Hi! I'm Brooke, and I'm an author. I love writing; I always have, and I love anything that has to do with words and poems and reading. I also like to sing, act, swim, and laugh (a lot.)
This e-galley was provided by NetGalley and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.
How do I even begin with this book? Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the third book in the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. I discovered books 1 and 2 only earlier this year, and completely fell in love. Stiefvater is now one of my favorite authors. (I could hardly contain my excitement when I was approved for this ARC.)
So book 3 is very similar to books 1 and 2 in that each and every character is extremely well developed and I just couldn’t put the book down. There is such depth of character – it gets me every time. The multiple POVs were also really well done, and so the reader gets glimpses into everyone’s heads. (Including the villain!)
Blue, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah are still on the hunt for Glendower. Of course, they’ve faced many complications preceding the beginning of book 3. (Let me jog your memory – assassin, Greywaren, Cabeswater, missing person).
Morale is low. Blue is alternately depressed and angry. Ronan and Adam are just dealing with the every-day challenges of their newfound gifts (powers? abilities?). Gansey is trying to keep the peace as usual. The search for Glendower has taken on a new level of seriousness. There is more magic in this book, more mystery. But the underlying tone of sadness persists, and is culminated toward the end of the book in a terribly tragic event that nearly brought me to tears.
Overall, I felt this was sort of a transition book. Everything has changed for Blue and the gang. And we have no idea what the outcome will be in book 4. Points for characters, story world, magic, and unpredictability!
GAH! The wait for book 4 is going to be long and difficult.
Release date: Oct. 21, 2014 (That’s TOMORROW, my friends!)
*Super excited because I preordered a signed hardcover copy of the book and it should be here SOON. And not only is it signed by Maggie Stiefvater, but she has doodled in it. You should be so jealous. 😉
So this week I’d like to share a bit about the Snippet I’m creating, and the tools I’m using to create it.
Backstory: I’ve been blogging for a while (I created the blog in May 2006 – that’s a little over 8 years!) but have really only intensively worked on the blog for the past year. Needless to say, I’ve put in a lot of time researching blogs – providing quality content, tracking stats, layout.
Over the summer I was asked to consult on someone’s personal site. And then I was asked twice more – to help create personal sites from scratch. It’s something I really enjoy, and until I began working with these people I wasn’t even aware of how much I’d learned about blogging.
Present day: I’m creating a How-To guide to assist teen writers in building a blog from scratch. I’ve chosen Snippet as my platform for this project.
I list/describe my tools below.
Pixelmator – a tool for image editing Cost – $30 (free 30 day trial)
Basically, Pixelmator is Photoshop for Mac. I’ll use this program to edit the images I plan to use in my Snippet (cover image, header image, etc.)
Scrivener – a tool for writing/editing Cost – $45 (free 30 day trial)
Scrivener is a word processing program for writers and has so many great features. The reason I’ve chosen to use this program for my project is that it’s easier to keep things organized. Rather than having a folder with multiple word docs, I can keep it all in Scrivener.
Camtasia – a tool for screen recording and video editing Cost – $99 (free trial)
I’ll be creating video tutorials for my Snippet. This program allows me to do that. (It will definitely take some experimentation!)
So I realize these programs can be expensive. I truly believe they’re worth it in the long run. However, these programs are not necessary for the successful creation of a Snippet.
Next week I’ll write about content and layout.Thanks for reading!
Questions, comments? Have you worked with these programs? Any recommendations for me? Share your thoughts!
I’ve listed below (in no particular order) the ten places books have made me want to visit. (Almost all of them are fictional! Go figure.) I am posting this very late in the day, but better late than never, right? I was super excited about this post.
1. Paris – Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Ooh la la. I think there’s a strong chance I could find love in Paris like Anna.
2. London – 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson A giant department store? I’m there.
3. The Underland – Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins It’s an underground world beneath NYC populated by giant rodents. I’d really like to check it out.
4. New Beijing – Cinder by Melissa Meyer New Beijing is home to super cool tech and Prince Kai. And also Thorne. <3
5. Dystopian Chicago – Divergent by Veronica Roth The factions fascinate me, I’m not gonna lie.
6. Panem’s Capital – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Not sure I’d want to live here, but I’d certainly like to visit.
6. Hogwarts – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling Do I even have to explain?
7. Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women – Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter I’ve always had a secret obsession with becoming a spy.
8. Eighteenth-century London – Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley Archer, Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare London made the list TWICE. Two time periods!
9. 1920s New York – Born of Illusion by Teri Brown I <3 NYC!
