 Beta Test by Annabeth AlbertMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Another lovely book in this series! I'm officially in love with the #gaymers! I'm so glad that I picked up these books. Will definitely read again. View all my reviews  The Duke and I by Julia QuinnMy rating: 3 of 5 stars I have many feelings about this book, and even some notes about specific scenes that particularly bothered me, but I'm honestly just too tired to get into it. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed the plot, but I do not like this author's way of writing. I've tried reading her books before, and while she has a decent sense of humour, and her descriptions can be lovely, I don't like the omniscient POV (I prefer tight third in HR novels), among other things. Honestly, I look forward to when this comes out on Netflix, because I think that I'll like the way it's portrayed far better on film than how it's written. Not sure if I'll read the others in the series, despite having already bought the next one. View all my reviews  Nothing Special by A.E. ViaMy rating: 1 of 5 stars **Spoiler Alert** I'm sorry, I have to rant. I really don't like leaving bad reviews, but this book genuinely upset me. I'll start with the plot. The story idea was common enough, but this book failed to deliver. There was no intrigue, no suspense, and no mystery. What little action that there was was such a short blip in the book that it was barely noticeable. Additionally, the story concluded about half way through the book, but the narrative continued on for no reason other than to drag the readers through a nonsensical changing of all of the characters' personalities. I'll get into that more later. There are constant inconsistencies and typing errors throughout. This book *really* needed more editors. Why, and how, do all of the characters' problems get wrapped up so tidily? There's a problem? Ooh! A character just remembered that they have a handy dandy solution right here. Please. A little realism would have been appreciated, at least to keep up the illusion that the story could be plausible. I really would have liked for the characters to have to *think* about a solution, and perhaps show some of their amazing detective skills that all of the side characters raved about. On that note, where was the police work? Seemed to me that the heroes got everything handed to them (interviews, appointments, etc.) without the heroes even having to ask. I hate to say it, but more research was required in order to write this book. The author knew the terminology, but everything else felt wrong. Like cheesy TV. Things with Godfrey's family wrapped-up too neatly, as well. It was literally unbelievable how quickly he could just put aside what had happened to him, particularly after years of hatred from his mom and brother, and after their last encounter. The romance. There is no build-up, no natural progression to God and Day's romantic relationship. We as readers are merely expected to understand that their years of partnership had apparently bonded them in love, yet we don't get to see any evidence of this until they proclaim their love and start using pet names. It's very abrupt, and entirely unbelievable. In the second half of the book, once the plot had actually run its course, the main (and side) characters all take a 180 in their personalities. It comes out of nowhere, with no explanation. Our heroes went from loving, devoted, and highly possessive men, to willingly sharing each other in a foursome. Now, even if this wasn't a plot ploy (partner swapping) that I completely despise in romance novels, it made absolutely no sense in this book. Not only were our heroes possessively in love, but they had actively hated the two men they ended up having sex with until the offer was put out for the orgy. Ronowski went from being a homophobic ass that relentlessly verbally assaulted Day, to a willing party in the sex, and the last we'd seen Johnson, he had been pursuing Day, not the doe-eyed lover that joined them in the sack. None of this made sense. It made me cold and angry. I finished this book several days ago, but had to allow my outrage to subside before I wrote the review, though I fear that some of it may have come through, anyway. This book was definitely not for me, and I will not read another of this author's books. View all my reviews  Felix and the Prince by Lucy LennoxMy rating: 3 of 5 stars This is the second Lucy Lennox book that I've read, and my feelings about this one are almost identical to the other. This author knows how to write dialogue, plot, and characters in such a way that their story pulls you in, but all of the novel's other aspects are weak, which ultimately ruins the overall experience of the book. Scene-setting and descriptions are lacking, which is a big disappointment. I found myself focusing less on what was happening in the story, and more on attempting to picture what was occurring and where they were in relation to everything around them. It was all so