A Heads Up To My Readers

Hello Lads and Ladies

Today I'm sending you this message so you will know why I'm not posting as regularly as I would like.
I'm using mail for blogger because I don't have access to the internet and unfortunately I won't have it for a while.
I'm also testing it out to see how it works and hopefully it will work well enough.
Anyway I will have a problem posting pictures and if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can post pictures with these posts.

Xxx
-Rosa
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from LIME.

Dreaming Montana Tour!!

Have you ever wondered if of all the people in this world if there was just one special someone for you.... 

          

Synopsis:In a single day, Cara Gallagher experiences an erotic dream about a man she doesn’t know and has a premonition of her identical twin—at the exact moment her sister dies in a car accident. To escape her grief and a loveless marriage, Cara accepts a temporary job reassignment in Seattle, where she continues to have sensuous dreams of the unknown man. There she encounters an angel who claims to be sent by her dead sister to help her find the man in her dreams. Meanwhile, photographer Jay Amiens sees angel wings on his film and has recurring intimate dreams about a woman he doesn’t know—but would love to meet in person. Set in 1993, Dreaming Montana invokes the spirit of Seattle at the height of the grunge era, with the city as the backdrop for Cara and Jay to potentially cross paths. 

My review: This book for me was  a lovely adventure back in time, I have never been to Seattle but after reading this book I can probably describe the whole feel of it. This was a sweet love story with the whimsy of angels and the potency of true soul mates. I would really love to read more books like this in the future.

My Recomendation: If you are like me anything that has a little bit of romance is good. However this book has so much more to enjoy and I recommend it for anyone over the age of 16

Rosa's Rating 5/5

for your reading pleasure!

DREAMING MONTANA EXCERPT

“Here she was back in Seattle, and the whole city lay before her like a giant maze. All she wanted to do was run to the center of it, where she would find him. Now she kept her head up when she walked, searching the faces of people passing by, looking for him everywhere in the crowd. Among the flower stalls at Pike Place Market, while she paused to admire the fresh bouquets, she wondered if he rambled these same aisles. She would see him; she had to believe that now. He was here somewhere, waiting for her. At any moment, she could meet him. Until then, she would walk the same city, breathe the same air, see the same stars in the same sky as he did. And she would wait."


  
                                                                   Meet the Author

 

Kim Nathan is an American author of historical and contemporary romance fiction. Her first novel was Sterling Redmond, a historical romance. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, she relocated to Seattle, Washington in 1994, where she lives with her husband and cats.

Win the ebook!!!

open to US only

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Secret of Ravelston: A mysterious tale

Author: Sergio Silveira
Genre: Mystery, Y.A
Age Group: Everyone
Title: The secret of Ravelston

Jane's life has turned upside down, just because of the pride of an uncouth woman lacking in stature she has been sent away from her home and from her only brother. He has been the only family she's ever known and now she must pick up her life and move to Ravelston to live with an uncle she doesn't even know.


As the story progresses, Ravelston and it's inhabitance turn out to be more than meets the eye and Jane will find herself in places she never thought she would be.


My Thoughts: First of all, I'd like to make it clear to readers that I generally don't read historical mysteries. I love historical Romance a whole lot, I love to hear about times past, but honestly in the setting of a mystery for me it's quite boring.
Silveira must be applauded however as the fantasy element to this book did keep me interested. Unfortunately though I was utterly disappointed by the hint of a Romantic relationship that  turned out with no developement.


If I were to forget my personal preferences however it must be admitted that the book was well written and paced. There is no doubt in my mind that someone somewhere will enjoy this book. 
That person however is not me. It took me a while to get into the story and so I can tell you with all honesty it wasn't my kind of book.


Recommendation: If you are into romance, this book isn't for you. I suggest it for fans of Agatha Christie and the like.

My rating: 3/5 it wasn't for me but someone else may like it!

Sergio Silveria  is the author of this book. If you are interested in purchasing it, please visit Barns & Noble, or Amazon to purchase it to read an excerpt please visit The Student online paper to do so. 

Liebster Blog Award

I have been awarded the Liebster Blog Award! Whoop I'm so excited a big thanks to Happy Reader at The Reading Cave  http://readingcave.blogspot.com/

So what is this all about?

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have 200 followers or less.The word Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. 


