Blog Tour: Avalon by Mindee Arnett

It is a well-known fact that I adore AVALON by Mindee Arnett. I am also a huge music fan, so I asked Mindee what songs inspired this brilliant book and she compiled a soundtrack, complete with YouTube links, for me.

Avalon: The Soundtrack of Space

     Babel by Mumford & Sons. (http://www.amazon.com/Babel/dp/B0099G7LWG/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389622803&sr=1-1&keywords=Babel+by+mumford+and+sons ). This song represents Jeth. It has from the very first time I heard it. It captures his defiant, tear-down-the-powers-that-oppress-me attitude.

     Beast by Nico Vega.  (http://www.amazon.com/Beast/dp/B00B6N204E/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389622860&sr=1-1&keywords=Beast+by+Nico+Vega) Similar to Babel, this song captures the crew’s rebellious attitude, especially toward their crime lord employer.

     The Gambler by Kenny Rogers. (http://www.amazon.com/The-Gambler/dp/B000TE38VA/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389622907&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Gambler+by+Kenny+Rogers )Yes, I realize this is old school. Waaay old school. But it’s a necessary shout out. So much of Avalon is about gambling, not in a gaming sense, but in a life-and-death sense. The song’s appropriate. Plus, it’s timeless.

     Blaze of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi. (http://www.amazon.com/Blaze-Of-Glory-Album-Version/dp/B000V62V9G/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389623001&sr=1-1&keywords=Blaze+of+Glory+by+Jon+Bon+Jovi) Again, old school. But still classic. And the song captures the outlaw feel of Avalon.

     Free by Zac Brown Band. (http://www.amazon.com/Free/dp/B001KW1O0W/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389623089&sr=1-1&keywords=Free+by+Zac+Brown+Band) This is Jeth’s dream song. It captures all that he wants out of life—to be free to do what he wants, go where he wants, and to have no one to answer to. Just replace “van” with “Avalon” and you’ve got it.

     Broken Crown by Mumford & Sons. (http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Crown/dp/B0099G8562/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389623197&sr=1-1&keywords=Broken+Crown+by+Mumford+%26+Sons) This song captures Jeth’s complicated relationship to his parents’ legacy. I don’t want to say too much because of spoilers, but the sense of wanting to deny a heritage is pretty clear here, I think.

     Mr. Golden Deal by Tonic. (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Golden-Deal/dp/B001NZGV18/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389623357&sr=1-1&keywords=Mr.+Golden+Deal+by+Tonic) This song contains a lot of metaphors about the sea and sailing, which can easily be representative of space. Its mournful sound just fits certain parts of the book. Plus, it’s one of my favorite songs of all-time.

     The Downeaster “Alexa” by Billy Joel. (http://www.amazon.com/The-Downeaster-Alexa/dp/B00136LIGA/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389623712&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Downeaster+%22Alexa%22) This one just really continues that theme of the sea. Also, it reminds me of the way Jeth loves Avalon and how much he wants the ship to be fully his in every sense of the word.

     Little Talks by Of Monster and Men. (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Talks/dp/B007QVLMR6/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389624527&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Little+talks+by+Of+Monters+and+Men) This one too has that “sea” feel to it, which puts me in mind of Avalon.

     Into the Mystic by Van Morrison. (http://www.amazon.com/Into-The-Mystic/dp/B00FR0MPWO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1389624997&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Into+the+mystc+by+Van+morrison) I’m not going to say anything at all about this song except that it’s a little bit of a teaser for the Avalon sequel. Make of it what you will.

Thanks for the chance to share the music of Avalon!

Title: AVALON

Author: Mindee Arnett

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 432

Pub. Date: January 21, 2014

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

About Mindee:

Mindee Arnett lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an inappropriate number of cats. She’s addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space. She has far more dreams than nightmares.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

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Week One:

1/13/2014- IceyBooks- Interview

1/14/2014- Word Spelunking- Guest Post

1/15/2014- Fantasy Book Addict- Interview

1/16/2014- Falling For YA- Review

1/17/2014- Whimsically Yours- Review

Week Two:

1/20/2014- Such a Novel Idea- Review

1/21/2014- The Eater of Books!- Interview

1/22/2014- Bewitched Bookworms- Guest Post

1/23/2014- Nerdophiles-Review

1/24/2014- The Irish Banana Review- Guest Post

10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Blogging

10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Blogging

1. Who Am I?

I’ve said this frequently, but it bears repeated repeating: One of the best decisions I made before I started blogging was to figure out my blog name and not just that, but research it extensively. I went through dozens of possible names before I hit The Irish Banana Review.