Have you read these novels? What places have books made you want to visit? Share your thoughts! I love recommendations!
I discovered Snippet through Pat Flynn. I follow Flynn’s well-known site Smart Passive Income, and was intrigued when he blogged about writing/publishing a Snippet. After I’d done my research, I was pretty excited.
So I purchased Flynn’s Snippet for $2.99. I decided to read it on my laptop, but I can also access it on my iPhone.
I knew I’d get a better idea of what Snippet can do by taking a look at Flynn’s “Let Go.” Flynn’s efforts are never half-hearted – when he does something, he does it right. He focuses on providing quality content, and so that’s what I expected.
His Snippet definitely delivered.
I was actually already quite familiar with Flynn’s story – how he’d been working as an architect and was laid off due to the crashing economy, and how creating a blog as a study tool for an exam led him to becoming an online entrepreneur.
However, I enjoyed reading it all over again in “Let Go.” Flynn’s story is certainly inspiring, but he wrote “Let Go” because he had a message to share. Check out the trailer for “Let Go.”
*Snippet provides an engaging reading experience. It’s simplistic. White background, standard black text. But it isn’t merely a block of words on a screen. Flynn opens each chapter with a quote, which is italicized at the top of the page. Certain lines (his big ideas) are in larger font. Occasionally text is bolded.
And at the end of several chapters, there’s a short video. Flynn elaborates on an idea he introduced in the chapter, or discusses something with his wife or his father (who are mentioned in the book), or returns to the setting of an important event. In my opinion, these videos really add something extra.
I encourage you to learn more about Pat Flynn and to check out his Snippet “Let Go” if you’re interested.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring how to incorporate some of Flynn’s successful elements in our own Snippets.
*Quick disclaimer – I have not been paid to promote Snippet. I’m writing this series of posts simply because I think it’s cool and I’d like to create one myself. Also, all screenshots of “Let Go” are from the free preview.
This e-galley was provided by Netgalley and Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Millions of people witnessed Emma Taylor’s first kiss-a kiss that needed twelve takes and four camera angles to get right. After spending years performing on cue, Emma can’t help but wonder if any part of her life is real anymore . . . particularly her romances. She’s been burned by heartthrobs (and the press) one too many times, but there’s something about Emma’s co-star on her new TV show Coyote Hills that is irresistible. Jake Elliott is gorgeous, smart and actually cares about Emma’s charitable foundation. But she’s sworn off on-set relationships. They always end badly . . . don’t they?
I loved the premise of this book, especially because the behind-the-scenes aspect of a young actress’ life fascinated me. Also, I thought it would be fun to watch the protagonist fall for a guy she didn’t plan to fall for.
What I liked best about this book is that it was both cute and clean. Emma’s life as a popular actress is not simple by any means, but she’s level-headed and grateful and remains true to herself. Though she sometimes struggles with her mom, who is also her manager, she has a close relationship with her family. She’s respectful and kind to her coworkers and to the crew. Emma is not without her flaws, but she is definitely endearing.
Jake Elliott is a gentleman. He and Emma are friends, first and foremost, and I appreciated that. I thought the alternating perspectives (Emma’s and Jake’s) was really well done. I enjoyed being in their heads.
The book is also funny. The supporting characters (Brett and Kimmi) weren’t as well-developed as Emma and Jake, and sometimes came across as flat or stereotypical, but for the most part I liked the dynamics of the group and their drama. Toward the end the plot dragged a little, and I think I would have liked to see it resolved a bit sooner.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I definitely recommend to fans of romantic comedy. Looking forward to reading more from Amy Finnegan.
Release date: Oct. 7, 2014 (That’s TOMORROW, my friends!)
Go to the official website to register for an account. You’ll need to give your full name and a valid email address and will be asked to create a password. Click the big green ‘sign up’ button.Congratulations! You’ve created a Snippet account. You’ll be taken to your dashboard and given a basic tutorial.
Also, you’ll find a “welcome” email in your inbox.
Snippets may be priced between $.99 and $4.99, or offered free of charge.
Proceeds are 50/50.
Let’s take a quick look at some of Snippet’s features.
Keep in mind that Snippets are short and sweet. Each chapter is 1000 words or less. However, you can add photos, video, and audio. You can “invite readers to connect within the chapter using social timelines.”
Snippet calls its multi-media options discoverables.
I love this quote from Pat Flynn, a blogger I admire who has published a Snippet to share his personal story. We’ll be taking a closer look at Flynn’s Snippet, Let Go, next week.