Here's the Rules:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you tagged
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post
4. Tell them you've tagged them
5. Remember, no tag backs

My Random 11 Facts:

1. My real Name is Rose-Ann
2. I don't eat pork
3. I've never seen snow in person
4. I've only been to 5 weddings in my entire life
5. I read everyday literately
6. I'm writing a book
7. I love to visit England
8. I'd live at the beach if I could
9. My Grandmother is British and acts like Mrs Bucket from keeping up appearances (I love her!)
10. My hair is relaxed
11. I randomly go around saying Ooopa! for exclamation.

Questions From Reading Cave

1. Why do you blog? I blog because I love to read, and after I read I have this need to tell people about it!

2. Why do you read? I read because I love getting lost in magical worlds and places where I've never been! 

3. Book character who you thought should have ended up with someone else: Oppa!! this is hard...All the books I've read always put the hero with who I want :P

4. Book character who you thought should have a spin-off book: I think Roman from the Gorgina Kincade series should have a sereis!

5. Author that you are guaranteed to buy anything they write: 

Jacquelyn Frank

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Nalini Singh

6. Book series that you secretly google spoilers for hoping against hope to find out what happens in the next book: Kim Harrisons Hollows series can't wait for Ever After :'(

7. Author, who you trust, but sometimes what to yell at for what they are putting your beloved “friends” through:

Sherrilyn Kenyon 

8. Three books that have made you cry:

Forbidden by Thabita Suzma

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Second Chance by Lauren Dane

9. Five swoon worthy characters

Christian form E.L James' Fifty Shades series

Kellen From S.C Stephens' Thoughtless

Tamani from Aprilynne Pike's Wings series 

10. Three characters’ Team who you secretly are not a member of (such as Just say no to Team Seth)

Team David

Team Stephan

Team Finn

11. Four book characters who you would love to meet

Four (Tobias) from Veronica Roth's Divergent & Insurgent

Catniss from the Hunger Games

Acheron!!!! From The Dark Hunter series

Dmitri From the guild hunter series

Blogs I'm Tagging: 

http://starlitreading.blogspot.com

http://bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com/

http://bookyaddict.blogspot.com/

http://www.captivatedreading.com/

http://christierich.blogspot.com/

http://td-dewmer.blogspot.com/

http://todaytomorrowforever3.blogspot.com/

http://kismetkayla.blogspot.com/

http://loveaffairwithabookreviews.blogspot.com/

http://sageadderley.blogspot.com/

http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.com/

My questions for you guys!

1) What is your favourite book?

2)Reader Writer or both?

3)How often do you read?

4)Which season is your favourite?

5) Paranormal or Cotemporary?

6)Which Author would you like to spend time with?

7)If you were stuck on an island with which character would you like to be stuck?

8)Bad Boys or Good Guys?

9) Favourite quote?

10)What will you read next?

11) Are you addicted to blogging?

Florence

Author: Ciye Cho
Genre: Fantasy, Y.A
Age Group: teen+
Title: Florence
Expected publication date: July 1st

Blurb: Florence is seventeen and invisible, she has been for most of her life and she likes it that way. She isn't  popular and her clothes aren't in the latest fashions so being unnoticed is ideal. On a field trip to a small neighbouring island the unexpected happens and Florence is kidnapped by of all things a monstrous man with purple skin and yellow eyes. 

She finds herself in a world that differs a great deal from her own. delivered there to become a magical familiar for the heir to the throne. Niemela is this world under the sea and some how Florence must find a way to return to the surface.

My thoughts: First of all, I began to read the book at night while I was very tired. The opening was enough to keep me reading and then the adventure really began. I love books that have anything to do with the sea. As a girl who lives on one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean (Barbados for those of you who don't know) the sea has always been one of my favourite places.

The first thing I noticed was that the author had some knowledge of the sea, Some people attempt to write books about the sea when they have never ever seen it in person. You simply can't write about something you haven't seen no matter how much you've heard about it.

The Fantasy created by Ciye in this book is very different from most books I've read that contained mythical sea creatures. Oh don't get me wrong there pretty, but not in the way portrayed by most authors. All in all I really loved the story and I would recommend that anyone who is a lover of fantasy and adventure get a copy.

My Rating: 5/5

Now for your reading pleasure an Interview with Ciye Cho

Bajan Rosa: When the idea for Florence come to you?


Ciye: Almost a year ago. I thought it would be cool to write a book about merfolk. Something different and possibly unexpected. Something with multicolored merpeople as vivid as the corals in a reef. Something with living architecture and deep-sea volcanoes.


