What I'm watching: Breaking Dawn

My review on the new Breaking Dawn movie:

Sadly I must say that I was greatly disappointed.  It was cheesy, drawn out and utterly a let down.  It’s such a shame since I LOVE the book.

As an avid reader, and a fan of Twilight in general, I am sad to think of what the negative reviews might do for Stephenie Meyers’ book sales.  I know that there will always be die-hard Twilight fans that will support the movies no matter what, but this is one fan that is left dissatisfied. 

The heartfelt conversation between Bella and Edward on the night before their wedding was unbelievably cheesy.  Mix that with the terrible wolf pack conversation and some funky graphics and I was cringing. 

The movie felt long, far more drawn out than it needed to be.  I actually found myself growing bored with it.  By the end of the movie I was relieved that it was over, never a good thing for a fan to feel.

On the plus side, I enjoyed being able to visually see the wedding, Isle Esme, and even the gruesome decline Bella experiences as the baby drains her life.  There were a few things added into the movie for excitement that wasn’t a part of the book, but I didn’t mind it. 

Overall…I would give the movie a 2 star out of 5, but honestly that’s only because I love the book. 

I hope other people enjoy it more than I did!

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What I'm reading: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie

One of the things I love most about my job as a writer is that I can justify the hours I spend reading teen books.  It’s all in the name of research!  At least that’s what I tell my husband when I’ve got the bedroom light on long into the wee hours of the night.

My newest book, which I am nearly finished with, is Matched by Ally Condie.  Dystopian love stories seems to be all the rage now.  And for good reason…they’re great!

Matched is no exception.  I love the characters, the imagery Ally Condie uses to paint her futuristic world and the confusing love triangle.  I know some people hate love triangles but NOT ME!  Give me a good love mystery and I’m happy.  But don’t give it away too easily.  I love to unexpected.

For anyone looking for a good read for themselves or their teenager girl I suggest Matched.  Ally Condie’s sequel, Crossed, is next on my Must-Read list.

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Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

For those of you that have just found me or are wanting to get a sense of who I am as a writer and avid reader, there is one thing you need to know.  I LOVE FANTASY!

Give me vampires (in moderation), werewolves, shapshifters, angels, trolls, you name it I'm probably gonna love it.

My newest love affair began a year ago when Andrea Cremer, first time novelest, released Nightshade.  It provided a wealth of rich characters, a love triangle (which I'm a huge fan of) and a unique perspective into the lifes of shapeshifting guardians.  Totally my kind of book.

Well...after I raced through James Dashner's, The Death Cure, I leaped straight into Wolfsbane, Andrea's sequel to Nightshade.

First off...if I have to be honest...I got a tiny bit bored in the beginning.  The duty of explaining the intricate details of the book was a bit to wade through, but smack dab in the middle of the book it took off and I stay up till 2am to finish it. 

Loved the action, the pace, the surprisingly appealing new characters and the groan at the end when Andrea left it wide open for the third book.  Don't you just hate it when authors do that?  Haha. 

I even found a couple typos.  Darn it but I love it when that happens.  It makes it so much harder for people to bash self published authors when traditional presses make mistakes too!  We're human people.  Get over it!  Haha!
So...if you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend picking up Nightshade and Wolfsbane. 

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The Death Cure, by James Dashner

I have waited FOREVER to get my hands on the final installment of James Dashner's Maze Runner Trilogy, The Death Cure.  I picked it up from my local library around 2pm yesterday afternoon and sometime in the wee hours of the night I finished.  And despite the haze from lack of sleep this morning, I am thrilled to announce that I LOVED IT! 

What a great inspiration on how to finish a trilogy well.  This couldn't have come at a better time for me since I'm currently working on my Arotas Trilogy.  The first installment Forbidden, has just been released and I'm writing the sequel at the moment.  My biggest fear...letting the book fall flat.  Or giving away too much too soon.

Thank you Mr. Dashner for not only a great read but also a guide on how to keep the suspense going through all three of my books!

I highly recommend anyone who is looking for a YA Dystopian Science Fiction to read the entire Maze Runner Trilogy.  Edge of your seat suspense, characters that you will want to root for and hate, and a finale that will leave you logically satisfied. 

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eBook Sampling

People sometimes ask me why I chose to self publish, and that answer can take so many different avenues.  But one of the things that I love most about eBooks is the ability to offer a free sample of my book to potential readers.  What better way for a person to decide if they like the story line or my style of writing then to sample the first 20-30% of my book for free.

When I publish with Smashwords I always enable the maximum amount of my book to be available.  Why?  I’m not worried about people “stealing” ideas from my book.  My main goal is to gain readers.  So I want to give you just enough of my book to grab your attention and keep you begging for more. 

Ok ,I get that you might not actually get down on your hands and knees and beg, but it’s a nice thought huh?  Haha.

So…if you would like to read a sample of my newest release, Forbidden, check out the link below to download a free sample.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102159

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Creation

Thanks to NaNoWriMo I am seeing the beginning structure of Artos, sequel to Forbidden, beginning to take shape.  These are exciting days when you first build the outer walls to the book that hope will someday stand up on its own two feet. 

Back to writing!

New Release: Forbidden

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know that all of my hard work the past few weeks has finally paid off.  My new teen Immortal book, Forbidden, has just been released.  It is available on Amazon and Smashwords as an eBook for only $0.99

I’d love for you to take a look and let me know what you think.  I’m always looking for critiques to keep me growing as an author.

If you are interested in purchasing my book you can click on the Forbidden book cover image on the side.  It will link you directly to my Amazon page.

I’m also looking for people to swap reviews with so if you are interested please email me at DefianceRising@live.com

Forbidden book description:

Roseline Enescue has been called many things.  A sorceress.  A witch.  A demon.  Even an evil temptress.  But there is only one name that has endured for over three hundred years.  Vampire.

A myth that was created centuries before to describe her husband’s sadistic blood lust and craving for debauchery.  Roseline soon finds herself sucked into the dark life led by her husband, whose legendary name is revered around the globe.  Dracula.  But the further she dips into the world veiled behind human reality, the more desperate she becomes to escape it. 

She is a prisoner in her own home, forced to endure brutal beatings at the hands of her husband Vladimir Enescue, in attempt to draw out the monster lurking in her soul.  But Roseline’s refusal to give in fuels her husband’s rage.  Roseline makes a desperate escape from Vladimir’s clutches and lands in the heartland of America.

Excited to live a life of her own, to experience the freedom that was stripped away from her over 300 years before, Roseline enrolls as a senior at Chicago’s elite Rosewood Prep School.  But her plans to remain off the grid are shattered when she meets Gabriel Marston.

Roseline quickly discovers that there’s something unique about Gabriel.  No mortal has ever affected her so forcefully, or had the willpower to reject her advances.  Her body physically aches to be with him, but her fear of getting too close keeps her teetering on the edge of agony.  As their lives entwine, Roseline is shaken to her core when she realizes that Gabriel is much more than he appears to be.