Blogger Resolutions and New Posts for 2015

Once again, the year has seemingly dragged on and flew by at the same time - do you guys feel like that every new year? It seems like 2013 was a few months ago, but when I imagine where I was, and who I was, in 2013, that version of my life feels very far away.

Rambling aside, I do have some blog and reading resolutions that I plan to begin in January, as well as some new types of posts I plan to try out in 2015.

Blogging Resolutions:

• More Discussion Posts - Recently I began posting writing stuff on the blog as well. I want to continue this, and I also want to post more discussions - about writing, but also reading. Many times, things come to my mind and I don't write them down. I stick to my regularly scheduled posts, but I'm going to try expanding this year, and including more random discussions.
• Less Reviews - This month, I'm going to limit my reviews to one a week. Sometimes there might not be a review, if I don't read enough to keep up, but there will rarely be more. Twice a week was too much for me to keep up with in 2014.
• Keep Up With Daily Posts - I did this well for awhile this year, but slacked for a couple of months. I want to get ahead and get on a schedule for creating posts, so this does not happen again.
• Comments - I get so awful at replying to comments, even though it only takes a couple of minutes. Similarly, I am always behind on my Bloglovin' feed and commenting on other blogs. This year, I want to be much better at that.

Reading Resolutions:

• Goodreads Challenge - I'm always very unsure about my Goodreads challenge. This year, I think I'm going to start it off at 75 books. I usually get through 50 books fairly early, but it's difficult for me to reach 100, and I don't want to make things too stressful. If I do hit 75 early, I might still raise it!
• Branching Out - As usual, I'm planning to branch out when it comes to genres, age groups, etc. I also want to read more lesser-known books, and more classics.
• Finishing Series - I started so many series in 2014, so I'm really going to attempt to finish these in 2015. My goal is to finish most of them before I begin more, but we'll see about that. There are so many series I'm looking forward to!
• Review Copies - This is a big one for me. My goal is to request only one or two review copies at a time, and to read them right away. If I can stick to that, I won't have to worry about getting behind or being overwhelmed by review books.

That's all I have! Happy New Year to everyone, and let me know what your resolutions are down in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday

I've already heard some good things about this book, and it seems like such a cool concept! It releases April 21st, and I'm already so excited for it.

Goodreads synopsis: When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all. 

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

Friday Reads

I'm in the middle of so many books right now, but I wanted to do a quick Friday Reads post. Here's what I will be reading this weekend:

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson

I'm currently about half-way through this, and hoping to finish very soon - possibly today! It's very short, and a nice read for winter time as well.

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

While I probably won't finish this during the weekend (the holidays have made things very busy!), I do plan to read a bit more of it when I have time.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

I'm getting through this slowly, bit by bit. I plan to read a couple more parts this weekend, and maybe finish it sometime later in the week.

Catching Up On Your Goodreads Challenge (Tips and Book Suggestions)

So, it's the end of the year. Christmas is coming, and us procrastinators have tons of work ahead of us in these next couple weeks. We know the holidays come every year, but we put off present-buying and decorating.

We set our Goodreads challenges in January, or at least most of us do - you professional procrastinators might wait until later on in the year. Maybe you set it just last month.

Either way, I think most people can relate to that feeling where you look at your challenge and realize you're far behind. Or maybe you're not, but December is a busy month and you're feeling uncertain you can read at the pace you have been previously.

Here are some tips that will, hopefully, help us all catch up on our challenge:

Tip #1: Try a Book Series

Reading a series can be a great way of reading books quickly. For me, at least, it is easier to transition from book to book when they're a continuation of the story. If you can handle staying in a world for a long time, series with several books are best. Off the top of my head, one very long series that's made up of quick reads is The Princess Diaries.

Tip #2: Read A Children's Book (Or Ten)

At the beginning of this year, I read quite a few children's and middle grade books. They are short and fast-paced, typically, which of course makes them perfect for catching up - I've also found they're great for curing a reading slump. A couple of my favorite children's books are Winnie the Pooh and The Little Prince.

