BOOK REVIEW: FLIGHT BY ALYSSA ROSE IVY

Hey All!!!

I recently read Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Below is the blurb from the book:

 

**********

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

 

**********





I give this book 3.5 Stars

There is something about this series that I absolutely LOVE!!! And I can't fully put my finger on it.

Flight starts with Allie moving to New Orleans to work in her dad's hotel for the summer, before heading off to Princeton in the Fall. She's excited to get away and live in the city with her bestie, and to make a new start away from her ex. Her life changes when she meets the seriously sexy and obnoxious Levi. They spend many days and nights together with his crew, and he even tells her his family secret.

But when he makes a decision that will change her entire life, without her permission or full knowledge, it not only shifts her entire world, but may leave their relationship broken forever.

The storyline for this book is fairly simple and flows well. Girl meets boy. Girl falls for boy. Girl finds boy is a wizard, vampire, shifter, you name it. Girls link with boy causes her to be placed in horrid danger. Girl and boy work it out to determine how life will go on.

I really enjoyed the characters here, especially Levi and Allie's new bestie, Hailey. And from time to time, I enjoy books where I can just check out and get an easy read. For me, Flight is kind of like watching the reality T.V. that you know isn't all that great for you, but you still love it for what it is.

The things that I didn't care for included the fact that Allie can be flighty (pun intended - Ha!) at times. She goes into the city claiming that she's sworn off men and turns around the next few pages and jumps all over Levi. Let me tell you, the times I'm off men, they get the hint...quickly.

Also, I felt the way her bestie, Jess, was dropped from the story and Hailey was conveniently there to take up the role didn't sit well for me. I'd have preferred it if she went there alone and talked with her bestie on the phone or something. It was just too forced for me.

Lastly, the story is painfully short. I feel there was not enough storytelling overall and I was left wanting more.

Even with the above, I'd still read this over and over again...like I said, it's my reality T.V.

VOTE FOR CURSED TO BE PUBLISHED!!!

Hey All!!!
Voting for the Yummy but Brainy Writing Contest for CBAY Books has opened. You can vote for Cursed to be published here.

I hope you all will see Cursed published very soon!!!

Happy reading and writing.

BOOK REVIEW: STORM BY BRIGID KEMMERER

Hey All!!!
I just finished reading Storm by Brigid Kemmerer. The introductory blurb is below:



Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys; all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.



I definitely enjoyed this book. Ms. Kemmerer brings to life the idea of Elementals being a common occurrence. But what's great is that even in this growing community that's right under our noses, there are a few that are special - more so than those who have a cursory ability to control certain elements. And that's what makes this story special.

I won't give away too many details. I enjoyed the interaction between our main character, Becca, and the main love interest, Chris. They have a snarky and fun exchange with one another that I always appreciated in books like this. I also enjoyed how the author plays with the misunderstandings between the two. There's a lot of great conflict in the story, outside of what is going on with the boys being "Marked for death".

I also enjoyed the love triangle and how Becca handled it. The confusion and feelings of being tugged between the two guys felt genuine to me...and relatable. Ms. Kemmerer developed well thought out characters with detailed story lines.

Now, for my one big issue with the story. There's a sensitive situation that happens to Becca and  that's key to her storyline, and I didn't feel that it was handled well. It turns out that Becca got herself into a dicey situation with her boyfriend during the past few months and ever since then he's been spreading some pretty nasty rumors around about her. As a reader, you get the impression that one thing occurred - even the other characters in the book are given that same impression - only to find that what you thought happened never did. I'm not saying that what did happen wasn't bad - it was - but it pales in comparison. And as a reader, I really felt duped. I'm not saying that Becca's reaction felt false, or anything along those lines, just that the way she revealed the details - in a way that didn't give the full story - did feel false...like telling a white lie, or something. That's the best way I can describe how I felt about it without straight giving away the details.

Overall, I'd give Storm a solid 3.5 stars!!!

Happy Reading and Writing!!!

CONTEST BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD!!!

Hey All!!!
The finalists' books for the Yummy But Brainy Writing Contest are now available here!!!

You can read the first sixty pages of my novel, Cursed, and on June 1st voting opens.

I hope you all like it!

Happy reading and writing.