Go for original – I still get people who message, tweet, email me about how much they love the originality of my blog name. It stands out in a sea of Readings, Shelves, Books, etc. I've seen a lot of people decide later on to change their blog name, but by then they've picked a site name and gone with it for so long that it's like starting over and rebranding yourself. I knew I didn't want to do that, so I planned and plotted my blog for a month before I actually went live.

The one thing I didn’t do was figure out my style. The way I wanted the blog to look, the colors I wanted people to associate with me. I wish I had taken as much time to plan all of that as I did my name. I adore my current layout, and this is what I want people to associate me with. I even have business cards to match. Originally I had a couple cheap boxes of Vistaprint cards that kinda sorta matched my old layout.

This is much cleaner and more professional.

2. Social Media Isn’t Optional

So before I started blogging I had a personal Facebook account, MySpace page with 2 entries and a LiveJournal I lived at like it was going out of style. Which, OK, it was. I didn’t have a Pinterest or Twitter or Instagram ... None of it. I knew the first thing I needed was a Twitter account and I quickly made one.

Where I dropped the ball was making a Facebook page. I didn't do this until I had been blogging for well over a year and I feel like those stats never quite matched the ones on my blog and twitter feed because those two had almost a twenty month jump on the Facebook page.

3. It’s More Work Than a Full Time Job

Yes, blogging is my hobby, but it's so much more than that. Factor in the hours spent reading, the time writing a review that doesn't make you sound like a five year old who can't use their words, trying to come up with some original content, signing up for blog tours, tweeting about new posts, commenting on other blogger's posts, emailing publicists, going to signings and events...

And let's not forget scheduling and creating these posts. I would like to say it's smooth sailing, but I swear Blogger has a time of the month where it gets all PMS-y and refuses to do anything. I wish I would have known the time commitment going in. I love what I do, but it does suck up a lot of time.

I was talking to someone a few weeks ago about ways to improve stats and followers and she said something to the effect of I "make it look easy."

It's not easy. I've earned every follower. Every comment, every like. I have worked my butt off to get to where I am and I'm still working.

4. Find Your Voice

Go look at some of my reviews from when I first started blogging. Go on. I can wait a second.

Are you cringing yet?

I read those and wonder, "Who is that girl?!" Because that girl isn't me. For some reason I thought I had to write these brilliant, objective, insightful posts that made me a "serious" blogger.

I finally got sick of trying to sound mature and responsible when sometimes I girl just needs to flail about over an awesome book. So I started changing the tone of my reviews. I made them sound like me. My reviews are written as if I was sitting in front of you, verbally telling you what I thought. That works best for me. It made everything feel more natural and flow better.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong or bad about an objective, well-written review. I'm just saying that this is my blog and I'm going to write how I want. And you should, too.

5. ARC = Another Reading Commitment

Oh, the ARC. That magical, beautiful book that makes bloggers feel so validated. And so overwhelmed.

I used to just request book after book, both digital and physical. Most of the time I didn't get them, but then, after a few years and working with the same publicists and publishers, I actually started getting more and more books. And then this fantabulous thing called "BEA" happened and I got more. And then publishers sent me more. Sometimes I didn't even have to request a book--it just showed up! My mailbox was getting more action than Ana Steele.

And then I realized, "Holy crap ... I actually have to read and review 150 books in 6
months."

There's no way. There isn't. Unless I quit my job, forget my family and friends. And showering and sleeping. I worked myself into a hole because I forgot that ARCs weren't pretty little jewels I could show off on twitter and facebook ... these were actually books that had actual people expecting actual reviews.

I've become much more selective now, but I still get a little click happy on NetGalley and Edelweiss. Which I still pay for. Bottom line is, I wish I had been more realistic about what I could read and review instead of being so greedy.

6. Hoarders: Extreme Book Edition

I re-read books. Yes, I'm one of those people. I love reliving my favorite romances, fights, drama, worlds ... All of it.

So obviously I keep a lot of books. Which is cool ... If you own a library. But when you have 6 under the bed boxes of books, two massive book shelves, the top of shelf of your closet and even your dresser full of book (let's not even mention those 3 boxes chillin' in the basement), it goes from being fun to a hassle.

I wish I had been more diligent about the books I was bringing in and buying and saving. Because now I'm faced with a Herculean task of clearing out a good amount of books. And these things weigh a lot.