Tip #3: Read Poetry

If you enjoy poetry, this is a fantastic time for it. If it's not your typical read, maybe try a short book of it anyway? Alternately, you could try a novel in verse - the style means less words on a page, and makes the book fly by very quickly. A couple I enjoyed this year are The Realm of Possibility and Ghosting.

Tip #4: Novellas and Short Stories

Take a look at the series on your shelf. Are there any novellas you left untouched, that you could go back to now? Is there maybe a series you're unsure of that you could grab up a novella from to read through quickly? (Be careful not to spoil yourself for the series somehow!) Or maybe there are some short stories you've been putting off reading. Get to it now and finish up that challenge!

Tip #5: Set Deadlines

Maybe it's just me, but setting deadlines for myself helps a ton. Personally, I use my review system to my advantage here - lately, I've been back to posting two reviews a week. That gives me minimal time to read and review books, and forces me to actually put aside time for reading each day. It's much easier - especially if you're a procrastinator - to say, "I have to finish this by Thursday!" than it is to think, "I need to finish this book ... eventually."

Those are all the tips I have! I tried to include book suggestions in here, so hopefully you could find something you like, or at least a tip that helped!

Good luck reading, enjoy the holidays, and don't stress too much!

Waiting on Wednesday

It finally has a cover! I'm a bit unsure about this book - it's the first in a new series about Mia's long lost half-sister. I think I'm either going to love it or be let down, but I loved The Princess Diaries, so I'll definitely be giving this a try. It'll be fun to get back into the world, as well as Meg Cabot's writing!

Here's the (super short!) synopsis from Goodreads: In FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCESS a new middle grade series, readers will see Genovia, this time through the illustrated diaries of a spunky new heroine, 12 year old Olivia Grace, who happens to be the long lost half-sister of Princess Mia Thermopolis.

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books I Read In 2014.

1. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson  My Review

2. Still Point by Katie Kacvinsky

3. Sway by Kat Spears

4. Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

5. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

6. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

(Not just the first book, but the series as a whole! Although I'm yet to read six and seven...)

7. The Whole Stupid Way We Are by N. Griffin

8. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

9. Ghosting by Edith Pattou

10. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Book Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: December 6, 2014

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: September 17, 2013

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

Summary (taken from Goodreads): Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

Review

Elise is a teenager who has never had friends. Before her sophomore year begins, she decides to make people like her. She throws herself into this new project, researching things from psychology to pop culture. If you smile more, people like you better. If you wear expensive clothing, you fit in.

The thing is, nobody ever liked Elise. They declared her unpopular in fourth grade, and she still cannot determine why. She doesn't know why she can do the same things as them, but she's the one who gets picked on when she sits in the middle of the bus, rather than sticking to the safety that is the first row.

I did not expect Elise's story of being bullied and excluded. I did not expect to watch her attempt to find her place in the world. Bef*ore reading, I did not read the summary - which is typical for me. The cover made me think I was going into a cute romance about music. Even after reading the almost-one-chapter sample, I thought the book was going someplace different.

I have to say I'm incredibly happy that my expectations were not met - they were exceeded. I loved Elise and related to her from the very first page, and I believe her voice is needed. Especially for young teens still finding their way, especially for teens that feel excluded themselves, Elise is an important character.

At the beginning, one thing that did let me down were the mean girls. Elise had not one, but two girls who seemed intent on destroying her life. In her mind, they only thought about putting her down and being bullies. But that was what made it feel more realistic to me than your usual "mean girls." Elise thought they focused solely on her, yes. She thought everyone focused solely on her, but they did not. These girls did not actually show up in that many events. So while Elise thought their main purpose was to harass her, I feel like this was proven false - while still showing that they were bullies, and did think about harassing her sometimes.

Another point I have to make is that Elise sounded very young. I believe it fit in with her character, but I feel like it's a fair point to make for anyone who is yet to read the book. At times, this read almost like a middle grade to me. Perhaps it was because I myself would have related more to this book during those ages than I would have by the time I reached high school.

