Okay I know a writer talking about reviewing is considered a bad thing lately. Yes I have put up my reviews before and I will continue to do so. But I thought why not take a few of my reviews for books that i bet you would not think about reading?
The great and current debate about free or low costs books is still dragging on and on. Trolls are all over writers who say anything online and some readers are convinced that writers can not review a book in their own genre objectively. Like almost every writer out there I was reading long before I set pencil/pen to paper or my fingers on a keyboard. Reading is both a joy and frustrating at the same time. Too often we are subjected to what the big marketing sources think we need to read.
As an indie author I am of course suspect when I write a review for anything. I love to read, have in fact spent way too much time reading when I should be doing things like writing, cooking, cleaning or heck playing with the kids. I love getting lost in a story. Love the taste, the smell and the feel that comes to a well written story. Yes they have all of the above.
Now there are some fun little subgenres out there if you look. Fantasy is of course the truest path to my heart but like any of the all encompassing genres there is are lot of sub catagories popping up every day. Some of the tales i have discovered as free offerings by the writers on places like Amazon and Smashwords are as good or even better than the mainstream well advertized and paid works out there. here are a just a few that I have really enjoyed in the past couple of years.
***
A Fairy for Bin Laden
A Fairy for Bin Ladin
A Fairy for Bin Laden
Price: $0.99
5.0 out of 5 stars very different fairy tale, July 13, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Fairy for Bin Laden (Kindle Edition)
Now this was fun. A bit raw, a bit raunchy but an interesting take on Tinkerbell and on the SEALS. Loved this little bit. Definitely a fun fast read. get it, read it, review it. A talent in the making!
***
Just a funky and fun take on Tinkerbelle for sure.
***
Eros, Philia, Agape: A Tor.Com Original
Eros, Philia, Agape
Eros, Philia, Agape: A Tor.Com Original
Offered by Macmillan
Price: $0.99
3.0 out of 5 stars interesting, July 11, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Eros, Philia, Agape: A Tor.Com Original (Kindle Edition)
This little tale was an interesting take on relationships. While it feels unfinished the emotions of all three are powerful. The most poignant being little Rose with her four year old confusion.
***
Truly and odd yet highly interesting tale
***
Slave to Marshmallows: A Steampunk Novella in Three Parts
Slave to Marshmallows
Slave to Marshmallows: A Steampunk Novella in Three Parts
Price: $2.99
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars quirky fun, January 23, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Slave to Marshmallows: A Steampunk Novella in Three Parts (Kindle Edition)
This short little tale is odd but interesting. I picked it up because the title intrigued me and now i am glad I did. This little tale is told from the viewpoint of a child who doesn't even realize she is one. Forced to work in a factory browning marshmallows to be sold to rich people. It is quirky and odd and something new in story telling. Like the title says, a steampunk Fairy tale. Read it folks. It is fun.
***
Another faery tale with a total twist. These stories all have in common that they were offered for free at one point and I took a chance on them. I have many more I have read and have yet to catch up on reviewing. The nice thing about the web is you can find my reviews all over.
Another author and blogger asked me to send to her some reviews for her blog. I sent her eleven to start and she put up seven of them here.
Reviews Galore
I sent her reviews on a number of genres since I had no idea what she wanted. But as you can see you can read, enjoy and review books from all over. It doesn't matter of you are a reader or a writer or both. What you need to do is read those books and then tell the world what you think. Just be sure of one thing folks, you don't need to be nasty or cruel. You are reviewing a book. The writer is offering up the child of their mind and heart to you and just like you would not like someone trashing the child of your body, don't trash the child of their mind. If you really don't like it...say it but say it politely and why you don't like it. Don't attack the writer, who is simply trying to give you a moment or more of freedom from the real world.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2014
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Reading comic books and graphic novels
Now a lot of people out there either look down on comic books or don't realize the artform that they really are. Most of the comics printed today are really more than the simple comic book from when I was a kid. The stories are richer, the art is both more detailed and less and they cover topics that are central to the world today.
