. Akori - Ancient people with time shifting abilities living in secret among the humans. Sanders Family - Humans sworn to protect and hide the Akori. What could be worse than getting stuck with a destiny like that? Tanner Sutherland is about to show her. When a death in the Sanders Family leaves their power and secrets up for grabs, centuries old rumors begin surfacing. Far more sinister reasons for her family's involvement with the Akori than Addy ever could've imagined come to light. She learns the hard way that placing her trust in anyone could lead to disaster. Betrayed by old friends and leery of new ones--she's left to cut through the lies and deception to get to the truth. Find out why sometimes its better not knowing, and how much misery really does love company in Dissever - Book One of the Unbinding Fate Series. My Thoughts: Dissever is the first book in the Unbinding Fate series and hold onto your hats because you're in for a bumpy ride. Addy has been trained to be the next Overseer of the Akori by working in a library with her grandfather for years. What does the Overseer do? Well, apart from move a magical castle to various locations, I'm not entirely sure. But anyway, she's also female, which throws a spanner into the works as the Overseer has always been male... so, what to do? Nothing, because her grandfather has told her it will be okay. Gage is an old friend who suddenly stopped being a friend, but now wants to be again. Tanner is a new friend with lots in common with Addy... maybe/possibly. These three carry the story as changes occur and new people arrive on the scene that Addy has no clue about. I did enjoy this story but I found it to be convoluted and full of twists and turns. I have no idea who the prologue involved, even by the time I finished the book. I know it is a series but surely some questions can be answered in the first book? My favourite characters were Gage and Tanner because they said what they meant, and they stood by it. Addy changed her mind and opinions way too often for me. There were other characters that stood out, and others I wanted to crush, so if engaging with characters is your thing, you will probably enjoy this book! On the whole, I enjoyed it. I finished it, which is always a good thing, but whether or not I carry on with the series, I haven't yet decided. Colee Firman has always been a closet writer. As an only child, there were constantly stories swimming around in her head. In 2012, she finally started unleashing them on the world, beginning with The Unbinding Fate Series.
As a Michigan native, she never passes up a chance to escape the winter weather. When she’s not working at her day job or writing, she’s traveling with her longtime boyfriend, reading with her cat, or binging on Netflix. Genres: Paranormal, Romance Blurb: "My lifetime wish was to become extraordinary..." When shy Cassandra Stone meets gorgeous Alexander Grayson, he captivates her heart. He is handsome, charming, sweet, and mysterious - and completely out of her league! But strange events pull Cassie and her puppy, Astra, deep into the magical life of Alex and his family. As Cassie and Alex fall in love, Cassie learns she and Astra are vital to the Graysons' world and she must fit her life around her new role as Star Kin. "...but extraordinary lives come at a price." Then the Graysons' cruel enemies threaten to claim Cassie and Astra. Alex and his friends must protect them, but facing this threat may destroy Cassie and Alex's blossoming romance. Sacrifice is key when defending the first human Star Kin. Will their love be enough to keep the star-crossed pair together? Can Cassie learn how to protect Astra and help her new friends when she is only a fragile human? And who can Cassie turn to when her secret life as a Star Kin is falling apart? My Thoughts: THE CELESTIAL KIN is the first book in The Heart Stone Trilogy, and I read it in one sitting. I was completely engrossed in Cassie's story, and now I can't wait to find out more. Cassie hasn't had the easiest childhood, with her dad dying and intense bullying at a previous school, but things are good now. They get even better when Alex and his family shows up in town. Things don't always go their way though, and Cassie will have to draw on reserves she didn't even know she had. I did find this Twilight-esque with a twist in places, but I didn't find that a detraction from the story that Evie Asterwyn has made her own. I love the idea of shape-shifting stars! I'm hoping in the next book I will learn more about the Star Kin and Clans, but there was more than enough information here to keep me informed of what was going on. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and have no hesitation in recommending it. Also, when is book two available?! I am a 34 year old writer from New Zealand. I write Young Adult fantasy fiction, and am working on my series entitled "The Star Kin Chronicles". I have been writing since 2011, with a small hiatus while I attended Massey University during 2013 - 2016, to obtain my Dip, Arts. My favorite genres to read are suspense/thrillers (i.e. Dean Koontz), mysteries (i.e. Agatha Christie), humor (i.e. Janet Evanovich - definitely read her work, its fabulous!) fantasy (i.e. Anne McCaffery), and I am always on the lookout for new authors to enjoy.