Anyway, I began this book late at night and stayed up until two in the morning reading, then continued and finished the very next day. It hooked me in and kept my attention throughout, so that I did not feel bored even once. So, despite my criticism (that, looking back, isn't really criticism at all), I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it.

Holiday-Inspired Writing Prompts

1. Your character lives in an area where it never snows. Someone who cares about them - a family member, significant other, Santa? - wants to give them a white Christmas. How do they go about this? Magic? Fake snow? Traveling to a colder area?

2. Your character has a bad habit of getting back together with the same ex - one who shows up around the beginning of winter and always, without fail, breaks up with them on Christmas. Something changes this year. What is it? Do they refuse to get back together? Break up with them first? Stay together past Christmas? WHY was this person breaking up with them in the first place?

3. Your character catches Santa putting presents under their tree - but it's NOT Santa who does the delivering after all. Who is it? An elf? Reindeer? Some other creature that they never expected to see?

4. Your main character is an elf. There are twenty-four hours until Christmas. Do they have their work done, or are they rushing to finish? Are they chilling out while the others scurry around?

5. Your main character is an elf, but they HATE making toys. This year they put their foot down and refuse to work. What happens?

Book Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: December 9, 2014

Source: Free review copy from Netgalley

Publication Date: December 9, 2014

Publisher: Random House Children's

Genres: Young adult, fantasy

Summary (taken from Goodreads): A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery. 

“There’s something hidden in the maze.” 

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters,Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

Review

As a child, Imogen visited England to visit her grandfather, a duke, and the rest of her family who lived in his manor. When a fire took the lives of her parents, uncle, and aunt, she left to live with family friends near her home in New York.

Imogen always felt a connection to the land at the manor. Before leaving, she grew a flower instantly with her touch, and watched fire flame from her own hand. Years later, in New York, she figures those powers she found so briefly were only a fluke. 

It's only when she is brought back to the manor that she realizes how she missed it, and that she finds her powers again. But are they a blessing, or something to be afraid of?

As much as the beginning of the story leads up nicely to display the fantasy aspect, I can't say I would recommend this to someone looking for a fantasy read. In fact, the book felt very near to a contemporary. Personally, I felt the magical element was kind of a cheat - only coming up when useful, and coming up very conveniently at that.

Still, I enjoyed this story. I liked the writing style, even the slow pacing. It matched the story well. The end of the book really picked up, and the twists were great and unexpected. 

In the end, I had a difficult time rating this book. While it was an enjoyable read, it did have it's problems. It left me with many questions, which is not a problem if the story will be continued - but I'm not sure whether that is the plan. Either way, I definitely think this one is worth reading. I will keep my fingers crossed that it'll be turned into a series, though!

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014. All author links will go to the Goodreads page of the book pictured, and each book is just the first book I read by that author.

1. J.K. Rowling

Starting this out with an obvious one. Before this year, I had not read anything by J.K Rowling. Now, I've finished five of the books and am working on finding time for the sixth - I'm actually using it as a bribe to complete my review copies. If I finish three this month, I get to read the sixth book!

2. Edith Pattou

I received a review copy of Ghosting earlier this year. I requested it on Netgalley knowing little about it, mostly just that it was a story told in verse - and I love those! I have always liked poetry and books like these are such quick reads. What I did not expect was to love it as much as I did. My review for this one can be found here.

3. Ginger Scott

This is another author I found through review books. I received two of her novels for review, on separate occasions, through Netgalley. Although I liked How We Deal With Gravity best, and found it to be more unique, I will likely continue to read her books, even the more standard New Adult ones. My review for How We Deal With Gravity can be found here, and my review for This is Falling can be found here.

4. Huntley Fitzpatrick

I was unsure about the hype regarding My Life Next Door, but ended up loving it so much! I fell in love with the characters, gave the book five stars, and will definitely be checking out more books by the author. My review is here.