7. Exhaustion Guaranteed

I just got done a 10 hour work day, have been up since before 6 am and have been sitting here writing this post for over an hour when all I want to do is curl up in bed and watch TV on my DVR. And this is a good day for me.

Blogging is fun, but it is also one of the most tiring endeavors.

8. Green-Eyed Monsters Abound

I guarantee that when I mentioned getting ARCs above, someone gritted their teeth and hissed. Was it you? It's cool.

Blogger jealousy is a very real thing. It's why I stopped doing the In My Mailbox/Stacking the Shelves posts. I had to avoid blogs on Sunday because I would see bloggers who got books I craved like oxygen (and I'm an asthmatic, so I know all about craving air, mmmkay?) and it would make me so bitter and jealous. It still happens when a friend gets a book I wanted, or gets to hang out with an author I want to meet.

We all go through it. Every single blogger is jealous of someone else and those who say they aren't are flat out lying. It may not be the same level of intensity as my jealous--we all know I have issues--but the jealousy is there and I have seen it erode and destroy a lot of bloggers. I got caught up in that for years, constantly seeing these posts that made me constantly wonder what I was doing wrong and how could I always be better.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to be better, but it's wrong when you get angry about it. And I was fast hitting bitter shrew territory, so I cut myself off.

9. More Drama Than High School & Middle School Combined

I really just don't even know if I need to expound on that any more. But I will.

I've been blogging for nearly 3 years now and I have seen to ridiculous, knock-down, drag out fights on twitter that would make Muhammed Ali step out of the ring. I have seen author on reviewer fights that exploded Goodreads, insults hurled, people ripped to shreds and more stones thrown than I can count. Sometimes it's amusing, but more often than not it's frustrating and childish. And needs to stop.

When I started blogging I was told that bloggers were an open, accepting community and those of us who have been blogging for more than a week know the total BS of the statement.

Yeah. I totally just admitted that blogging makes Mean Girls look like The Sound of Music. There are a ridiculous amount of cliques and groups in blogging. Inner circles and groups of friends that are not accepting new members, so don't even apply or you'll be met with blank stares. I truly thought if I was me--happy, bubbly, energetic me--that people would like me.

But this isn't kindergarten. There isn't a teacher that will make us give out Valentine's to everyone like we're all besties. I spent the better part of a year trying to find my niche in this world. And then ... I did.

10. The Truth About BFFs (Book Friends Forever)

A lot of what I've said sounds like so much gloom and doom. Like blogging is a bitch, so why bother?

Because aside from the books and the authors and the amazing conferences and signings I've been able to go to, I have truly met some of my best friends. People that I would not know had I never put up that first post nearly 3 long years ago.

Blogging is a crazy, often time hellish roller coaster without a safety strap, but then one day you look around and realize that all your friends are right there with you, keeping you going when you just want to curl up and go to sleep watching the DVR, believing in you when you can't.

All the heartache and heartburn I've suffered from blogging is completely worth it every time my phone lights up with a text or phone call from these people. You guys know who you are, and I hope you know how much I love each of you.

ARC Essentials with Simon & Schuster

First off, so sorry for the delay, guys! I took a bit of a break for the holidays and to recoup, but we're back with this feature everyone seems to love!

ARC Essentials is a feature here on the blog where I have interviewed several publishers about the process for requesting review copies and then what to do once your review is written and posted. Each publisher has their own way of handling things, so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

Today we have:

1. What should I include when asking for a review copy (Page view stats? Follower count? All social media accounts)?

Yes, please include a link to the blog, page view stats, follower count, and all your social media accounts.

2. How long should I be blogging before I ask for a review copy?

It doesn’t matter how old the blog is as long as the content is geared toward the appropriate audience for our books.

3. Who should I contact about receiving review copies?

Please e-mail the children’s publicity inbox (ChildrensPublicity@simonandschuster.com)and each request will be forwarded to the appropriate publicist for the titles requested.

4. Should I email an author about obtaining a review copy and have them forward my request onto their publicist?

No, please e-mail us directly for requests as that will expedite the process.

5. Do you expect me to review books I never requested, such as an ARC or finished copy I was sent but never asked for?

We would appreciate if you review such books but it is not expected.

6. When is the best time to post a review?

The ideal time is at least a month before publication and in the weeks leading up to publication. But any time after that is fine if you still would like to.