I had previously self-published my first novel -Extraordinary Part 1. It was part of a 2 part book - the first in the Star Kin Chronicles. I have learned lots about writing, editing, and preparing to market e-books, and have, in the process, decided to re-write and re-publish this book as a trilogy. Watch this space, as I will be re-releasing the first book of the trilogy this year, and will be organising updates to my Facebook Author Page and a brand new website. I can also be found on Twitter. Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Perdita Rivers has spent her entire sheltered life being told what to do. Lately, she’s felt ready for a change, and the universe seems to agree. Her new best friend’s brother is the boy of Perdita’s dreams. Literally. Even though he plays hot and cold, she’s sure there’s more to it, but she’s kind of distracted by the sense she’s being followed - not to mention the rumours of wild animal sightings that seem to mean more to her new crush’s family than they should. Perdy’s on a mission to find the truth, but maybe the truth is the danger she should hide from, after all. My Thoughts: VERITY is the first book in the Cursed series and we start off with invisible Perdy, a sixteen-year-old on the fringes of her school, stuck in the middle of a strict father and a live-and-let-live grandmother. Perdita's life is about to change and she wants to know why. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this new series! The emotions - the extreme highs and lows of being a teenager - were perfectly written and explained... for the most part. I'm sure some of it was to tease you into the next book, which worked for me because that's what I've just gone and bought. In fact, I bought the box set just to make sure I didn't miss out. If you are looking for a paranormal young adult book to sink your teeth into, then I can definitely recommend this one. With hormones, wolves, curses, it's got everything you could think of! Claire is an Irish author who spends her days separating warring toddlers.
When all five children are in bed, she overdoses on caffeine in the hope she can stay awake long enough to write some more dark flash fiction, y/a paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal Blurb: “Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.” When Bronwen Snow is pulled from her cottage in the middle of the night, she finds herself seeking the help of three mysterious boys who reside in an abandoned castle deep in the hillside. With only a hasty handwritten note and a vague sense of dread to guide her, Bronwen is forced to put her trust in the eccentric and willful Felix Cavara and his eternal curse – immortality. My Thoughts: Evanescent is a sweet story about a young girl who follows her grandmother's visions and ends up having the adventure of her life. In it, she meets Witch Hunters and Immortals, and even falls in love. Felix is our main male, although he is supported admirably by Alistair and Loki. This trio of friends have been together since they were cursed by witch who was either incredibly bad-tempered or who had had enough of being taunted, presumably by the boys' fathers too. Anyway, these three try to help Bronwen survive being hunted but uncover a web of lies and hidden truths along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is young and engaging with Felix leading the front with his witticisms. To be honest, I didn't feel much between Felix and Bronwen until the end but then it was a punch to the stomach. The ending was bittersweet and I loved every moment of it. A brilliant story that I have no hesitation in recommending! Gabriella Lepore lives on the coast of Wales in the United Kingdom. She began writing at an early age and grew up with a passion for all things supernatural.
#BookoftheMonth - Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1) by P.T. Michelle28/1/2019 Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate...until she dreams a future she can't ignore. After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate. Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past. Brightest Kind of Darkness is an intriguing tale of dreams and abilities. Nara has used her prophetic dreams to make her days a bit easier. When she sees something that has a major impact upon her life, and those of her friends, she decides to act upon it. What followed reminded me of a film about a group of kids cheating death, but for the life of me, I can't remember the title. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The characters draw you in and involve you in their lives. You are definitely left wanting more when you reach the ending of this book. Ethan was definitely my favourite of the characters, as I am sure he is for the majority of readers! A sweet paranormal romance that is that bit different. I thoroughly enjoyed every word, and have no hesitation in recommending it. P.T. Michelle is the NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and International Bestselling author of the Contemporary romance series IN THE SHADOWS, the YA/New Adult crossover series BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS, and the romance series: BAD IN BOOTS, KENDRIAN VAMPIRES and SCIONS (listed under Patrice Michelle). She keeps a spiral notepad with her at all times, even on her nightstand. When P.T. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.
