Sunday Reflections (Nov. 8)

Hey All!
How are you? Hope this finds you all well. What a crazy week it has been in my neck of the woods. First off, my Phightin' Phillies lost in the World Series. It was sad, but considering their pitching was shaky to start the playoff with, one can't complain. If they would have lost to ANYONE else besides the Yankees, I wouldn't have minded so much. Such as life.

I am sure you have heard about Philadelphia's current mass transit strike. Yes, they went on strike at 3:00 am, so that people woke up the next day, and stood at the corner waiting for a bus, that was never going to come. If you didn't see the news in the morning, then you had no clue. I could go on and on, but I won't. Lets just say, this is a union town, and there is no sympathy for this union. I work for a health care system and even I pay for health benefits, so why shouldn't you contribute something? Oh yes, and my 401k is in the toilet too, what makes you're pension more special?

Anyway...even though the strike is putting a damper on my reading time, I am getting a lot accomplished. At least I think so. Getting some books read, have some reviews to type up and post. And, my 1st Blogaversary is coming. YEA! That means a contest of some sort for you! Sometime this week, I'll post about it.

So I'm currently reading:
* King by Right of Might and Blood by Anna Walls Good story by a first time author and publisher.
* The Recipe Club by Israel and Garfinkel I read a few pages of this here and there because its a series of letters back and forth between friends. Very easy to just pick up and read.

Reviews to be typed and/or posted:
* Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell A deliciously cute and funny novel set in London. (Did I just say that?)
* A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi Quick thrilling read that makes you think a bit.


Well that's about it for for now. Hope your week past and week ahead are all that you hope them to be. Happy reading and try not to work too hard this week.
Talk to you later :)

Review: A Circle of Souls

Author: Preetham Grandhi
Publisher: Cedar Fort; 1 edition (June 15, 2009)
Genre: Fiction, mystery, suspense
Trade paperback 339 pages
Book Source: the author

From A Circle of Souls.com:

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town’s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury’s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings’s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya’s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya’s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.

In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

My Thoughts:

This was an excellent relatively, fast paced story. Naya the little girl in the story is a sweetheart, and one of the nicest girls you will meet. She is young and doesn't understand what is happening to her. All Naya knows is that she must help Janet, the girl who visits her in her dreams. Dr. Peter Gram is Naya's champion and unbeknown to them, their destinies are linked.

Janet's champion is FBI agent Leia Bines. Leia must find Janet's killer before someone else meets the same gruesome fate. And that fate is gruesome people.

Both situations are part of a larger whole (oh! I just figured out the circle part. Think circle of life.), and even though the reader knows they are connected, it is still a suspenseful read. Each chapter is pretty short and to the point, but it leaves you wanting more. It was hard to put the book down. Even though I did figure out pretty early who the culprit was, the story was still a thrilling read. There's little bit if action thrown in at the end as well.

Each character is likable, and I even empathized with the killer. Yes, the killer too. I am not condoning the actions, but mental abuse leaves scars that no one ever sees. It can guide one's future behavior for better or worse. I'm just saying that you would be messed up too if you lived through the killer's past. No wonder there are so many senseless things that happen to people today.

I also picked up on some ritualism in the book, with respect to how rituals can help us deal with our emotions. When bad things happen, we return to routines or rituals to get us through. How we cope with disappointment and betrayal is important, and we need to have healthy ways of dealing with these issues. There is always a brighter side to life, even on the cloudiest of days.

The author is a psychiatrist and I like how he incorporated his residency and training into the novel. I work in health care and am a geek so I love that sort of thing. The manner in which Peter works with Naya is refreshing because I think psychiatry sometimes gets a bad rap. He really cared for Naya and wanted to do everything in his power to help her.

I do wish more of Naya's Indian heritage was included in the story, but that's just me. I liked that piece of the story quite a bit.

All in all it was an excellent story and I would definitely read another one of Grandhi's books.

My Rating: 90/100

Thankss to Preetham for sending me a copy of his book.

Article: I'll Take a Community With That Book, Please!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I received this article below from a friend of mine at FSB Associates. I'm posting it because I read it and think it is true. We are always talking about our book blogging community and our friends. I have learned so much from both. I have met independent author/publishers. I have learned about imprints and publishers, and why genres of books are published by certain publishers, etc. This whole field is fascinating to me.

As we blog about the books we have read and hopefully enjoyed, we are also performing a marketing service for authors and publishers. Word of mouth is the best free advertising one could get, and that is basically what we are doing, whether we realize it or not. Most of the books I have right now, I discovered from someone else's blog.

Basically, the times are a changing people. And we the readers/bloggers, have more much more say and influence than we used to. Just remembered that with power comes responsibility. But I think we are all pretty good with that anyhow.