(really loved this concept!)


Bajan Rosa:  How old were you when you started writing the book and how old are you now?


Ciye: I was 25 when I started it. I'm now 26.


(A year wow! that's fast)

Bajan Rosa:  Was it hard to complete Florence?


Ciye: Yes and no. It was hard arranging all the details into a tidy package, but it was also fun taking an imaginary journey below the sea.

Bajan Rosa: What inspired the Characters, the Merpeople especially?


Ciye: I wanted the Niemelans to be a species ruled by purpose, order, and belonging. And with that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to have characters who weren't in sync with the rest of their kind. (For example, Yolee, who doesn't behave like her peers; Rolan, who keeps to himself; and Kiren, who has too many secrets to be an ordinary mer.)
As for Florence, I wanted to tell this story through the eyes of an outsider. I liked the idea that Florence is not only trying to escape... but also trying to discover where she belongs.

Bajan Rosa: Do you live close to the sea? Or did you do research and did this knowledge come in handy while you wrote your book?


Ciye: I live on the Gold Coast (in Australia), so the sea isn't that faraway. When I was a child, my parents brought me to Hamilton Island and I remember snorkeling there. The colors of the reef were dazzling! Like an underwater dream. So I guess those memories came in handy when I wrote "Florence."
However, I also watched a lot of documentaries (stuff like Blue Planet)... and of course, I read a lot of YA fiction.

If you would like to learn more about Cyie Cho you can find him on Goodreads, on his Website on Facebook or on Twitter. Cyie is also the author of  Shiewo: A Fantasy Flight to Adventure (Shiewo's Odyssey, #1)  Florence is Due out July 1st 2012

When the Silver Moons Rise (COVER REVEAL)

Greetings Lads and Ladies do I have some news for you!

Today, I'm hosting a cover reveal of the book, When the Silver Moon Rises by the author KaSonndra Leigh.

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy
Title: When Silver Moons Rise (The Lost Immortals Book #2) 

Author: KaSonndra Leigh
Expected Release Date: 11/2012

Synopsis: Facing an unstable future, Chela Prizeon leaves Castle Hayne and crosses over to enemy territory in pursuit of Faris--the boy of royal blood who is cursed by a bitter rival. But soon Chela learns that he has been taken deep into the treacherous frozen prisons--a majestic, but deadly place where people enter and are never seen again. To find the boy she loves and his lost sister, Chela must join forces with one of her greatest enemies. And even though she pulls strength from the good in her powers, she finds herself drawn to the dark side's temptation as well.


Narrated from both Chela's and Faris's point of view, this enchanting sequel to When Copper Suns Fall will take them on a voyage into unknown lands, where the dark, twisted, and revengeful wait to make this their most dangerous journey ever.

Excerpt:

Faris

The shackles tightened on my wrists and ankles, digging deep in my flesh. Dark magic eased its way through to my skin. I sucked my breath and held it, waiting for the fiery feeling to pass. Curse it. I could hardly move, let alone think. A small band of light eased in through the windows above me, giving the metal chamber a touch of softness.

"I ask you again, Faris Toulan. Is this girl worth your life? Your immortality? Or what's left of it anyway," Olivia hissed into my ear, a sneer on her face. I stayed silent, refusing to give in. She grasped my chin and forced me to look at her face.

I glanced deep in her empty eyes, and said: "Yes. Chela is everything to me. She’s all that you could never be. Your tricks can't remove what I feel for her."

Dark eyes glared at me. Her harsh laugh ripped through my soul. The kindness she showed me earlier disappeared at once. I didn't care. All I hoped for, all I ached for was a chance to see Chela again. I promised to return as the protector she needed me to be. I refused to go back as the thing she was cursed to destroy. That would only hurt her more than I had already done. I intended to keep my word.

"I do hope you understand what you've agreed to do," Olivia said in a low, but deadly voice, her breath on my ear, her cold fingers stroking my face. "By the time I’m done with you, there won't be any other name you'll call except mine. Because that's how long you'll beg for mercy."

She moved closer to my face and kissed my lips. I wanted to gag. Inside, I was already screaming. But her torture, or whatever she planned for me, was nothing compared to facing a life without Chela. By thinking of her face, her laugh, even the way she sometimes annoyed me, I could handle anything Olivia did.

Hell most definitely existed. I was about to experience it in full force.

