Bout of Books 11

That's right guys I am back and doing Bout of Books again! After a not so good writing month for July .... lets just admit it I was doomed from the get go. But now I am back and ready to dive into those fantasy worlds and forget about reality yet again! There is still plenty of time to sign up.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I will be adding goals later on since it is still a little ways away. But I can't wait to do this read-a-thon, I had so much fun last time I did this and hope to read even more for this Bout of Books. 

Happy and Sad all the Same

 I first want to start out by saying I have had a very busy month. Even with having a vacation at the start of the month, coming back from that long trip I felt like I need another one just to recuperate from that one. I did get a massive amount of books. (about 23 books) Had lots of fun with setting off fireworks for the fourth of July and a great time with my Aunt. We also got to pet some horses which I am in love with and hope to ride some time in the future when we do move there.

At this point I haven't gotten any writing done but I am still determined to get something in. I wanted to finish my edits but I might have to scrap that idea and just continue on writing on one of my stories I have already started. We will see I am hoping to start writing once I catch up on some other things.

When I got home I did have a couple of packages waiting for me and one of them was my books

I ordered through createspace. Again I still have to fix the last three chapters but up till then I think it is pretty good. I am going to be sending it to my Aunt who we visited this month and see how she likes it.

This has really been a tough month with just trying to motivate my self to accomplish things. I usually would have spent July 4th with my grandma but she is no longer here to do such things. Since she just passed earlier this year all the holidays I had spent with her specifically are going to be hard months in general. I miss her terribly and hope once the pain is a bit easier to deal with that I can write the story I have planned to dedicate to her.

Trying to stay positive even if I don't get everything accomplished for this month like I wanted to.

The Porcelain Child (Book Two in The Broken Line series) by Jessica Dall

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing

Release Date: July 3, 2014

Pages: 252

Source: The book was given to me from the author for an honest review.

Synopsis: With less than a decade of stable rule behind them, Lord Protector Richard Seymour has passed away leaving the country once again in turmoil. With her connection to the old regimes, seemingly on all sides thanks to her mother, Adela, Mary might find herself pulled into the heat of battle whether she wants it or not.

Book 2 of The Broken Line Series, The Porcelain Child picks up with the next generation thrown into the mix.

Review:

When I was asked to review the second book of The Broken Line series I was highly intrigued to find out what happened to Adela when she left the country. This book isn't about Adela but about her daughter Mary who is left with her aunt to be raised. Shortly after starting this book I began to love Mary's character and how different she was from Adela. I ended up giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited about the many more stories to come from this series. Mary is a very serious character and she seems to always be on alert around others. She has learned to be suspicious of others due to her mother. Even though Adela, her mother didn't really raise her, Mary was still able to learn things from her. Even though she sometimes was confused about life or where things were headed she dealt with them head on. Making no excuses for herself. She could have let the Royalists walk all over her when they were trying to make her queen but she stood firm in wanting peace, not war. 

Of course she wouldn't have been so strong if not for some of the people that helped her along the way. Again it seems the maid has a big part in helping things along. Like Adela had Lettice, Mary has Abigail who she can talk to and trust. They seemed to me to have a pretty good friendship regardless. Abigail is always there for Mary whether it be running from the guards, helping her escape, or trying to keep Mary away from people she don't really care for. 

Another character who is of strong importance is Will, who is friends with Mary. They grew up with each other so he is the one that knows Mary sometimes more than she knows her own self. I love how patient and kind he is. He also isn't afraid to stand up and do something when someone he cares about is in trouble, regardless of if he isn't good with guns or fighting. 

I loved how this all wraps up and glad there were more than one happily ever after at the end of the novel. The plot of the story moved well throughout, never a dull moment. When Richard Seymour dies his son takes over. Adela has played a risky game with not telling everyone exactly who Mary's father is. She only says who her father is when it helps Adela with something. Since Mary's father is an unknown variable Seymour's son tries to eliminate the problem by bringing her in. From beginning to end it was full of action and confusion with all the games people were playing. Makes one really rethink going into any sort of politics. 

Information:

Other information about this series is I found out there will be a book 3 and it will be available this winter some time. The title of the book will be The Paper Masque. She also has two novella's coming out as well. The first one is The Copper Rebellion and will be out in August. This will be about Adela and what happened to her after she left the country. So this book is in between book 1 and book 2. There will be a second novella set after book 2 called The Porcelain Queen. I am not sure when this will be out. For more information pertaining to The Broken Line series please check out her blog. http://jessicadall.com/about/the-broken-line-series/

Book Review: To Walk the Night by E.S. Moore

Video review on my to be read pick of the month. I will be trying to do a video review on at least one book every month and hopefully that one will be the one I pick out of my TBR bag that month. But here is June's TBR book review.

Busy reading month / Writing updates

Another busy reading month for me. Right now I am working on reading through The Porcelain Child by Jessica Dall this is book 2 in the Broken Line series she did a cover reveal earlier this month.

This book will be available July 3, 2014.

Summary: With less than a decade of stable rule behind them, Lord Protector Richard Seymour has passed away leaving the country once again in turmoil. With her connection to the old regimes, seemingly on all sides thanks to her mother, Adela, Mary might find herself pulled into the heat of battle whether she wants it or not.