5. Kat Spears

Yet another book I received for review! I had excellent luck with review copies this year, but this was definitely one of my favorites - it actually makes my favorites list for all the books I've read this year. I adored it. My review can be found here and I also have a book talk here.

6. Jamie Kain

The Good Sister was another review book (surprise!) that I really enjoyed, and I would love to see more of Jamie Kain's work. My review is here.

7. Alison Cherry

I very recently read For Real, and I really loved it. While not perfect, it was so fun that I had very few negative things to say. I definitely plan to read more of her books as they release. My review of For Real is here.

Cutting the list short here, since I could not find any others that fit.

Book Review: For Real by Alison Cherry

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: December 5, 2014

Source: Free review copy from Netgalley

Publication Date: December 9, 2014

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

Summary (taken from Goodreads): No parents. No limits. No clue what they're in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister's shadow. While Miranda's life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality TV.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just before her college graduation, it's Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They'll outshine Miranda's fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome.

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may or may not be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life... or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what's for real?

Review

Claire does not understand people. She does not like parties - which is why, when her sister takes her to one, she ends up outside watching reality TV on her phone. When she does go inside, it's only to leave shortly after with a heartbroken older sister. Miranda's boyfriend, Samir, has cheated on her.

On the way home, they discuss revenge. It is only talk in Miranda's mind, but Claire really does want to get back at Samir for hurting her sister. In the end, her grand plan is to participate in Around the World, a reality show which Samir is also going to be a part of. 

But when Team Revenge gets split apart by an unexpected twist in the show, and Claire is left doubting how much she actually knows about reality television, she realizes things aren't going to go as expected. When she gets paired with an actor named Will for the first challenge, she decides it might not be that bad.

The first word I can think of to describe this book is fun. It was a light read that kept me smiling to myself nearly the whole time. I found myself so quickly invested in the story, even speaking aloud at times to Claire - mostly to yell at her, although I did cheer her along as well. To some people, having to yell at a character could be frustrating, but I think Claire was very realistic, relateable, and likable. I would not have had her any other way.

The reality show aspect of the story was fantastic as well. It really helped to develop Claire as a person, and it also led to some great twists and turns. It contributed to the fun, fast-paced feel of the story.

Towards the end, I began to disbelieve how many pages were left - did I not recieve the entire book for review? Had someone chopped the end off? Of course, the whole book was there. The epilogue proved it. But by the time I was about ten pages away, I knew I would not be satisfied with the ending. 

The story was not allowed to slow down, and it made the conclusion feel like a bit of a shock. It felt rushed, and I wish the ending had been paced just a tad slower. Despite this, though, I really enjoyed the book. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read, especially if you still want to feel for and relate to the characters. I think For Real did a great job at this.

Focusing on the Negative

For my first writing post on this blog, I wanted to have a discussion/advice post. I do realize that writing advice is quite subjective. It has always amazed me how differently people write, and how a strategy can be fool-proof for one person and impossible for another. But I feel like, at least for me, it can be incredibly easy to get stuck in a phase of writing the same things over and over - the same plot, characters, genre, etc.

After a long - I would say years long - phase of mine where I continuously wrote cliched romances with fairly flat characters, I created a rule for myself - when beginning a new project, I focus on the negative.

It sounds like backward advice, and it probably won't work for anyone. But for me, it does work. What I'm suggesting is to take one thing - or several things - you're absolutely awful at, and make them essential to your story. You can't write fight scenes to save your life? Write in at least five. Awful at world-building? Write fantasy.

Personally, I'm always finding new weaknesses in my writing. But I'm also always seeing improvement, so long as I don't shy away from everything I am bad at. When I neglect this rule, I typically look back and find that my writing quality has stayed the same. Even a single short story in which you force yourself to write something you aren't great at can improve your writing a TON.

As a disclaimer, I'm not saying to get stuck in that trap where you can only see the negative aspects of your writing. That's all too easy to do, and focusing on the positive side is just as important. Think about what you're good at, but don't stick to comfort zones. Branch out and be as diverse as possible. 