7. Where can I send in review links?

Please send review links to ChildrensPublicity@simonandschuster.com

8. Do you want to see all reviews I’ve done—positive and negative?

Yes, we would like to see all of them.

9. Am I more likely to get approved if I request an eARC of a book instead of a physical copy?

Yes.

10. When is the best time to request a book or be asked to be put on a list to receive a review copy?

Any time is fine to request it, but please note that review copies are sometimes not available until a few months before publication and we have them in limited quantities.

11. Do you have a catalog mailing list for bloggers that I can request to be a part of?

Yes, we have a digital catalog link you can use to browse. Please feel free to request it at any time and we can send you the link.

12. If I want to interview an author or ask them to write a guest post for my blog, is it best to contact the author directly?

If you have an established relationship with the author, please feel free to contact them directly, though it would be helpful for us if you CC the children’s publicity inbox (ChildrensPublicity@simonandschuster.com) Otherwise, please contact that e-mail address with your request for interviews with specific authors and we will handle.

13. Anything else you would like to add that you think bloggers should/need to know?

Please note that review copies are intended for review only and should not be resold. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Lonesome Young

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly waiting to get into our hands.


This week I'm waiting on....

The Lonesome Young

By: Lucy Connors

Summary:

Get swept away in the first book of the sensational romantic drama that is Romeo & Juliet meets Justified.

WHAT HAPPENS when the teenage heirs of two bitterly FEUDING FAMILIES can’t stay away from each other?

The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been sworn enemies for close on a hundred years, with a whole slew of adulterous affairs, financial backstabbing, and blackmailing that’s escalated the rivalry to its current state of tense ceasefire.

IT’S TIME TO LIGHT THE FUSE . . .

And now a meth lab explosion in rural Whitfield County is set to reignite the feud more viciously than ever before. Especially when the toxic fire that results throws together two unlikely spectators—proper good girl Victoria Whitfield, exiled from boarding school after her father’s real estate business melts down in disgrace, and town motorcycle rebel Mickey Rhodale, too late as always to thwart his older brothers’ dangerous drug deals.

Victoria and Mickey are about to find out the most passionate romances are the forbidden ones.

. . . ON A POWDER KEG FULL OF PENT-UP DESIRE, risk-taking daredevilry, and the desperate actions that erupt when a generation of teens inherits nothing but hate.

The Lonesome Young will be released on April 8, 2014 by Razorbill

Book Blitz: Afterparty by Ann Stampler

So, Ann, are you a night owl? Or an early bird?

"I am, by nature, a night owl.  Verging on nocturnal, in fact.  But I was beaten into submission by the fact that my children had to be fed breakfast and gotten to school at an ungodly hour.  And after years of this – and years of getting up even earlier than my children so I could write in a quiet house – my body has been trained in the ways of the early bird."

About AFTERPARTY:A toxic friendship takes a dangerous turn in this riveting novel from the author of Where It Began.

Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother—whose name her dad won’t even say out loud. That’s why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her…and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she’s everything Emma isn’t.

And it may be more than Emma can handle.

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It’s more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, a bash where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop...

Buy Links:

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1442423242/simonsayscom

B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/afterparty-ann-redisch-stampler/1112033708?ean=9781442423244&itm=1&usri=9781442423244&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-PwUJvmDcu1U-_-10:1&r=1,%201

Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Afterparty-Ann-Redisch-Stampler/9781442423244

Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781442423244

About Ann Stampler:Ann Stampler was the mild mannered author of literary picture books when she broke out, tore off her tasteful string of pearls, and started writing edgy, contemporary young adult novels set in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and writer’s-helper rescue dog – without whose compelling distraction she would have no doubt penned dozens of novels by now.

Social media links:

Twitter: @annstampler

Facebook: www.facebook.com/whereitbegan )

The writing life blog: www.annstampler.com/ya

Novel in the Oven: Really Bad Writing Advice (among other things): www.annstampler.blogspot.com

Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15751652-afterparty

Author on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4949584.Ann_Redisch_Stampler

Tumblr/Pinterest/Etc:

http://www.pinterest.com/annstampler/boards/

The LINK to the first three chapters of AFTERPARTY by Ann Stampler: http://www.scribd.com/doc/183272047/Afterparty-by-Ann-Redisch-Stampler-Excerpt

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The Marked Men by Jay Crownover Mini Reviews

I've never done mini reviews before, but it's also been awhile since I binge-read an entire series in a weekend. So, here's my reviews of the 3 first Marked Men books by the amazing Jay Crownover:

Title: Rule

Author: Jay Crownover

Publisher: Jay Crownover Books

Publication Date: 12.30.2012

Pages: 327

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Series: Marked Men #1

Source: Purchased ebook

Rating: B

Summary (from Goodreads):

Opposites in every way . . . except the one that matters 

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight--A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want--and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.