vague that I never quite knew where the characters were positioned and what the space looked like. I firmly believe that this author needs a new editor, because there were far too many occurrences of "I could hear", "I could feel", and "I could see", etc. I don't know if I'll read another book by this author. View all my reviews  Fake Out by Eden FinleyMy rating: 2 of 5 stars This one really disappointed me. Based on the blurb, I was excited to read it, but it fell decidedly short. The characters read as very young (younger than their early twenties) and awfully immature. The dialogue was youthful and quick, which would have made for good banter if it were written more maturely and with more dialogue tags. Honestly, there were times in which I had no idea who was talking, and I found it very frustrating. There were a lot of repetitive cyclical thought processes that became boring after a while. Also, I really didn't like the obvious discrimination against vegetarians, women, and Canada in this book. Overall, not my favourite. Won't read it again, and I won't recommend it. View all my reviews  Winter by Josh LanyonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Let me start out by saying that this one barely scratches the surface of what could possibly be considered an M/M romance. The main focus with this one is the paranormal mystery. Also **TRIGGER WARNING** One of our heroes is depressed and dealing with attempted suicide and thoughts of trying again. This one does not have an HEA for our heroes, as one has suffered a recent heartbreaking loss, and is clearly suffering, but a friendship is forming, and we can see how this bond might morph into more in future book(s)--if and when we get to see them. The mystery is really where the story was fun for me. It's something so bizarre, and yet so straight-forward, but entirely entertaining. I found it delightful. View all my reviews  The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh LanyonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars This one is definitely not a favourite, and the bar is usually set pretty low for Josh Lanyon books. With JL, I know that the romance will be basically non-existent and the sex will be disappointing, but this one had one hero that was a homophobic jerk for the first 2/3, not enough character development, and a convoluted mystery. I have to admit, I loved Perry; his character felt well-rounded and well thought-out. Nick, on the other hand, was uptight, rude--and not just in his behaviours, but in his thoughts, as well--and as the reader, we never really get to know much about him, despite being in his head for a good portion of the book. As a result, his character was flat and not really likeable. Additionally, I couldn't see what Perry liked in Nick, aside from the fact that he used to be a SEAL and was apparently good-looking. Their relationship was totally unbelievable. The mystery, while convoluted, was what kept me reading. I got confused with all of the names and different characters, especially when they all felt so similar to one another, but I enjoyed it, regardless. Overall, this book was simultaneously disappointing and entertaining. 1* for romance, 3* for the mystery. View all my reviews  Welcome to Cheri's 20 Questions! My interviewee today is the talented Laura Ellen Scott. Born and raised in Northern Ohio, Laura is named after the classic noir film and song, Laura, so it makes sense that she likes writing stories with dark themes and quirky characters, in the tradition of Tom Robbins, Kelly Link, and Robert Altman. She currently lives in Fairfax, Virginia where she teaches creative writing at George Mason University. Most weekends, you can find her hiding from the Mothman in her cabin in West Virginia. Tell us a little something about what you write: I write dark mysteries that are inflected with humor. My current series is The New Royal Mysteries, and they’re set in a college/prison town in Ohio where the local university has launched a crime writing program in partnership with the corrections industry. Subconsciously, I’m probably using the series to say that creative minds and criminal minds have a lot in common. Interview Questions: Cheri: What is the first book that made you cry? Laura Ellen: I’m sure it was something like Heidi or Anne of Green Gables. I was always a sucker for shamelessly manipulative stories about orphan girls who persevered and never lost their positivity. Those kinds of books really target your trust issues. Cheri: Does writing energize or exhaust you? Laura Ellen: Fixing to write exhausts me. That is, before I start any new project my body tries to stop me. Maybe it’s because once I really get going, that’s my life until I’m done. Cheri: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Laura Ellen: I can’t tell any of my selves anything; I won’t listen, not at any stage of my life. I suppose I could tell my younger self, “you will be a novelist,” but I know that person would just smirk at me and say, “No