You probably won't thank yourself while writing, especially at first - but the improvement in your writing will be worth it in the end!

If you've read to the end here, feel free to let me know what you're greatest weakness and strengths are in your writing. My strong point is dialogue, but I'm still trying to improve my descriptions!

WWW Wednesday

A little later than my usual post (I thought I had one scheduled already!), but here's a quick WWW Wednesday for you guys. It's been awhile since I've done one of these!

What are you currently reading?

For Real by Alison Cherry

I'm really liking this one! Hoping to finish tonight and have my review up very soon. It is a review copy that comes out VERY soon (December 9th) and I would highly recommend it based on what I read so far. It's very fun.

What did you recently finish reading?

Slated by Teri Terry

I enjoyed this one very much! I gave it 4.5 stars. It was very fast-paced and played a big part in getting me out of my recent reading slump.

What do you think you'll read next?

Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

I'm really trying to get through these review copies! My reading slump put me way behind from where I want to be.

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2015. 

1. I Was Here by Gayle Forman

I know I recently mentioned this on the blog (I've probably mentioned it a few times), but I can't imagine putting anything else first on my list. This book is, by far, my most anticipated release of 2015. It comes out January 27th, and I will be picking it up as soon as I can.

2. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

I'm going to admit it - I know nothing about this book. I have never read anything by Emery Lord, although Open Road Summer is also on my TBR. I just really like the cover. But will I buy and read it because of the cover? Yes, definitely.

3. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

I've had my eye on this one for awhile. It seems like a really fun read, although it won't be out until the beginning of June.

4. Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

I really love the idea behind this - Quinn loses her boyfriend, finds the boy whom his heart was donated to, and falls in love. It comes out April 21st, only a few days after my birthday, so perhaps I'll let it be a late present to myself!

5. Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Another book I judged solely by the cover. (Here's a secret: I knew very few upcoming releases before this post, which is pretty rare for me. I've been too busy to have done my research until now!)

6. Not After Everything by Michelle Levy

Both characters in this book seem to have a very troubled life, which admittedly could go right or wrong, depending. But it's compared to Eleanor and Park in the summary, and the cover is very nice, so it is on my list of books to look out for!

7. Damage Done by Amanda Panitch

While I can't tell much by the summary of this one, the mystery draws me in. Too bad the release date is so far away - in July.

8. Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

The cover. The FONT.

9. Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

I'm very interested in the summary of this one. I was going to be lazy and copy-paste it, but it's WAY too long for that. Basically, a girl with a lung disease is taken from our world into a new one, Magonia, where she is no longer sick and has the huge task of saving humanity. (I think the summary makes it sound better than I do. Click the link?)

10. Hold Me Like a Breath by Tiffany Schmidt

Many things about this book appeal to me - the cover, the title, the summary. I'll be waiting rather impatiently for it!

Book Review: Slated by Teri Terry

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Series: Book 1 in the Slated Trilogy

Date Read: November 28, 2014

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: May 3, 2012

Publisher: Orchard Books

Genres: Science fiction, young adult

Summary (taken from Goodreads): Kyla’s memory has been erased,

her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

Review

This book was just short of five stars for me, and I can't quite figure out why. Maybe if I weren't in such a reading slump, I would have ended up giving this a perfect rating. Or maybe I still would have thought it to be a little off. The beginning did take me awhile to get into, but due to that reading slump, most books seemed slow to me.

Anyway, I did enjoy this. It was a fantastic start to the series. The concept of criminals being "slated" is interesting and worked well. So many questions arose, and I like how they were answered, for the most part, but there was still some mystery left behind - I just can't be sure what is true and what is not.

The ending found a way to be satisfying while still leaving questions to be answered in future books, which is something many first books lack. It feels like it could stand on its own, yet leaves the reader wanting to keep going.

The action and fast pace made this book even better, especially towards the middle and onto the end of the novel. As I said, I was in a reading slump, and so the fast pace definitely helped me get through the book. At around four-hundred pages, it felt much shorter. I cannot wait until I can pick up the second book.