Review:

I started reading this book for the first time when it came out. I was immediately annoyed as crap with Rule. After some gentle shoving from another blogger friend who assured me it got better, I decided to give it another go. I was totally stunned by how quickly and hard I fell in love with this story.

Yes, Rule is very antagonistic, but his loyalty and passion is what pulled me--and Shaw--in. And Shaw? She's just all sorts of sweet and awesome. These two balanced one another perfectly! This is a fantastic start to Jay Crownover's Marked Men series. She gives you a great glimpse into these guys and how tight their bond is as friends and family. I can't wait for each to get his story and time in the spotlight.

Buy: Amazon

Title: Jet

Author: Jay Crownover

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publication Date: 5.28.2013

Pages: 416

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Series: Marked Men #2

Source: eARC from publisher

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.

Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?

Review:

I think this is my favorite of the three Marked Men books so far. I just love Jet. And Ayden. They have this combustible relationship that simply leaps off the page. It gave me shivers in all the right ways as a reader. Tight pants on a guy aren't usually my thing, but Jet totally sold them. I loved his rocker with a heart of gold mentality, and Ayden is this beautifully broken girl who is trying to build a better life for herself.

While some of the drama does get a little over the top at times, Jay Crownover has this fantastic voice that will make me follow her anywhere. This is the definition of a new adult book to me - two people taking on adult responsibilities and relationships for the first time.

Buy: Amazon

Title: Rome

Author: Jay Crownover

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publication Date: 1.7.2013

Pages: 384

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Series: Marked Men #3

Source: eARC from publisher

Rating: B-

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

Review:

This felt like a little bit of a pull-away from the other books in the series. Don't get me wrong--Rome and Cora definitely have a swoony, hot romance, but I just didn't feel the same chemistry between them that I felt in the past books. Maybe I burned myself out by binging on all this hotness at once?

Cora is definitely harder to get a handle on than other leading ladies in this series. She's rough, brassy, and argumentative, and I wanted to slap her with all her "perfect guy" talk, but Rome and his amazingness made up for it. I still don't think Cora deserves Rome, but maybe that's because I want Rome?

Rome is a trouble war hero that dug his way under my skin and firmly into my heart. I hope I get a chance to see how his relationship with Cora keeps moving in flashes during other books.

Buy: Amazon

Tweetiquette for Book Bloggers 101

All right, guys, let's talk about Tweetiquette, better known as Twitter Etiquette. I may not be the most active twitter person (tweeter? What's the proper word here?), nor do I boast huge amounts of followers, but I am shocked, disappointed, and floored routinely at the total lack of respect and manners that are all over Twitter anymore.

I think that the anonymity of the internet has bled over into this fun social media site, but you need to stop and think that there is a real person on tacked on to the end of that @ symbol. It can be an author, and agent, another blogger, a publisher ... the list goes on. Being snarky and sassy may seem cute and witty in your head, but real feelings can get hurt and it can also affect your blog and your credibility.

1. Don't Beg

Possibly the #1 faux paus of Twitter is following someone and then immediately messaging them and saying something like: "Hey! I just followed you! Follow me back!"

Just, no. Slow your roll, Skippy, and take a breath. There is no tit-for-tat when it comes to followers and no obligations to follow anyone. Blowing up someone's feed to follow you is just silly. This is especially true of authors and publishers.

SCREAMING IN ALL CAPS THAT YOU ARE THEIR #1 FAN 4EVA is not gonna win you any brownie points. Constantly harassing, bugging and begging for them to follow you generally makes them want to do the opposite. Getting offended when someone doesn't follow you back also makes you seem like a sore loser. And possibly psychotic. Maybe both.

2. The All-Important Pic

I get not wanting to put your pretty face out there on the internet. Truly, I do. You're talking to the girl who came up with a fake name as a teen to match a user name she used all across the internet for over a decade because I heard all those horror stories of people being stalked, kidnapped and turned into wind chimes online.

That, and I didn't want my family and friends knowing I wrote some smutty fan fiction. But that's a story for another day.