So why I am reprinting this article?
#1 I was asked if I would like to, and I was. Plus I thought it was interesting.
#2 The books I receive from FSB Associates are usually ones I would never read. They are outside of my comfort zone, but because of their offers, I have expanded my horizons. I have thought about things I never would have before, and sought more information on new subjects. All in all it's been a win/win. I think they are on the right path. And they seem like good people just trying to do a good job.

Okay, so enjoy the article and sorry if I rambled. It's Friday and I'm getting out of town for the weekend. See you later :)

I'll Take a Community With That Book, Please!
By Fauzia Burke

With today's search empowered readers, do we need to market and publish books differently? Does general publishing makes sense in an age of Google searches, micro communities and niche marketing?

Today's readers are tech savvy and resourceful. They know how to get the information they need and have higher expectations from publishers and authors. They don't just expect a book, they expect a community with their book.

I often hear publishers say that there are "very few brands in book publishing." But to thrive in today's competitive, niche markets, perhaps brands are exactly what we need. What readers choose to read is personal and an extension of who they are. Shouldn't their book choices be supported by a publisher, a brand that is invested in their interests?

Many small publishing companies have done an enviable job of branding themselves and building reader communities around their books. Take O'Reilly, TOR and Hay House. You may not read their books, but you know what they publish. Their communities trust them. People who share their point-of-view flock to their lists. These companies publish for a niche community, and are trusted members of their community. They provide extra resources, and often their authors are members of the community itself. TOR has even launched a bookstore to meet their readers' needs. These publishers show passion for their books and an understanding of their readers, and as such their readers reward them with loyalty.

Publishing books for the community

Besides reader loyalty, publishing for micro communities may have other long-term benefits as well. For example, the focus would help publishers save money on marketing. Marketing through online communities is less expensive and much more powerful than trying to reach the general public and hoping to find the right match. The publisher's Web site wouldn't have to cater to a wide variety of people, it would be designed to serve the needs of a small group. Instead of expensive advertising, they could announce the book to the community that has already bought into their brand. Publishers and authors could enlist the support of the community to spread the word (which will always be the most efficient method for marketing books.) The logo on the book spine would mean the readers have a promise that the book is worth reading. The readers would know that the publisher looked at over a thousand manuscripts all on the same topic and is offering them the very best.

So are large, general publishers at a disadvantage with today's search-empowered, community oriented readers? I think so. General trade publishing is for everyone, yet there is no "everyone" out there. Readers are part of micro communities. They want good books, and they need publishers who will support their interests and passions.

The bottom line is that publishers and authors need to evolve their marketing and publishing strategies to accommodate for a new kind of reader. A reader whose expectations demand more interaction and community. A reader whose loyalty you can have once you have earned it. A reader who wants more than a 6 week marketing campaign so you can sell a book. This new reader requires an investment of months and years.

Is that too much to expect? Perhaps. But this is your new reader, and she will stay with you if you stay with her.

Stay tuned for Web marketing tips in future weeks, or follow FSB on Twitter to see our results in real time: http://twitter.com/FSBAssociates
©2009 Fauzia Burke

Author Bio
Fauzia Burke is the Founder and President of FSB Associates, a Web publicity firm specializing in creating online awareness for books and authors.

For more information, please visit www.FSBAssociates.com.

Review: Salt and Silver by Anna Katherine

Author: Anna Katherine
Publisher: Tor Books, April 2009
Genre: Paranormal romance, fiction
Paperback 368 pages
Book Source: purchased at Borders

From Amazon.comThis lively tale of demons and gods, the debut effort of Katherine Macdonald and former Tor editor Anna Genoese, opens six years after witty, sarcastic Allie, a trust fund baby turned Brooklyn diner manager, inadvertently generates a door to hell in the diner's basement with the help of her childhood friend Stan. Leather-clad demon fighter Ryan shows up in response and soon becomes Allie's love interest. Now new doors are beginning to appear, leaving the human world vulnerable to invaders from the underworld. As Allie, Stan and Ryan join forces with a witch and rival clans of demon hunters in hopes of restoring balance between supernatural beings and human "mundanes," Genoese and Macdonald mix multiple mythologies into a charming, biting cautionary narrative about taking responsibility for one's actions.

My Thoughts:

Allie is the sarcastic, sweetheart proprietor of Sally's diner, and the owner of the doorway to Hell in it's basement. Ryan is the quiet, hot, bad ass demon hunter who shows up instantly to protect both Allie and the world from the demons who emanate from said door way to Hell. You could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife, and rightly so. It has been brewing for six years. That's a lot of smoldering looks and lonely nights, especially after putting your life on the line almost every night fighting demons.