To keep up with information on the next P.T. Michelle release, be sure to sign up for P.T.’s NEWSLETTER. It’ll come straight to your inbox. #BookoftheMonth - The Trouble with Spells (Of Witches and Warlocks #1) by Lacey Weatherford26/2/2018 The Trouble with Spells is the first book in the Of Witches and Warlocks series, and we start with a prologue of two years ago, when Vance first set eyes on Portia. He finds out she is the daughter he has been warned to stay away from, and so he does. Skip forward two years, and Portia is near her 16th birthday. On her birthday, she gets more than she bargained for, and finds out she is from a long line of witches and warlocks. Not only that, but she already has an amazing amount of control over her powers. Throw in a soul mate, a big bad, and you're on the way. Now, this story has an amazing amount of Insta-Love, which I usually don't like too much. I prefer the slow burners. However, it seems to work in this story. Perhaps because Portia deals amazingly well with what is thrown at her. I was worried she would be a whiny character, but she isn't. Her and Vance do make an exceedingly cute couple. I thought this story was well written, and a delight to read. If you like insta-love, and young-adult paranormal, then I would definitely recommend this one. Plus you can get book 2 free if you sign up for her newsletter! Universal Link Lacey Weatherford was born in Ft. Meade Maryland while her father was serving in the military. She has been a life long resident of Arizona, spending most of her time growing up in the small rural town of Clay Springs. It was while she was attending the small country school in Clay Springs, that she read her first "big" book at the age of eight. It was a Nancy Drew novel and Lacey was instantly hooked. She read every book that she could find in the series and decided that she wanted to write stories too. Lacey spent a lot of time at the library from that time forward, even volunteering in her later teen years and early twenties. She would don a crazy clown outfit for the Friends of the Library fundraisers in an effort to help get the new town library built. When she and her husband moved away from the area, Lacey took the opportunity to take some creative writing classes at the local college to help further along her interests. Several years later, they were blessed with the opportunity to move back to Clay Springs with their family. The town had finally succeeded in building their library and Lacey had the opportunity to be President of the Friends of the Library for a very short time, before relocating. Lacey and her family still live in the White Mountains of Arizona, where she continues to write young adult novels that have a fantasy/fairytale or paranormal bent to them, as well as being sure to include a great romantic storyline! Amazon | Goodreads Personal Can you tell us a little about yourself? I'm a Yorkshire lass, living in Australia with my three boys, two of which are teenager who test my patience with their mood swings. I've always loved to read; crime thrillers and paranormal being my favourite genre's, although I will give anything a go. What do you do when you’re not writing? When I'm not writing you can find me running around, cleaning up after the three smelly boys mentioned above. If by some miracle I have spare time you may find me in front of the TV, binge watching some addicting show, or I hiding in the barn with a good book. Do you have a day job as well? I'm currently writing full time. What was your favourite book as a child? I used to buy a new Goosebumps book every week. I can't really pick a favourite but I'll say R L Stine was my favourite author. Followed closely by Enid Blyton When was that point in your life that you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality? It wasn't until I plucked up the courage to hit publish. Even now, it doesn't feel real. When someone asks what do you do for work? And I tell them I write books I have a few seconds were I actually remind myself that that's what I do. What book do you wish you had written? I think we all secretly wish we could write a 'Harry Potter' sometime in our career's. Not necessarily the story itself but it's success. For millions of people to enjoy your books for years to come. And for them to be made into a series of movies. In saying that, I'm so grateful for the readers who have enjoyed my books, I might not have millions of readers but I value each and everyone I do have. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years, I hope to still be writing books that my readers a enjoy. Maybe I'll have some books in brick and mortar stores. Writing When did you start writing and when did you finish your first book? I started writing my first book when I had just had my youngest in 2008. It took a few months to write and then it sat on my computer for years until I felt like I could share it. It wasn't published until 2014. How did you choose the genre you write in? I don't think I consciously chose a genre. The characters started talking to me and I just went from there. Where do you get your ideas? They can come from the strangest things, a conversation I overhear - even if it's just one sentence it may spark something and a character will start talking. A stranger I walk past in the street or a couple I've seen - my mind will just fill with what their background story could be or where they maybe going. Do you ever experience writer’s block? Yes. I'm really bad with pressure. Some authors need pressure to knock out the books, but I'm the opposite, if I have a deadline creeping up on me my mind goes blank and there is no way in hell I'll finish before the deadline passes. Are you a planner or a pantser? I'm a pantser. I usually know where the story is going before I really start writing. I get the story in snippets, a scene at a time. One day I could be working on a scene that belongs towards the end, the next day I could be writing the first chapter. I know roughly where they all belong and end up slotting them all together like a jigsaw, filling in the gaps and blending them all together. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? I would never have managed to self publish without the help of GJ Walker-Smith. I love her books and contacted her after reading them. We became friends and when she found out I had written a story she guided me through the whole process. I'll never be able to thank her enough for all she's done for me. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? Editing... I had massive fail when it came to finding an editor. I've never been very good with punctuation and naively thought any editor would be wonderful at fixing my punctuation errors. It wasn't until a week before I'd planned to release my first book, that an author friend read through my book and asked if I'd given her the pre-edit version by mistake. It was a mess. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change? I would go back and ensure that first book got a thorough edit before releasing. After I had the editing issues, I rushed to fix it as best I could. A friend went through it and fixed what they could. Unfortunately I received some initial reviews that picked up on editing issues and I regret that now. Even though I have since fixed any issues that have been pointed out, I wish I'd waited to release the best version I could from the start. Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published? I've started to write a book that I really love, it has so much potential but it scares me. What if I don't do this amazing story justice? I haven't finished it because I don't want to destroy the beautiful story I have in my mind. How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre? Honestly I have no idea. I'm just winging it and hoping for the best. Can you tell us about your upcoming book? Releasing the Wolf is a little darker than Pride to Pack or Forever Young and Beautiful. It's more NA too, due to the characters ages. Not necessarily steaminess though, I'm more romantic than racy when it comes to bedroom scenes. Here is the blurb: Before his untimely death, the Alpha of the Rossi pack gave beta Jesse O’Keefe one last order: protect his daughter at all costs. Now Jesse is Alpha, and for seventeen long years he’s fulfilled the task of protecting Rosa Rossi. But that’s about to change. A pack member’s unwavering quest for vengeance and a case of mistaken identity start a chain of events that put Rosa’s life in danger. Can Jesse keep his promise to his late alpha, or will he fall short of doing the one thing he lives for? Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? Some of the characters are based off real people. Releasing the Wolf actually has three characters like that, Kate, Gareth and Danny. I wrote a short story called Cure For Christmas, which was in an anthology the main character has cancer. I delved into my own experience with cancer when I was writing her story. We didn't have the same type or stage of cancer but I felt I could still use my experience and feelings, when telling her story. What was your favourite chapter (or part) to write and why? I don't know if I can pick one particular part. I enjoy writing the scenes that have all the action, and the ones that give me all the answers when it's finally wrapping the story up. How did you come up with the title? All titles are different. Sometimes the just come to me when I'm writing, other times I have to try out lots of different ones before I finally find the right one. Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with? All of them. For the Mount Roxby series, Cain, Jared, and Alyssa will be getting their own books. Paddy, Misty and Dominick all have a story to tell somewhere. I'd like to visit Bel and Theo. Ruby has more to tell me too. I guess I'm going to be writing for a long time. ;) Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? Write for you, because if you don't love your story, no one else will. What does your protagonist think about you? This is a tough one. I could tell you what they think about any of the other characters but I don't know what they think about me. Hopefully they think I'm telling their stories exactly how they want them to be told. Would he or she want to hang out with you, the author, his creator? Yes, I can see Bel and I having a good chat over a few drinks at Misty's. What has been the toughest