And then I heard Chela call my name…

Chela

In my dream, I felt his suffering as if it were my own. Every burn, each tingle, the agonizing way he screamed from inside that awful dark chamber. Lying in my bed, I thought of the kiss we shared the last time I saw him. My eyes flew open as I grasped at the air around me, reaching for him, but finding emptiness instead. And then the tears fell, and kept falling.

My mind was shutting down one cell at a time. Even breathing took effort. It was as if my lungs were a balloon, and his breath was magical helium; something that only the luckiest girl could find…and lose.

"Faris." I called his name out loud, hoping with all my faith that he heard me. Was it possible for us to connect even with so much distance between us? I had to try. If he can hear me, then our link will pull him through whatever they were doing to him.

I can't just sit around and wait to hear news about his death. I had to do something.

"Chela. Can I come in?" My best friend, Alexa, stood in the doorway to my room. I didn't even hear her open it. She walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down. Her kind eyes filled me with warmth after so many cold nightmares had left me shivering.

"Baby, you've been in this room almost a week. Jalen and I miss you. Come back to us." She stroked my hair and laced her fingers with mine. Those small gestures were just enough to make me sit up and bury my face in her shoulders. "You got snot on my school uniform. Well, at least that's a start." I pulled back, glancing at Alexa's face as she studied her shirt. Looking up at me, she wrinkled her nose.

"Eew, gross," we both said at the same time. And then we both burst out laughing, covering our mouths as we giggled. She was right. Smiling was a good start. And then I heard a boy's voice speak in my mind.

"Chela, I heard you. By the lights, I heard you," Faris said.  

Meet The Author:

KaSonndra Leigh

Author Bio: KaSonndra Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now lives
in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to
write about people doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two
sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.She holds the MFA in creative writing, and loves to play CLUE,Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora's Box (good writer's block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies,Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass. You can find her on her  Website or on twitter  on Facebook or over at her Blog 

Keep your eyes open people this book will have  a full tour complete with Reviews and Giveaway's will take place soon. You can learn more about this author and this book at Reading Addiction Blog Tours where the tour will be posted when it is announced.

The Diamond Caper: A Wonder Filled Mystery

Author: Leah Pugh

Genre: Mystery

Age Group: All Ages

Title: The Diamond Caper

This Cover was Illustrated by the author's little sister  by hand!

Blurb: Crystal is a young girl, a bookworm, and someone with a need for mystery and adventure, unfortunately for her she and her Irish American family live in a small town. After years of reading her favourite novels and nagging  the local police officer for mysteries to solve she finally gets her chance. 

Her town is popular for its jewels especially a large uncut diamond that resides in a museum. Soon Crystal will find clues that will lead her into adventure she will not soon forget.

My Views: I loved this book, I really enjoyed the concept the humour and the characters it was a really fun read and it did not give me any headaches. I believe the author was only fifteen years old when she wrote the book, if I'm right she is exceptionally proficient with the art of creative writing.

There were small almost non-existent grammatical errors which I think could be irradiated with some more editing. Overall it was an entertaining read and I really liked it! Even though I think it could use a bit more polishing.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Leah is a new Author, and hasn't given me all of her social media information, however when I do get it I promise to update this post.

Guest Post: Christie L. Rich

Greetings Lads and Ladies, as I promised in my last post Ms. Christie Rich.

Hello Everyone!





I’d like to thank Rosa for inviting me to chat with you today. She asked that I share some thoughts about writing, and I am more than happy to do it.

Writing is, in a word, AMAZING. LOL. My writing journey started a few years ago. Make no mistake, I’ve always been creative. I’ve told stories to myself for entertainment all my life, especially on long trips and such. From an early age the magical took hold of me and never let go. I love to think about alternate worlds and how magic could affect us, if we had the ability.

A few years ago, I rediscovered my love for reading and devoured everything I could get my hands on. I loved books that incorporated the fantastical, and soon, an idea had formed in my mind. It was vague, but the spark had been planted. Soon, a little pixie, named Fexlie, popped into my head, and she intrigued me so much, I explored who she was on my commute to and from work every day. I was lucky enough to have a forty minute commute at the time, so I had plenty of time to daydream.

Pretty soon, Fexlie introduced me to the main character of, Five, the first book in my Elemental Enmity series. Some people have asked how I came up with the world in this series, and I have to say that it came from questioning other books I had read where fae (fairies) were always bad or in the very least, mischievous creatures who had no caring for how they affected those they interacted with. So I guess the real answer is that this particular world came from a question: What if the fae were misunderstood?