“The multi-media experience was the perfect way to share my story, and integrating social media into it was just beyond wild – it was so cool to see exactly who was reading my book and when, and the fact that I could immediately reply and thank them meant a lot to me.”
—PAT FLYNN, Writer and Top-Rated Blogger, Let Go
That’s it for today’s post! Next week I’ll be reviewing Flynn’s Snippet so we can get a better idea of everything you can do with Snippet.
1.Allegiant by Veronica Roth – There’s just this awful feeling of impending doom. : /
2-3.Crown of Midnight / Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas – Great books, but they’re difficult to read because Maas makes you feel SO MANY THINGS. (And I actually haven’t finished Heir of Fire yet, so no spoilers please!)
4.Panic by Lauren Oliver – I thought this was a very good novel. But it disturbed me. I read it all the way through because I needed – but didn’t necessarily want – to know what happened.
5.Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Subject matter for sure. I LOVED this book, but there are several passages that are quite difficult to read, emotionally speaking.
6. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen – Again, subject matter. This book became another absolute favorite, but I remember struggling with it. (And that’s probably why it’s stuck with me more than any of Sarah Dessen’s other novels, which have all impacted me in some way.)
7.Fault in Our Stars – Subject matter! I refused to read this book for the longest time because I thought it’d be depressing.
8.Arclight by Josin L. McQuein – I just wasn’t a fan of this book. It was a difficult read for me simply because I wasn’t enjoying it, but I’d already gone too far to give up.
9 – 10.Blood Promise / Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead – AH! Two fantastic series. Both of these books were difficult to read because Mead delights in torturing her readers. (If you’ve read either of these series, YOU’LL KNOW WHAT I MEAN.)
So I’m participating in “Rewind & Review,” a blog hop hosted by Shae Has Left the Room. Basically, we’ll be glancing back at what happened on the blog during the month of September, and also take a look at what I’ve been reading.
Books I Read
Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson Not in the Script by Amy Finnegan Vitro by Jessica Khoury
So September was a pretty quiet month. Definitely didn’t read as many books, especially compared to the summer months, but I’m still adjusting to college and my new schedule. That said, I’m hoping October will be a busier month for the blog! Looking forward to future TTTs (Top Ten Tuesdays), book reviews (Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Vitro, Blue Lily Lily Blue, Heir of Fire) and the continuation of my new Friday series. I’ll be walking through the process of creating a Snippet, which is a pretty cool app that (I believe) will change the way we share ideas.
Also, LOVING all the comments on my posts! It’s been really great to meet/form friendships with other bloggers. I definitely want to encourage conversation. It’s so much more interesting when I read what you all have to say. So don’t be shy! Introduce yourself – I’d love to support you, as well. 🙂
So I’m pretty excited to introduce a new series of posts I’ve got planned for the blog. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now, but hadn’t quite gotten around to. Actually, it’s a school project that has encouraged me to go for it. (More on this later.)
I’ll be publishing 6 posts about the process of creating a Snippet. (Posts in the series will go up on Fridays.)
What is Snippet? That’s what I hope to answer with today’s post, the first in the series.
Snippet is a pretty cool app (it’s free!) I discovered earlier this year. It allows individuals (anyone and everyone) to publish/sell interactive ebooks. Basically, it’s a creative outlet for ideas.
So I’m currently taking a class called Reading, Writing, and Speaking in the Digital Age. (It’s a mouthful.) It’s all about digitization and new media and how they’re changing the way we share ideas.
Online blogs, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest (just to name a few) are relatively recent. I’m a writer who blogs about books. Fifty years ago, I would not have had such an easily accessible platform with which to publish my thoughts. And I would most definitely not have been able to self-publish my novels or convert them to ebooks.
Now there’s Snippet, which allows writers to use a variety of media in their published work, including hyperlinks, photo, video, and audio. A Snippet does not necessarily have to be a novel. (In fact, it’s designed to be short and sweet – and affordable!) It could be a collection of sorts, or a simple How-To.
Throughout this series, I’ll be exploring how new media is changing the way we publish and market our thoughts and ideas – specifically by looking closely at Snippet. By the end of the six weeks, I hope to have successfully published my own Snippet.
The reason I’ve decided to chronicle this process is because I think it’s exciting for teen writers. If you’re interested in creating a Snippet, I encourage you to join me! Let’s do this together.
Tentative outline for the remaining posts in the series:
Week 2 – Getting Started – creating a Snippet account, exploring Snippet’s features
Week 3 – Snippet in Review – taking a look at published Snippets
Week 4 – Taking Action – tools for creating your Snippet