criticism you’ve been given as an author? Even though not everyone is going to like your book, it still breaks your heart a little to hear that someone didn't like it. What has been the best compliment? "I loved your book. I can't stop thinking about your characters and wondering what will happen to them next." Which character speaks the loudest, to you? Do any of them clamour to be heard over the others? They tend to take it in turns pretty well. I did have one new character say "I'm sorry Kevin, but I just can't do it anymore." Over and over. It didn't matter what I was working on, this line would just pop up in my mind. It took me a year to work out who the character was and what he couldn't do. I didn't even know who Kevin was. What sort of Starbuck’s coffee would your characters order? Simple coffee or some complicated soy-non-fat-extra-espresso-half-caff-nightmare? Most would be simple. Except Dominick, he'd pick the most complicated just so he could try and trip up the barista. What sort of writing environment do you create? I.e. music or not? Pen and paper or laptop/PC? I get back ache if I sit at a desk for longer than an hour, soI like a comfy chair and my laptop on my knee. I like to have music playing, usually pop or country. Is there a certain type of scene that is harder to write than other? Racy? Love? Action? I can't really write racy scenes. I can write them for a villain, but I just feel like I'm invading my protagonists privacy. That's why most of my love scenes are fade to black, they lay out the foundation and leave the readers imagination to do the rest. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? Thank you for giving my stories a chance when you picked them up. Also thank you for your patience as you've waited between books, because I know I'm not one of the authors that pop books out every couple of months. Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it? BDSM. It's a subject I'm not really keen on, also it would mean racy scenes and as we've already discovered, I'm not so good with them. Do you have any strange writing habits? Like writing in the shower? Not really, my characters talk to me all the time. I have had them talk when I'm in the bath but they know that's my reading and relaxing time so it's not a regular occurrence. If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaptation – who would you choose for which character? Just to name a few for the Mount Roxby series: Jensen Ackles - Theo Jessica Alba - Bel Mika (the singer) - Dominick Amanda Righetti - Alyssa How important are the names in your book? Most of my main characters come to me already named. It's only side characters that I have to find a name for, but again if they already have a strong spirit to them, they'll tell me their name. Did you choose them based on how they sounded or looked, or was it completely random? It's usually a personality thing, although Ruby was named after my niece because she looks like her. Do you have any name choosing resources you would recommend? I have a love affair with Google. Google knows everything. Do you read your reviews? I skim them, if they are 3 stars and above I'll read them completely. If they are lower, it depends how much I want to torture myself. Those 1 and 2 star review can be soul destroying. Do you respond to them, good or bad? I never, ever, respond to a bad review, that's a slippery slope. Regarding good reviews, I'll hit the like (goodreads) or useful (Amazon) button, but I won't respond personally unless they've been sent to me (if I've been emailed, pm'd or my page has been tagged) because reviews are for other readers and not everyone wants the author to comment or message them. Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad? Not everyone is going to like your book and that's okay. Some people are even constructive with their criticism and you might learn something but some people are just mean. Every time you get a glimpse of an exceptionally evil one, hit the 5 star filter and read all those 5 star reviews, soak up all of that love. What is your best marketing tip? I've been told pre-order is the way to go, the sooner you can get the chatter going the better. My personal tip is, write the best book you can and publish it, if it's good word of mouth will do the rest. What is your least favourite part of the writing or publishing process? Writing a blurb or synopsis. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes. Aimie is a Yorkshire lass living in Australia. She is a mother to three boisterous boys, two of which are teenagers who are driving her crazy on a daily basis. She loves to people watch, it's her favourite way to come up with new characters and stories. So next time a stranger is staring at you in the street, don't panic, they could be an author basing a character on you. Aimie has always loved to read and write, paranormal and crime/thrillers being her favourite genres. Her characters are talk the loudest when she's at the beach or a forest. Aimie would love to hear from you. She would be happy to receive an email or post on her Facebook page. Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Smashwords |
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