The story solidified and I wrote the first draft of this series. I hired an editor who made me understand that there was a lot more to the story than what my first draft showed.

I’m a Happily Ever After girl, so I think part of me knew the kind of struggles Rayla would have to face and went right to that HEA, yet once I was open to other things within the story, a floodgate opened and the TRUE story flowed out.

I was swept away with the complexity of the society and characters that showed themselves to me, and pretty soon, I had my second draft which came with a new name, Five. Five refers to many things within the story arch. There are five fae lords that want to bond with Rayla to claim her power. There are five fae houses that want that power to gain supremacy over the other houses. And there are five elements that Rayla can control. She is the only one that can manipulate all elements at once, which essentially makes her the only person on the planet that possesses true magic.
Rayla is a feisty girl who doesn’t want to be bossed around, and most of the story revolves around her struggles to keep her freedom while making the right choices for everyone involved. Rayla has to face her weaknesses and discover who she is before she can take her place as the new queen of the fae, but there are many forces trying to overtake her mind and with it, her power.

This has been such a fun experience for me, and I can’t see a day where I will ever want to stop writing. Where else would I be able to live a different life in a different world so fully?

Five and Dark Matter are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. Genesis, the third book in the series will be out in August. I don’t have a firm date yet, but hope to soon.



http://www.amazon.com/Five-Elemental-Enmity-ebook/dp/B005GVR4Y8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314302358&sr=1-1


http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Elemental-Enmity-ebook/dp/B006Q6HCM6/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2



I’d love to hear how you feel about writing and/or reading and how it has impacted your life in the comments below. I’d also love to hear from you at my blog http://christierich.blogspot.com/ or on twitterhttps://twitter.com/?iid=am-134278427213393445055871315&nid=23+recipient&uid=377500969&utm_content=profile#!/authorchristier


Thanks so much for having me today, Rosa! Happy reading everyone!

Hugs,
Christie

Dark Matter Doubly Good (Upcoming Fun)

Author: Christie L. Rich
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance YA
Age group: Teen
Title: Dark Matter(#2 Elemental Emnity)

Blurb: Rayla's new life isn't turning out like she planned it to when she left for College that day. Now she is in the magical fae realm of Faeresia and must make a choice about who she would be bound to. Unfortunately for her her heart is split between two different guys.

On top of that, the man candy just keeps coming and soon she finds a piece she can not resist. Who will Rayla chose and how will it affect her life... oop interestingly mysterious ain't it

Ehemmmmmm. Ladies and Lads may I have your attention please. I have decided not to review this book\, I will only tell you that I enjoyed it very much and so will you! Now on to the Nitty gritty, Today I want to do something different for you guys.


If you have read the prequel to this book good for you! If not you must!!! Check out my review of the first book HERE. I have read both books and enjoyed them very much however I cannot see myself reviewing this book the way I want to without SPOILERS so I am not telling you a thing :P. If you are curious to see what happens to Rayla you can find the link to Amazon in the top widget. To get five there is an Amazon link in the bottom widget as well.

NOW Finally The Big News

Christie L. Rich has agreed to do a guest post here on my bolg, She'll be telling us a bit about her writing journey, and writing in general!
Lads and Ladies, you can expect the post sometime this week until then please be sure to spread the word!!!!

-Rosa 

Xxx

PS: My rating 5 Roses!

Perils Of The Newbie Blogger FOLLOWERS(#4 I think)

Hey! I haven't blogged for three days. :O

Followers Lolz

Greetings Lads and Ladies, I trust you've been having a wonderful week so far. I have been having an interesting on my self. I have discovered wonderful books and wonderful people and I have to say I am so very  happy about it. Today I want to talk about followers! yes I'm sure you all guessed as much. 

 

One thing that newbie bloggers need these days are followers, how else will people know that we are out there?  When I first started my blog last year, I had just finished watching a film that featured a lady who just wrote a blog and bam!! She had lots of followers. I soon figured out that no, it doesn't work that way in real life. For months my blog had two followers and both of them found me through my Goodreads page!

For newbie bloggers it can be discouraging not to see more followers when you check, and for me it was doubly so after the little incident I mentioned in my prior post. When I started to blog again Google was my friend. I Googled things like "book blog groups" and "I need more followers"  and things of that sort. 