One day everything changes because Allie's Door disappears, throwing the delicate balance of Hell Doors off. Thus begins the quest of Allie and Ryan: to find an answer to the funky Hell Door problem. Other hunters assist with their quest which requires a journey to Hell through on of the Doors. This is where the story really takes off, because we learn a lot more about Allie and Ryan and their respective pasts. Not only must they battle actual demons and roadblocks, they must battle their inner demons as well. Both Allie and Ryan mature along their journey; Allie realizing she is taking responsibility for her past actions and Ryan letting people get close to him. They learn about themselves and each other.

Now back to the story. The paranormal demon parts do not flow very well, in that I was a bit confused from time to time, as if I missed a part somewhere. This could be due to the fact that Allie is the narrator, and as such, does not have full knowledge of the demon history and rules. Ryan likes to protect Allie from the bad stuff (aww). The choppiness of the paranormal tid bits may also be due to the author collaboration as well. Either way, just let that go and read the story. You will not be disappointed. The big battle scene at the end is like something out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, carnage and destruction everywhere, with one cool chick in the middle of it all.

Here is a taste of the writing:

Here are some important facts about the Door. One: It was Amanda's idea to open it, not mine. Two: It was a joke. We didn't even realize we were opening a Door into Hell, because we were super-drunk at the time, and, seriously, joking around. Now that I know what Doors do and how they work...well, I never wanted something so bad that I'd open a Door for it. Because three: The reason anyone would want to open a Door to Hell in the first place-with the death, and the blood, and the bioluminescent goo that you can't actually ever clean off the floor no matter how harsh the chemicals or how many black cats you drive across the stain (and that's a fun story) - the reason you do it is because the Door...gives you things.
pg. 5

Ryan pushes the cookie toward me anyway, even though I shunned his cookie! I shunned it. But it's the vanilla half of a black and white cookie. It is inevitable that I am drawn to it. I reluctantly take a bite.
pg. 114

Allie and Ryan are two halves of a black and white cookie. They need each other and complement each other perfectly. They are a sweet, kick ass couple.
Salt and Silver was a very entertaining read and I would certainly pick up another of "Katherine's" books.

My Rating: 90/100

Teaser Tuesday (Nov. 3)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B from Should Be Reading.
The rules are as follows:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Was this surge of lust real or was she suffering an acute attack of auction-fever? Poppy didn't know and didn't care. She just wanted to do it again."
pg. 175, Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

Click here for more teasers.

Review: Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker

Author: Nicole Barker
Publisher: Golden Road Press, LLC June 2009
Genre: Fiction, YA
Paperback 170 pages
Book Source: the author

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

Beth is a lucky girl... She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

My Thoughts:

This is the story of four teenage best friends who decide the way to happiness and popularity is paved by losing weight. They decide to restrict their food intake eating only a pieces of fruit and water at meals. Two of the four girls have deep seated reasons, other than popularity for losing weight. Beth has issues with her Dad and Rachael has issues with her Mom. Jenny is the best friend who will do anything to support her friends and Melanie is the "Mom" of the group.

Although it is a short book, their reasons for unhappiness are laid out pretty well and I completely empathized with Beth and Rachael. The thoughts and feelings of these two girls are so sad and desperate...they broke my heart. If they only knew how foolish they are, but that is one of the sobering truths of anorexia and being a teenage girl. You don't know any better. People who suffer from anorexia see themselves differently and tie their self worth to their distorted vision.

My only complaint with this book was Beth's burgeoning sexuality. It came out of left field and I though it was gratuitous. It did not enhance the story and could have been left out. I know she wants to be loved and accepted, but there must be a better way of getting that across to the reader.

Overall it was a quick read, starting out sad and ending hopeful. Not all anorexia stories end happily, but if this book gets people talking about this disease...then it's a win/win. I think parents would probably benefit from reading this book also. It's not always easy to see your children are hurting emotionally and physically.

My Rating: 93/100
I got sucked into these girls' lives and emotions right away. I could totally see shades of these girls in my friends from back in the day.
(I was always the MOM of the group.)

Musing Monday (Oct. 26)

Musing Monday is hosted by Rebecca from Just One More Page

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about note taking…

Do you take notes while reading – either for your reviews or for yourself? How/where do you make these notes (on the page, post-its, scrap paper, notebooks etc)?

I only take notes for my reviews, which I do for every book now. There are things I want to remember or observations I make, that if I don't write down, will be lost forever.

I DO NOT write in books. Even if I own the book, I just don't. I have a notebook I write all my stuff in. Notes, reviews, interview questions, the whole lot. Sometimes I use scraps of paper or post-its, if my notebook isn't handy.

The only time I don't take notes, is if the book is engrossing and I don't want to put it down. When I'm finished reading for the moment, then I'll jot of few notes down.

How about you? Are you a note taker?