duh.” Cheri: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Laura Ellen: It sped me up. When someone (like a publisher) confirms what you thought all along—that what you’re doing is professional level stuff—that fundamentally changes you as an artist. Doubt is my biggest enemy. Cheri: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer? Laura Ellen: Ha! Terrible confession time—up through The Mean Bone in Her Body, I bought a new computer for each book. That wasn’t planned, it just happened that way. My last computer has lived to produce two books going on three, so maybe I’ve broken the spell. Best “smart” money would have to be Scrivener and candles. Cheri: What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? Laura Ellen: My mother says I was trying to write a book before I could read, so it sounds like I always knew. Growing up, I was an independent, weird kid with real authority problems, and my peers and teachers wanted me to be more girly/polite and less goofy. The only way to shut them up/out was to write. Cheri: What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel? Laura Ellen: Jen Michalski’s The Tide King. It’s a historical fantasy about an herb that grants immortality and its effects on several generations of a polish family. This book was a huge influence on The Juliet. Cheri: As a writer, what would you say is your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Laura Ellen: This crew lives on my desk. They solve crimes together when I’m not around:  Cheri: How many published, unpublished, and half-finished books do you have? Laura Ellen: Published: 4 novels, 1 chapbook. Unpublished: 2 novels, 1 short story collection. Half-finished: 2 novels. Cheri: What does literary success look like to you? Laura Ellen: It changes every time I meet a goal. The next goal is completing the New Royal Mysteries series. I had a taste of low-key “fame” for about a day during the 2012 Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, when I happened to be on a terrifically successful panel, and my book sold out. People recognized me on the street. It was weird, but that’s New Orleans. Cheri: What do you feel is the best way to market your books? Laura Ellen: I’m not sure, but I know that I sell more books when I’m in the room to talk about them, and of course, nothing beats a great concept and cover art. I’ve never really noticed an uptick that I could attribute to a review or an interview. Cheri: What kind of research do you do, and how much time do you typically spend researching before beginning a new book? Laura Ellen: No idea how much time I spend on research, because time is meaningless down in the rabbit hole. Research is crucial for the concept but also for discovering where the plot will take me. For The Juliet, I knew I wanted to write about a cursed emerald in Death Valley, but it wasn’t until I went there that I found the Mona Bell cenotaph in Rhyolite, and that led directly to the development of the Lily Joy legend. For Crybaby Lane, I dove into history again, this time using a journal written by one of my ancestors to create an authentic sense of the Ohio “voice” in the 18th/19th century. Cheri: How do you select the names for your characters? Laura Ellen: My characters are born with their names, but they almost always connect to someone I know or something that amuses me. For example, the names in Mean Bone & Crybaby Lane: Elizabeth Murgatroyd comes from the phrases “Heavens to Betsy” and “Heavens to Murgatroyd.” Mitch Brugada comes from a syndrome. Alma Bell is named for my Aunt Alma and Matt Bell. Crocus Rowe got her last name from a student twitter contest. Jeaneane Lewis is no one in particular, but the repeated vowel combo of “ea” in both halves of her first name is deliberately intended as a speed bump. Same with the extra “n” in Brianna Shaler’s name. Not sure I needed it, but I personally enjoy the odd resistant word. Cheri: Do you hide secrets (or Easter Eggs) in your books for people to find? Laura Ellen: Definitely. The most obvious ones are when I name characters after friends, but I also plant clues about what might happen in the next book. Cheri: What was your hardest scene to write? Laura Ellen: The sequence of scenes in the Shaler’s house, where Jeaneane’s mania feeds off of Brianna’s decline in Mean Bone was challenging because there was no room for humor in the situation. It was just dark-dark-dark. Cheri: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? Laura Ellen: Time and making good use of it. Cheri: How long, on average, does it take you to write a book? Laura Ellen: Current speed—most of a year. Cheri: What is your favourite childhood book? Laura Ellen: The Four Little Puppies, by Ruth Dixon. It’s one of those books that is illustrated with photos of dressed up puppies posed as if they are cleaning the house or riding in a plane, etc. Cheri: Where/when do you find yourself most inspired? Laura Ellen: When I travel or when I’m neglecting some other task. Cheri: Lastly, do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Laura Ellen: It’s on the syllabus! Lol, I’m a creative writing professor, so I kind of make my living advising aspiring writers. Free tuition version: don’t be shy, write new things, and success comes quickest to those who write every day. (psst, I don’t write every day. Please refer to question #3. Can’t tell myself a thing) Cheri: Thank you so much for answering my questions, Laura Ellen! It's been a pleasure having you! You can find Laura's Amazon page here. Check us out next week for another edition of Cheri's 20 Questions.  