I came across several different forums, to name a few, Making Connections group on Goodreads, Blog Lift group on Goodreads. Bookblogs.ning and just recently Bologaholic! If you are interested in joining you can find the buttons in the sidebar. Since then I can proudly say that I have a fair amount of followers on my blog and I hope to attract many more.

Now if you are a blogger,  you know that followers are only one slice out of the publicity cake, things like traffic will concern you as well. The internet is a huge place and let me tell you, you are reminded everyday how unimportant your blog is when you see the vastness that is the internet. 

Just recently a friend suggested that I see what my Google ranking is for my blog. Yip 0 zip nada ziltch. I was a little downed by that really nobody wants to be rated 0 in anything where a higher number is ideal. It made me feel bad, that is until I logged on to my blog and saw that the number of readers following my feed had grown from 46 to 76 overnight!

In my country most people are not as interested in books as I am. Yes they are some but I am somewhat of a junkie. I read everyday no exaggeration and those times when I couldn't afford books I went in search of free ones. I found the site Feedbooks where you can download free ebooks form authors. I'll tell you about what I discoverd there in a different post.So yes not many people from Barbados are into books like I am but I'm hoping to change that.

Now I have said that I can say this, If you are a newbie blogger and you want more followers, they are multitudes of people just like you all over the internet from countries all across this world. They want followers too, some of them will become your friends, some of them will not but most of them will follow you just so you will follow back!

Here is a tip, to those who have probably lost followers or your traffic has been low. If you don't post your readers have nothing to read. Imagine that  you are watching a film then all of  a sudden without warning it cuts off. That is how your readers feel when you don't post! 

Ahh I just love this!!!! Okay guys I'll say this as many times as necessary FOLLOW ME AND NOT ONLY WILL I  FOLLOW BACK, I'LL SPREAD THE WORD!!!. 

Thanks to all of my followers and readers you guys make me feel so special! 

-Rosa

Xxx

The Dilemma Of The Book Reviewer (Soft Heart? I Haz One!)

Soft Heart? I Have Haz One!

Greetings, please take note of the above picture. Do you know what it is? If you guessed a soft heart then you are correct! Now why am I showing you a picture of a soft heart you ask? Well because I haz one :D. I've been told I have a soft heart when it comes to reviews :) I really would argue with that but it is true.

I love to read, it is a passion of mine. Here on my blog I write honest yet uplifting reviews. I always mention what I don't like but I always spend extra time going over a book to find the good parts!

A lot of reviewers especially those who are in direct contact with the author, may have a problem where they like the author but hate the book. Yes I have been there, I had a very bad experience  some time ago with a review I had given to a book. Said book was not good at all, but I did mention that I liked the setting and  the emotions that the character portrayed in a certain scene where there was a very crude incident.

I went on further to say, that this certain book was not something I would suggest one would read if one has an aversion to violence (sexual and domestic) and bad language.....I posted this review and sent the link to the author....this person read my review and then with more finesse than was used in the entire book, they insulted my education my ethnicity and my country. (which thank you very much I am proud of!)

Well I did not reply because Ladies and Lads, I would never stoop that low. However the review I so kindly  gave four out of five to, when it deserved only one out of five, was removed from my meagre little blog (at that time only two followers, and I was still proud!) and it turned me off so much that this cookie did not post another review until just recently.

I say all of that to say this. If you are an author, please take the advice of some of the authors I've interviewed here on my blog, and take criticism with grace. Honestly some of the worlds most famous authors have been criticised and they have the grace to accept, that not everyone will swoon over there book. I will not take insults from you because I don't like your book and neither will any other serious reviewer.

This however is no excuse for a reviewer to bash a book, if a book was bad, say that it was and give your reason. There is no need to be overly insulting, and make statements about the authors personality.

I love this industry and someday I hope to be an author, I want people to read my book and give an honest review soft hearted or not. If you hate it yes it will hurt, but if I get pointers on things I could improve, I will be much better off for it.

So Ladies and Lads whoever you may be, author reviewer or reader in general. Feel free to express your self, your opinions and anything you feel passionate about, but for the sake of peace keep the animosity and hate out of it.