Anyone who watches the movies as they come out know that the big dollar draws in the summer are mostly comic book characters lately. Superman, Batman, Wolverine, Spiderman and others. They are strong characters living in complex worlds that are just a step to the right or left of our own.
The thing is when dealing with a lot of people my age unless they are crazy people like me many of them think that comic books are a waste of reading material. This is just not so.
Recently while on a bus ride with my daughter I ended up in a discussion with one of the teachers from her school. When she asked her what she had been reading over the summer my child proudly popped up with Elfquest and Archie comics. The look on this teachers face was like she had just bit into a lemon. Now really that was just wrong.
Having a ten year old child who is devouring comic books is a good thing. With all the video games, youtube, movies and tv shows out there having a kid who will read ANYTHING is a good thing. She said I should make her read Nancy Drew as if that was the cure for her reading things filled with Elves (wrong attitude to take with a fantasy author right?)(
Well the next time we headed off to the library we spotted Nancy Drew and in of all things graphic novels. I talked my daughter into trying one and she is has just finished reading the five and sixth of those books that she picked out herself at the library.
Now I know graphic novels have less words in them than most books. After all since they have an artist the authors don't need to do the setting of scene for the reader. The way my daughter rips through these things I think is interesting. As a child with working memory issues she has trouble accessing the words. It is like when you know something and it is on the tip of your tongue but can't pull it out of your mind. We all have moment like that but my daughter has them all the time. That she rips through graphic novels and comic books makes me excited for her. She enjoys them and I do not have to make her sit down and read them like I used to have to other books. This is a good thing.
Sometimes in our current culture we put too much emphasis on having each child exactly like the others and do not look to see the wonder that is each child. We need to find out what makes them excited and then go for it. I am glad she is reading and when she is ready I will turn her on to the Manga I have in the basement. The next step in the wonderful world of fiction that will hopefully someday let her pick up a copy of Dragonsong from Anne McCaffrey and enjoy the tale in print.
Anyone who watches the movies as they come out know that the big dollar draws in the summer are mostly comic book characters lately. Superman, Batman, Wolverine, Spiderman and others. They are strong characters living in complex worlds that are just a step to the right or left of our own.
The thing is when dealing with a lot of people my age unless they are crazy people like me many of them think that comic books are a waste of reading material. This is just not so.
Recently while on a bus ride with my daughter I ended up in a discussion with one of the teachers from her school. When she asked her what she had been reading over the summer my child proudly popped up with Elfquest and Archie comics. The look on this teachers face was like she had just bit into a lemon. Now really that was just wrong.
Having a ten year old child who is devouring comic books is a good thing. With all the video games, youtube, movies and tv shows out there having a kid who will read ANYTHING is a good thing. She said I should make her read Nancy Drew as if that was the cure for her reading things filled with Elves (wrong attitude to take with a fantasy author right?)(
Well the next time we headed off to the library we spotted Nancy Drew and in of all things graphic novels. I talked my daughter into trying one and she is has just finished reading the five and sixth of those books that she picked out herself at the library.
Now I know graphic novels have less words in them than most books. After all since they have an artist the authors don't need to do the setting of scene for the reader. The way my daughter rips through these things I think is interesting. As a child with working memory issues she has trouble accessing the words. It is like when you know something and it is on the tip of your tongue but can't pull it out of your mind. We all have moment like that but my daughter has them all the time. That she rips through graphic novels and comic books makes me excited for her. She enjoys them and I do not have to make her sit down and read them like I used to have to other books. This is a good thing.
Sometimes in our current culture we put too much emphasis on having each child exactly like the others and do not look to see the wonder that is each child. We need to find out what makes them excited and then go for it. I am glad she is reading and when she is ready I will turn her on to the Manga I have in the basement. The next step in the wonderful world of fiction that will hopefully someday let her pick up a copy of Dragonsong from Anne McCaffrey and enjoy the tale in print.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Writers reading stories written by writers about a story about a writer
Okay was that confusing enough? Everyone knows I am a huge fan of tv/movies/books and music right? One of the shows I watch faithfully is Castle. I started watching of course because of Nathan Fillion. Who wouldn't? He is funny, handsome and a very talented actor. But a funny thing happened. The show turned out to be a lot deeper and a lot better than I expected. So I kept watching. The fact that he is playing an author on the show was in no small part why this show grabbed me.