On Point by Annabeth AlbertMy rating: 2 of 5 stars This book really disappointed me. The plot was so promising, and the bit in the jungle was so exciting. I just...didn't like much of the rest. There were some redeeming qualities to each character, and the sex scenes were decent (except for the flashback scenes, which I despised), but other than that, I couldn't wrap my head around the motivation behind what went on here--for Ben, in particular. In addition to the characterization and motivation being way off for me, there was something about this writing that I just didn't like. There wasn't enough description, especially outside of the jungle, there were a lot of scenes that felt rushed or totally unnecessary, there wasn't enough of a sizzling moment when their relationship began, everything was just a bit bland, and when our heroes reconcile after the inevitable fallout, there wasn't enough raw emotion. Honestly, this book just left me feeling very blah, when it had such potential. At this point, I'll probably give this author another try, and read a different one of her books, because there were some very specific things about this book that I didn't like that might be unique to this title. Here's to hoping. As it is, this is not a book that I would recommend. View all my reviews  Welcome to Cheri's 20 Questions! My interviewee is the wonderful Benny Sims. Benny was born and raised in Tennessee and currently lives in Huntsville, AL, working for an aerospace corporation. He is divorced, and the father of two adult sons. He's always been attracted to the arts: music, literature, movies, paintings, etc. and has been writing for over three decades.
Tell us a little something about what you write: My favorite genre right now is thriller/mystery/suspense, but I’ve written a novel with supernatural elements, and I’ve been known to dabble in horror. No matter what I write, I like a lot of action. Interview Questions: Cheri: What is the first book that made you cry? Benny: The first book that comes to mind is “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. I read this to my kids when they were very young, and the first time I read it, I couldn’t finish because I got choked up. It’s very powerful little story. Cheri: Does writing energize or exhaust you? Benny: The thought of having to write wears me out, but I get energized once I force myself to begin, because there’s an immediate feeling of accomplishment. I once heard that writers don’t like to write, but they love having stories written. Cheri: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Benny: Dude, you need to stick with writing instead of chasing a dollar. It’s the only thing you’re ever going to do well, and you’re never going to catch that dollar, anyway. Cheri: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Benny: Instead of writing during weekend binges, I’ve started to write a little each day I’m able. It’s a totally different dynamic that helps the story stay fresh in my mind. Plus, when I leave too long a gap between writing binges, it’s possible to tell where I’ve stopped and started, because the writing voice changes. You’d think my writing would stay the same all the time, but no, not this guy. Cheri: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer? Benny: I bought a stand-up writing desk. Or maybe it was an extra-large computer monitor. I can’t decide. I guess I’m gonna go with the writing desk, since that’s how I prefer to write. I know it had a bigger impact on the quality of my writing than the large monitor. Cheri: What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? Benny: In sixth grade, I wrote a short story that made my classmates laugh. It hooked me. But there was also another experience much later in life that taught me the power of words. I visited Washington, D.C. went to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. His writings are etched on all the walls, and his use of simple language to make a powerful statement really had an impact on me. I’ve got the simple language part perfected. Now all I need to do is work on the “powerful statement” part. Cheri: What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel? Benny: “Sunset and Sawdust” by Joe Lansdale. He writes the best dialogue I’ve ever read. Some stories can be overwhelmed by too much dialogue, and others have far too little. He uses the right amount, and makes his characters talk the way real people talk. Cheri: As a writer, what would you say is