-Rosa

XxxXxxx

Speed Reading and The Obsidian Effect #2

Good Sunday to you all

So recently I've noticed that people are saying I am a fast reader, I'd like to think so. However I am no super reader with eyes that can scan a page once and know exactly what it says, I suppose that yes I do read really fast . Most of the time though when I finish a book extremely fast it is because I use my trusty text-to-speech programme on my computer to read it to me, cheating maybe but the important thing is I can do other things while listening that is why I  love audio-books.  Anywhos the picture over there <<<<< is showing us a diagram of what happens when we read. The traditional channels have a limit while speed reading can go at any pace. I think it would be fair to say that most of us are speed readers don't you. I hope you enjoyed that bit of umm science, don't worry I don't intend to do it often.

Now to what you have probably read this to begin with. The Obsidian Effect,my first two chapters into it and I have to say I'm liking it so far. Although I haven't gotten pass the fact that they are not one but two truly hot alien twins ,I am enjoying the content too. Anyway it is Sunday and I must bid you all good morrow as I am expected elsewhere this morn. Talk to you all later!

-Rosa
Xxx

Thumbs up for Freak

Author: E.K Henry
Genre: YA Paranormal, Romance
Age Group: 14 +
Title: Freak

Blurb: Juniper Rayne is considered a freak, not because of the way she acts, not because of her interests and not because of her attitude. No Juniper is seen as a 'Freak' because she is human. In a world ruled and dominated by vampires she is one of the few who still live and breath and have blood flowing through their veins. She and her family are treated like cattle and there is nothing she can do about it.

When the Vampires decide that a reality show featuring humans is a good Idea Juniper's parents jump at the chance to be included. This is Junipers worst nightmare, now she is at the centre of vampire ridicule and she's not sure if she can take it. The bullying at school escalates and so does the intrusion of the cameras. After an incident at lunch, Juniper is empowered to regain control or die trying.

My Views: First of all I would like to say thanks to E.K. Henry for giving me the opportunity to review her book. Okay so I like the book, it isn't the best book ever but it is one I am very impressed with. The concept is one that draws you in as well as the setting. Some may find the main character a tad whiny in the beginning, however as the story progresses she becomes a lot stronger.The book stirs the emotion, at one point I was angry at Juniper her parents and her friends all at the same time. 

I always love a little romance with my paranormal and E.K does not disappoint in this at all. I think it would be too much of a spoiler to tell you about Juniper's love interest so you will just have to read and find out! The villain was the director of the reality show (more the vampire government in general) but that fact tickled me a bit.

My Recommendation: If you are looking for a read, where the characters will surprise you and the story take you in this is a story for you. If you are not a patient reader, This book is not for you, unless you really really try your best to stick with it.

Rosa's Rating:  4/5 Good!

Now Ladies and Lads  here is an interview with the author!

Author Interview

E.K Henry

Bajan Rosa: First I must say the Cover is fantastic who designed it?


E.K: Thank you so much for the cover love. I actually designed it myself. The original cover photo was taken by a wonderful photographer named Felicia Simion and then created it into what is now the cover of Freak. The original photo was black and white. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it for my cover. You can see the original photo at http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=all+roads+lead+home#/d4b01th and you can see an interview that I did with Felicia at http://www.ekhenry.com/2012/05/interview-with-photographer-felicia.html

Bajan Rosa: What inspired Juniper's character?
E.K. :Juniper is a recreation of how I would want to be if I was the one in the actual story. She is shy, misunderstood, and feels alone, but grows into a complex individual. She learns to take up for herself, and in essence tries to change the world.
Her name actually came to me one night when I was driving down the road. I was listening to my favorite radio station when a girl named Juniper called in to participate in a contest. I instantly fell in love with the name and knew my next MC was going to be named it.
Was it fun to create the world the story is set in?
It was a lot of fun to create this world. I've always been fascinated with communistic governments and vampires, so it was neat to see them come together.

Bajan Rosa: Are you fond of any of the characters?
E.K:Aside from Juniper, I have to say that Rouge is my next favorite character. She is a badass heroine who takes charge and isn't afraid to shed some vampire blood.

What inspires you most in life?E.K: I have to say my three year old does. He has an imagination that astounds me. He is going to be quite the writer one day. We have spent countless hours telling each other stories that we create
.
Can we expect a sequel any time soon?E.K: I am currently working on a sequel to Freak. I am hoping to have it ready to go by summer 2013.




I hope you guys enjoyed that, now for the info!

 Author Bio

E.K. is the The  new and upcoming author of the book Freak.  You can find her on her website, Or on twitter here, Barnes & Noble here, and for Amazon you can either go to the top bar of this page and check out June's featured books, or, you can go here.

Here a chance to win big! ebooks and bookmarks from the author in this Giveaway!

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