They would mention his different books and then go on to work on what ever murder they had to solve that week. Fun and fluff all at the same time right? Well recently on a goof I decided to go to amazon and see if they actually put out any of the books that Richard Castle refers to. And wouldn't you know it they did!
Yes I have complained about famous people getting all the notice because of their name but I thought hey this is a fictional book by a fictional character. Lets see if they actually got a good writer or if one of the many talented script writers tried their hand at writing a novel. Yes folks these are two very different skill sets. I am a short story and novel writer, I have never even tried to do a script and I hold those who do in high regard but that isn't what this is about.
The first Nikki Heat book started out a bit rough, kind of what I expect but then I got sucked in. I could see where the fictional Richard Castle had included himself and the fictional Kate Beckett in the stories but it was fun and lighter than a lot of the murder mystery/cop thriller books out there are. So I decided to go ahead and read the rest.
Let me tell you I can't wait for the fifth book! They are slowly getting much better. The writer (who every he or she is) has managed to catch the flavor of the fictional Richard Castle and made the books fun and worth reading. By ending the books with a cliff hanger of sorts it makes you want to read the next.
Just on a hoot I went and looked up Richard Castle on Wiki and whoa. A very well done page with lots of books that you can actually download. Amazing. I wish I had such a nice page. I decided right then that I might as well read the read of the so called Richard Castle books. I have read four of the Derrick Storm books and they are the typical spy book with a bit of tongue in cheek and attitude. Again a fun and fast read for a voracious reader like myself.
It was hysterical last night that they broadcast an episode with the fictional character who was the basis for Richard Castle's fictional female spy. The episode was a lot of fun, actually had the same flavor as both of the series and of course had a dramatic cliff hanger at the end! Yes these are reruns so I am lucky enough to be able to see the second part tonight but it was just pure unadulterated fun.
As a writer I dream of someday seeing my work in other forms. I would love to see things like Guardians of the Gate city made into a short series. The Saga of Loralil Greyfox made into an anime and even maybe my Death Walks Through tales made into a manga. We all dream these things, wel don't dare hope but we dream. Right now I will admit I just want to find a few (thousand) readers who love my tales and will read them and comment on them to me and the world. I have a few fans who I adore having and I will continue to write what I can till the day I can't.
So as you can see my blog title is weird but it is accurate. I am a writer who reads books about writers who write books about a writer in their books...confusing but fun and that is what reading and writing is all about to me. Confusion and fun and maybe the ability to open up the mind of a reader to something they never thought of before.
They would mention his different books and then go on to work on what ever murder they had to solve that week. Fun and fluff all at the same time right? Well recently on a goof I decided to go to amazon and see if they actually put out any of the books that Richard Castle refers to. And wouldn't you know it they did!
Yes I have complained about famous people getting all the notice because of their name but I thought hey this is a fictional book by a fictional character. Lets see if they actually got a good writer or if one of the many talented script writers tried their hand at writing a novel. Yes folks these are two very different skill sets. I am a short story and novel writer, I have never even tried to do a script and I hold those who do in high regard but that isn't what this is about.
The first Nikki Heat book started out a bit rough, kind of what I expect but then I got sucked in. I could see where the fictional Richard Castle had included himself and the fictional Kate Beckett in the stories but it was fun and lighter than a lot of the murder mystery/cop thriller books out there are. So I decided to go ahead and read the rest.
Let me tell you I can't wait for the fifth book! They are slowly getting much better. The writer (who every he or she is) has managed to catch the flavor of the fictional Richard Castle and made the books fun and worth reading. By ending the books with a cliff hanger of sorts it makes you want to read the next.
Just on a hoot I went and looked up Richard Castle on Wiki and whoa. A very well done page with lots of books that you can actually download. Amazing. I wish I had such a nice page. I decided right then that I might as well read the read of the so called Richard Castle books. I have read four of the Derrick Storm books and they are the typical spy book with a bit of tongue in cheek and attitude. Again a fun and fast read for a voracious reader like myself.