your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Benny: A dragon. No, wait…that’s probably already taken. I can’t say a mosquito, because nobody likes those, plus that makes absolutely no sense. How about a beagle? Yeah, let’s go with that. I don’t know why. I just like beagles. Cheri: How many published, unpublished, and half-finished books do you have? Benny: I have one self-published novel, another that will be published by Pandamoon next year, and three others that have been shelved until I get time to finish them. A couple of them are only one or two chapters along, but the third is right around 40,000 words, so I’d say it’s around halfway completed. I also plan on writing a sequel to the one being published next year. Cheri: What does literary success look like to you? Benny: I guess it looks different for everybody, but for me, there are four things that would equal literary success. First, I’d love to see one of my books on the shelves of a bookstore. I would also love to go on vacation and see a total stranger reading one of my books on the beach. The third thing would be to see “Based on the novel by Benny Sims” on the opening credits of a movie. Lastly, writing for a living. I don’t have to necessarily be wealthy, although that would be awesome. I just want to make writing my only job. Cheri: What do you feel is the best way to market your books? Benny: I think two things are vitally important, although I’m not even close to being an expert on marketing. First, an eye-catching cover, because people often do judge a book by its cover, and then brand recognition. I’ve got to get my name out there so that people associate it with good novels. I think all that starts with a good social media platform, and that involves book reviews, connecting with other authors, and creating a buzz about my name. Cheri: What kind of research do you do, and how much time do you typically spend researching before beginning a new book? Benny: Google is one of my best friends, but I rarely do much research before I start writing. I consider my whole life to be a form of research, and I rely on my past experiences to give me an idea of how to frame a story. Once I start writing, I find I need information about a location or a type of character, and that’s where the internet comes to my rescue. If I can’t find any information I need, I make it up. Cheri: How do you select the names for your characters? Benny: Several ways. I’ve used an online name generator, a phone book, or my imagination. I’ve even used the names of people I despise from my past, but I make sure their character gets killed off in some horrendous way. Cheri: Do you hide secrets (or Easter Eggs) in your books for people to find? Benny: Nothing about me personally…at least, as far as I know. But I’ve slipped some plot secrets into some obscure passages here and there. Cheri: What was your hardest scene to write? Benny: My half-completed novel has a scene where the main character, a really bad guy, has to dig deep into his own emotions in order to deal with a horrible personal tragedy. It took me a long time to write it, with several rewrites before I was satisfied with it. When I finished it, I was mentally and physically drained. Other than that, the next most difficult scene was the final scene of my novel “Code Gray.” When I wrote “The End,” it felt like one of my children had grown up and moved out of the house. Cheri: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? Benny: Developing a plot, and twists to that plot, that are good enough to create a marketable novel. I’m always worried that nobody will want to read the slop I write, and a novel isn’t an official novel until somebody reads it. Cheri: How long, on average, does it take you to write a book? Benny: Way too long. Years. My first novel, from Chapter 1 until I wrote “The End,” took nearly two decades. Cheri: What is your favourite childhood book? Benny: “The Call Of The Wild” by Jack London. I bet I read it four times between the second and fourth grade. Cheri: Where/when do you find yourself most inspired? Benny: I get my ideas while I’m doing some mindless task, like mowing the yard or washing my car. I also get inspiration from reading other great books and watching well-made movies and TV shows. Cheri: Lastly, do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Benny: I subscribe somewhat to the Lee Child school of thought. His only advice is to ignore all advice. You can’t write a book by committee, so write what you write, the way you want to write it, and let your novel be a live, breathing thing. But since that’s his advice, I ignore it. Cheri: Thank you so much for answering my questions, Benny; it's been a pleasure having you! Stay tuned next Thursday for another edition of Cheri's 20 Questions! |
Cheri Champagne
Award winning historical romance author, wife, and stay-at-home mom of four. Chocoholic, nerd, & bath bomb enthusiast. Archives
July 2022
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
Proudly powered by Weebly