Update: Combining Blogs

As some of you may know, I tried to run two blogs for a period of time - my other is a writing blog called Writing Under Stars. It's a writing blog (which is probably obvious) and while I was super excited about it, the blog did not go far.

I thought it would be best to keep reading and writing separate, but as I look back I have no idea why I thought so. Don't they fit perfectly together? Is there a writer in the world who doesn't read as well?

Kittens and Books can just as easily refer to the books I have read as the ones I am writing. And regardless of my blog name, there is no reason I cannot combine my interests in one place.

This is basically just a quick note to let you know that I will be posting writing-related things here, and that Writing Under Stars is not likely to be a project I continue with. While I'm not yet sure exactly how this blend will happen, I have decided to finally let it happen.

Some posts I have in mind include writing inspiration, advice, and possibly snippets of my own work. For those readers who have absolutely no interest in writing, I hope you can still continue to enjoy my reading posts - they'll be sticking around, and I will try to make it easy as possible to navigate the blog and only see the posts you want.

As always, thank you guys so much for sticking with me while the blog and I grow, and I learn exactly where we're going. I appreciate you readers so, so much.

Once Upon an Ever After by Angela N. Blount

Once Upon An Ever After

by Angela N. Blount

Released July 2014

Set after the events of Blount's debut memoir, Once Upon A Road Trip, this short story anthology focuses on the unusual courtship of Angeli and Vincent.

When Angeli left Minnesota on a post-high school road trip, all she wanted was to see the East Coast and finally meet some of her online friends. She didn't expect to end up in a long-distance relationship with a computer-savvy Southern boy. Yet Vincent seems determined to defy the odds. To prove his intentions, he sets off on his own quest to visit Angeli and win her family's approval. But along the way he’ll have to contend with her offbeat friends, trigger-happy father, and a few questionable run-ins with Northern hospitality. 

South meets North this time around, and "normal" isn't anywhere on the map.

With a thousand miles and radically different upbringings between them, can Angeli and Vincent forge a forever-worthy bond? Or are the roadblocks they face too much for either of them to overcome?

Amazon  /  Goodreads

What are reviewers saying?

This is an absolutely beautiful and sweet coming of age memoir and I went through every emotion whilst reading it. I laughed, I nearly cried but was quickly picked back up and read the rest of the story with a big grin! Is it too much trouble to be hoping for another installment to this? I can't get enough of Vince and Angie's story! Inspiring through and through! A big 5 stars from me on this review! Sky on Amazon

If you haven't yet read Angela's amazing awe-inspiring memoir, Once Upon a Road Trip, I'm telling you to go out and get it now! I have never meant that sentence more. Once Upon an Ever after wraps up Angeli's and Vince's story perfectly and has you happily sighing, laughing out loud and hoping their story will be a happily ever after. Bonny Bon Bon on Amazon

You guys can also find my review here at Kittens and Books. I've reviewed the first book here and the second here.

A little About the Author

Award-winning author Angela N. Blount is a Minnesota native, transplanted to the deep South--where she currently resides with her understanding husband, their two children, and a set of identity-confused cats. A Registered Nurse by trade, she is also a freelance content editor, former book reviewer for RT Book Reviews, a memoirist (though, not much a fan of referring to herself in first-person *cough*), craft blogger, sporadic poet, and webcomic artist. 

Angela is a PRO member of the Romance Writers of America, and was named a finalist in the 2012 Sheila, Laurie, and Orange Rose contests. She also took first place in the 2012 OKRWA Finally A Bride contest. In 2014 her debut memoir, Once Upon a Road Trip, was an NIEA finalist, a Chanticleer Journey Award finalist, and winner of the silver metal in the Literary Classics International Book Awards.

In her spare time, Angela enjoys reading, coffee shop loitering, and all things geeky. Her latest project is a YA sci-fi series.

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Don't forget to grab a copy of 

Once Upon a Road Trip

Goodreads / Amazon