Book 2 of The Broken Line Series, The Porcelain Child picks up with the next generation thrown into the mix.

So far I am really enjoying the book and am liking Mary a whole lot more than I did Adela. I will have a written review of this coming soon.

Shortly after that I do hope to get to Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina before the end of the month. Or at least start it. I am trying to get through the last little bit of Shadow's Edge by Brent weeks. So I can start on Blades of the Old Empire. I didn't know if I could read two fantasy's at the same time. Since most fantasy's have lots of hard names and places to keep straight I thought I would finish with Shadow's Edge before starting the next fantasy book.

Writing Updates:

I do plan to finish revising the rest of my first novel that I have completed. I hope to have that done by this Tuesday. That way I can have it done and get my two free paperbacks through Createspace. Then I can have my Aunt and a few friends read it. Then of course I will probably have to do more revisions after that before I am happy to possibly think about publishing it. I am also getting ready for Camp NaNoWriMo in July. I have decided to only writ 10,000 words since I will be on Vacation and busy with other things. I hope to write more than that but we will see. I still haven't really decided what I will be writing on it will probably either be on Outcast or A Soul Forgotten. I might even try to write a short story but we will see what writing mood I am in. 

So what are you're July plans?

May Wrap up

I have had a great reading month last month. I ended up reading 17 book/ short stories. I definitely needed this reading time kind of to get away from writing. This month I do plan to finish revising Echoes from a Hollow soul. I only have about a fourth left to revise. I do still plan to be reading a lot in June and then when it comes to July hopefully I can pass my 10K goal for Camp NaNoWriMo. Here I will name all the books that I read last month, on goodreads I do have a short review of these if anyone wants a longer review of it just let me know and I will write one up or do a video response depending on the book.

The School for Good and Evil: A world without princes by Soman Chainani
                                       (Book 2)
I did do a video review of this and the first book as well, can be found under the review tab

Blood Trinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love - TBR pick of the month
                                        (Book 1)

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott - For a Goodreads group read
                                       (Book 1)

Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville
                                     (Book 1)

Mila 2.0: Origins: The Fire by Debra Driza - Short story
                                   (Book 0.5)

Reboot by Amy Tintera
                                 (Book 1)

Rebel by Amy Tintera - Series Completed!
                               (Book 2)

Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta - I do have a longer written review of this, can be found under the reviews tab.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
                                 (Book 1)

Fire Bound by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love - Short story
                                  (Book 1.5)

The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks - Buddy read on Goodreads.
                                  (Book 1)

Mila 2.0: Renegade by Debra Driza
                                  (Book 2)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer -For a Goodreads group read
                                  (Book 1)

The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer
                                 (Book 1)

Glitches by Marissa Meyer - Short story
                                (Book 0.5)

Freak of Nature by Julia Crane - E-book
                              (Book 1)

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare- Series Completed!
                                 (Book 6)






So those are all the books that I have read for the month of May, I ended up finishing two series that month and plan on finishing at least two more in the month of June. I will list out the books I have thought of so far to read for the month of June

• I will finish the Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville books 2-4
• The series Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber books 1-9
• Shadows Edge by Brent Weeks book 2 for buddy read
• Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina book 1 for a review

Of course I will probably read other books along with these, but these are the ones that I feel I should definitely get done for the month of June.

What books have you been reading?

Review: Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta

Genre: Dystopian

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Release Date: June 10, 2014

Pages: 272

Source: I won an ARC of this book from Harper Voyager in a giveaway.

Synopsis: Global warming has changed the world’s geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water, and China rules Europe, including the Scandinavian Union, which is occupied by the power state of New Qian. In this far north place, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria’s father tends, which once provided water for her whole village.

But secrets do not stay hidden forever, and after her father’s death the army starts watching their town—and Noria. And as water becomes even scarcer, Noria must choose between safety and striking out, between knowledge and kinship.

Imaginative and engaging, lyrical and poignant, Memory of Water is an indelible novel that portrays a future that is all too possible.

Review:

I really loved the idea behind this book, and one that could come true some time in our future. The novel is beautifully written. Though it did seem slow at times. It had a alot of description through out and I could picture and feel what she felt. I know some people like to skip over blocks of description but I liked that about this book. Since I didn't know to much of the culture and the going ons of a tea master it was interesting to learn about. 

This novel was very slow to start. It just always seemed like the reader was waiting for something to happen and nothig major did. It's kind of sad if you think about it. Imagine you wanting to do something and making big plans to go against the government and not fulfilling it. That is kind of what happened here. Most dystopians have a strong character that goes against the government and changes it to make it better for the people. Though this is a dystopian nothing changes in the end really. 

I would have liked to known more about the water police and the officials. Noria the main character of the story is left with little to go on and little understanding of these hardened water officials. Her parents did not ready her at all to be on her own, so I understand that she only could do what she had to work with. 

I would have to say my favorite character out of this book would have to be Noria's friend Sanja. Sanja seemed like a tough character and kept working to help her family no matter the problems set up against her. She worked with her hands to build things and was a good friend to Noria. I liked that she got away in the ending. 

I ended up on goodreads giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars. Though I did have some problems with this book I did enjoy the writing style and the characters. I also loved the whole concept and ideas put into this book.