It was hysterical last night that they broadcast an episode with the fictional character who was the basis for Richard Castle's fictional female spy. The episode was a lot of fun, actually had the same flavor as both of the series and of course had a dramatic cliff hanger at the end! Yes these are reruns so I am lucky enough to be able to see the second part tonight but it was just pure unadulterated fun.
As a writer I dream of someday seeing my work in other forms. I would love to see things like Guardians of the Gate city made into a short series. The Saga of Loralil Greyfox made into an anime and even maybe my Death Walks Through tales made into a manga. We all dream these things, wel don't dare hope but we dream. Right now I will admit I just want to find a few (thousand) readers who love my tales and will read them and comment on them to me and the world. I have a few fans who I adore having and I will continue to write what I can till the day I can't.
So as you can see my blog title is weird but it is accurate. I am a writer who reads books about writers who write books about a writer in their books...confusing but fun and that is what reading and writing is all about to me. Confusion and fun and maybe the ability to open up the mind of a reader to something they never thought of before.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Morning world
Since I decided to take off yesterday and not work on my books I am actually feeling pretty good today. Read one of the books I was behind on and it wasn't an ebook from one of my indie author homeboys and girls.While I am more than happy to support them, read them and review them sometimes I just want to read one of the big name authors I love so much.
Now I had planned on sitting down and reading Cold Days by Jim Butcher but as readers know the book got delayed till November! Which is an ouchie for those of us who ADORE Dresden files. Best series ever!
But that was okay I am seriously behind on a lot of books thanks to the lack of MONEY in our house. So I splurged and got Born in Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I love all of her work, have for a while now. The mix of dark brooding heroes that are damaged. The not spectacularly beautiful heroines and the trials they go through are my cup of tea. Okay I try to write as well as she does but I am a faint copy after all.
This book as always caught my attention from the get go. I sat down at the mall and started to read, blissfully ignoring the people walking by. I got to do this since my sweet hubby took our rambunctious monster to the near by toy store and left me alone for a good half hour 45 minutes. Okay I didn't finish it there and I had to wait till the next morning to pick it back up but once I did I settled in with a pot of cinnamon tea and read for the entire morning. Loved the ups and downs, the mistakes, the prejudice and the redemption that abounds in her work. Another keeper to be added to my bookshelf and savored over and over again. All in all my day off from being the author/artist/video graphic artist, publicist, etc was good. Finished my book, played some Mindcraft and cooked. Just had a good day.
Now back to my regularly scheduled messes of writing, making covers, trailers, cooking, laundry, cleaning and answering the ever present, Mommy I'm bored can we go for a walk/play a game?
Now I had planned on sitting down and reading Cold Days by Jim Butcher but as readers know the book got delayed till November! Which is an ouchie for those of us who ADORE Dresden files. Best series ever!
But that was okay I am seriously behind on a lot of books thanks to the lack of MONEY in our house. So I splurged and got Born in Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I love all of her work, have for a while now. The mix of dark brooding heroes that are damaged. The not spectacularly beautiful heroines and the trials they go through are my cup of tea. Okay I try to write as well as she does but I am a faint copy after all.
This book as always caught my attention from the get go. I sat down at the mall and started to read, blissfully ignoring the people walking by. I got to do this since my sweet hubby took our rambunctious monster to the near by toy store and left me alone for a good half hour 45 minutes. Okay I didn't finish it there and I had to wait till the next morning to pick it back up but once I did I settled in with a pot of cinnamon tea and read for the entire morning. Loved the ups and downs, the mistakes, the prejudice and the redemption that abounds in her work. Another keeper to be added to my bookshelf and savored over and over again. All in all my day off from being the author/artist/video graphic artist, publicist, etc was good. Finished my book, played some Mindcraft and cooked. Just had a good day.
Now back to my regularly scheduled messes of writing, making covers, trailers, cooking, laundry, cleaning and answering the ever present, Mommy I'm bored can we go for a walk/play a game?
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