I'M A FINALIST TO BE POSSIBLY PUBLISHED!!!

Hey All!!!
As you all know, I've been plucking away at this writing business for a while now. And you may have noticed that I've recently made a few comments hinting at the fact that I'm oh so close to being a part of the published community due to a writing contest with a independent publishing house in Austin, Texas.

Well, I can officially announce that I'm a finalist with for the Yummy but Brainy Writing Contest with Children's Brains Are Yummy Books!

About a year ago I submitted my query letter to CBAY Books in an effort to see if they'd be interested in publishing my work. I'd done my research on them, and while they aren't one of the big five (or six, depending on how you see publishing), they have a steady presence and have had some really good books come out (I'm a fan of P.J. Hoover =)! ). A few weeks later I was notified that I was selected as a semi-finalist and was asked to send my full manuscript over. And a few weeks after that I was selected as a finalist for the contest.

Now, I've spent the last few months polishing up my manuscript with one of their amazing editors on staff. I can say with confidence that the experience taught me SO much, and I'm a better writer because of it. So, where do we go from here?

The first sixty pages of my book, along with a wonderful cover, will be available for download on CBAY's website here starting sometime this week. Starting on June 1st, there will be a page where you can go and vote for your favorite book to be published! You can also recommend another book be selected as well, if you're having a hard time choosing just one.

Below is a blurb of the awesomeness that is my story:

Jazz hunts Suecai—an evil kind of incubi and succubae that have turned their backs on the ways of her people—that devour the essence of humans. During a standard raid Jazz is caught by a Suecai leader and cursed. With only weeks left, Jazz and her best friend Khan are now hunting the Suecai alone—not to protect humans but to save her own life. But will the growing attraction she feels for Khan get in the way?

Here's hoping that you all get a chance to read Cursed in the very near future! More updates to come soon.

Happy Reading and Writing!

GOING WITH THE FLOW OF LIFE

Hey All!!!
So, last week was a real mess. I was all geared up to put the finishing touches on the first sixty pages of my manuscript for the Children's Brains Are Yummy publishing contest when disaster struck in the form of an nasty allergic reaction. If you've never had an allergic reaction before, let me tell you...don't. It was one of the most uncomfortable and icky experiences I've ever gone through and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy (well, I think I wouldn't).

Basically, the days I set aside to finish up all of my hard work and coast towards that finish line were a complete wash. So, what did I did? Well, I had to go with the flow and work with it. I spent my weekend doing the work I'd hoped to complete during the week and will be looking over the final product tonight.

When it comes to writing and life you can't waste time crying over the small stuff. Sure, it's easy to get overwhelmed and to spend time sulking, just don't let too much time go by doing that. Typically, I'll give myself a few hours tops to do my, "Woe is me" thing before picking myself up, rolling up my sleeves, and getting back to it.

You have to go with the flow of life and never quite...and that's the good and honest truth!

LESSONS LEARNED FROM CLASSICS

Hey All!!!
I was trying to get up the motivation to do some editing tonight, when I saw that Sense and Sensibility was on one of the movie channels. Naturally, all thoughts of editing quickly flew out the window and I was immediately drawn in. As I took in the classic love and woe storyline I had an epiphany.

One of Sense and Sensibility's story lines is the classic tale of a good girl who longs for the exciting bad boy, foregoing the good guy who's already shown her some attention, and who essentially ends up with a broken heart. In our classic tale, Marianne is the free spirited, middle sister who doesn't follow those silly rules of decorum that are expected of women in those times. Instead, she's open about how she feels and doesn't hold back. But when she falls head over heels for the sexy and exciting Willoughby, she's left with her heart broken when his past deeds come out to bite them both in the behind.

Now, mind you, the ever dependable and much more calm Colonel Brandon has long shown his affection for Marianne. Unfortunately for him, he has none of Willoughby's swagger and doesn't stand a chance...until Marianne learns the value of loving the good guy.

The realness of this storyline is one that we can all relate to. In most cases, the girls who end up with the bad and exciting boy end up with more trouble than it's worth. We all want the bad boys though...we can't help it.

In a day and age when many of the male love interests in books are this reformed bad boy character, I have to admit it's nice to see a story where the good guy finishes last. Just a thought!