Whatever your reasons I understand it, but please know that if you meet some authors, bloggers, etc. in real life at signings or book events (BEA, ALA, or another conference), you cannot get offended if we need to you pull up your twitter account so we can see that icon pic you've been using to place you. Same thing if you keep your name off the online world or use a different name.

I associate people I talk to on Twitter by their handle, this is especially true if their name is only listed as their blog name and they have a picture of their favorite book as their profile picture.

3. Fun with # and RT

Congratulations on those fifty-three giveaways you entered in the last hour! But did you really need to clog up my feed tweeting about them all?

The same is also true of retweeting (RTs). While I know some things just begged to be retweeted--funny quotes, puppy pictures, and things that sum up exactly how I feel--it's still good to come up with your own tweets. If I follow you, I want to know more about you. I'm assuming you're following me for the same reason.

Or you just need someone who does routinely ridiculous and idiotic things that make you feel better about yourself. I'm totally OK with either reason.

But you can't expect people to want to follow you if all you're doing is regurgitating already posted info.

4. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme More

This is possibly the biggest no-no I can think of when it comes to twitter (or emailing/messaging someone), and I cannot believe it even needs to be addressed, but it is happening all the time, not just to me, but also to other bloggers and authors I'm friends with.

It is not OK to tweet at someone and ask for something unless you know them and have that kind of relationship. Let me explain:

I've been blogging for nearly three years. While I don't consider myself even close to one of the best blogs/bloggers, I do all right. I have a solid number of followers and page views and I've worked on establishing and maintaining relationships with authors and publishers. I went through the steps and the paces every newbie bloggers goes through of being shot down repeatedly for ARC requests and blog tours, of being ignored and passed over when mailing lists and invites went out. But I have been to conferences and signings and spent countless hours emailing, posting, tweeting, and creating unique features on my blog that helped me get to where I am.

So when I get an emailed from someone who has had a blog for all of three weeks with a whopping post count of four, begging me for publicists' email addresses so they can request books, I get a little annoyed. More than a little. I am all for helping people, but I'm not going to hand you blogging on a silver platter.

I also have a friend who, in order to protect the innocent, I'll call Brownie Batter Betty. Now B3 is an awesome friend of mine and a phenomenal baker, who bestows baked goods on a lot of authors she meets. In fact, she's kinda infamous for it. Even has her own business. She's been a blogger about as long as I have and has consequently become a darling in the blogging world with bloggers and authors alike - rightfully so, I may add. That being said, she's also become friends with a few big name authors which is very cool and very enviable, but I was left utterly astonished when she told me she regularly gets messages on Twitter asking her for these author's personal info. Apparently it's just assumed she has it since she's been in a picture or twenty with them.

How in the world is this OK? And did you really think Betty would say yes?

5. Snark, Slams, and Stupidity

Wanna know a secret? I love snark. I love the sass and the sarcasm and the smirks that go along with it. But there's also a time and place for it, and Twitter ain't always that place, folks.

You will inevitably come across a book that you just hate. Yes, hate. It will rub you like a bar of sandpaper in an acid shower and leave you feeling gross, repulsed, and chaffed. It's the reality of book blogging. Sadly you won't love every book.

That being said, blasting the author and their work publicly on Twitter might sound funny in your head, but remember that there is still a real person on the other end of your attack. A person who has feelings that can get trampled and crushed all so you could illicit a couple of smiles and giggles from people you've never met on the other side of a computer screen.

Bravo. Way to improve the world.

You wrote a scathing review on your blog about a book that you didn't like at all. That's fine. I'm not saying you can't write that review, but do you really need to tweet the author in your link? Do you really need to hold them down, cut them open and pour lemon juice on them? Does that really make you feel like a legit blogger?

It makes you sound like a legit tool.

6. You Get What You Give

Sometimes I wonder if there's any reason to write a post like this other than to make myself feel better. I think some people will read this and maybe do some internal flinching and realize maybe they should have been a little kinder. Some will realize they've acted like a fool and strive to better themselves.

But most will shrug it off and say whatever because at the end of the day, this is a generic social media site that really holds no user accountable. You can spew your venom and hate and retweets until your heart's content and no one can really do anything to stop you.

But as book bloggers, that's not entirely true. You have an entire blogging community watching you. You will have publishers who won't want to work with you and authors who will learn to ignore you. And you have no one to blame but yourself when people call you on your BS.

If there's one thing I've learned about the internet it's that people love a good cat fight and have no problem throwing back what you dish out.