May's Paperback Pick

I reserve the right to be late, especially when I'm traveling for 12 days of that month and fitting in time to read is a bit difficult. BUT I'm still 5 for 5 this year, so YAY!

May's Paperback Pick was chosen because I wanted to step into a different genre than usual and I've loved every book of Kristina McMorris's that I've read, so I knew The Edge of Lost was the perfect book.

I wasn't disappointed either. The first little bit of the book felt a little slow to me, but then the pace picked up and soon my heart was hammering in the midst of what was going on with Shan and I couldn't stop reading until I found out what happened to him!

If you haven't read a book by McMorris, do yourself a favor and read one.

On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard’s only daughter—one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island—has gone missing. Tending the warden’s greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only he knows the truth about the little girl’s whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search’s outcome.

Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs. Talented and shrewd, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world.

Skillfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorris delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay. As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell—and believe—in order to survive.

April's Paperback Pick

This month's paperback pick was "forced" on me by Mary Smith. Once she found out I hadn't read this series, she insisted I start. So, last month when we were in Dallas in a bookstore, I saw Dark Lover by J.R. Ward and bought it. I deemed it my Paperback Pick of the Month.

It took some time to get used to how it's written, but once I did, I was hooked! So hooked that before I even finished the book, I bought books 2-13. I'm anxiously waiting for Tuesday when they will come in.

I just got sucked into the story and into the lives of all these characters. It was definitely a book that makes you want to read it all in one sitting. Forcing myself to go to bed and then spending most of the next day running errands while every other thought was of wanting to finish the book is not fun!

I can't wait to keep reading and find out what happens with everyone. Thanks for the rec, Mary!

The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed — orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate — Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both....

March's Paperback Pick

Three for three, y'all! March's Paperback Pick was The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. I've had this book for a few years and this month, I wanted to switch things up.

What better way than to read a vampire book?

And what it a book, it was! It sucked me in (haha!) right from the start. I just finished it and I plan to buy the next two books in the series.

I forgot how much I loved paranormals; it's been a long, long time since I've read any. This may just be the book that restarts my love for them.

With this book, I was instantly swept away and absorbed into a world I know nothing about with fantastic writing, great characters, and an ending that was a cliffhanger without being a cliffhanger.

It wraps this journey in its own way, but I definitely need to know what comes next and I want to continue following along the journey Allison is on. This is my first book by Julie Kagawa and it definitely won't be my last.

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness...…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

February's Paperback Pick

I'm two for two so far this year! Woot, woot! This month's paperback pick was Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. It was gifted to me for Christmas and I chose it this month based solely on the cover.

I'm so happy that I read this book. It made me smile and I was turning the pages as fast as I could read them. I started getting worried about halfway through because I needed to know what was going to happen, and I was getting anxious.

The book was good, told in an interesting manner (with some IMs & images), but was told perfectly, I think. My heart being the way it is, I do wish for a little more from the ending, but I'm still completely happy with it. If I'm not clear though, I only keep physical copies of books I truly enjoyed, and I'll definitely be keeping this one.

Plus, that cover! I still love it.

That's it for this month's pick. I'm going to see if Nicola Yoon has written more books or if I get to wait for her next one. :)

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

January's Paperback Pick

Woohoo! I'm starting 2016 off well! The first Paperback Pick of the year has been read!

This month, the pick was This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith. I was so excited for this book because I read and adored The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

This is a fast-paced read, and for the most part, I enjoyed it. I expected it to be a fast love with a cute story, and it was. There was something missing though. I've been trying to put my finger on it, but can't quite grasp it. Maybe it was because I didn't really connect with the characters or maybe because I wanted more from the ending. Something was missing for me though, and the book kinda fell flat.

However, I'm glad I read it, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Smith's books. I think I have The Geography of You and Me, so maybe I'll read that one soon!

What about you? Have you read this book or a book by this author? How did you enjoy it?

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

2015 Recap

Well, today is the last day of the year, and what a year it's been! I'm going to jump right in and start with a breakdown of the year.

Books Released: 9 (2 solos; 7 coauthored)

Places I Went: Pittsburgh, Charlotte, St. Louis, Las Vegas, & Huntington.

Personal Highlights: Turned 21; saw my Penguins play in Pittsburgh for the first time; Upgraded my car; saw Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett in concert; went to a few hockey games in Raleigh; made plans to see all the NHL teams play a home game and marked two off the list (Pittsburgh and Carolina); & celebrated four years writing, Bartley's fourth birthday, and one year of living on my own!

Bookish Highlights: I read 112 books, and my goal was 100. I should probably deem 2015 the Year of Catherine Gayle and biker books, as I read all of the books in Catherine Gayle's Portland Storm series and got hooked on books with bikers. Also, I did 7 Paperback Picks out of 11 months. Hopefully, I'll do better next year.

It's been a really great year. December made it tough and pushed all my buttons, so I'm thankful it's over. I have a feeling 2016 will be amazing, and I can't wait to see what the new year brings. Tomorrow, I'll share some plans and goals for 2016!

A Bookish Life Update

It's been a long time since my last life update, which is good. It means things have been so good and crazy, I haven't felt the urge to write one.

You may remember how these updates came out. They used to be my anxiety updates, but I changed it to life updates because my life is about more than my anxiety.

Still, every life update seems to come about when I either am or have been struggling with something. That said, here's the most recent life update.

While this isn't weird, it feels a little weird.

Usually, I miss my characters the same amount once I've finished their story.

And then there's Corey and Olivia from Nepenthe. It's my book that gives me all the feels. The book that makes me proud while breaking my heart because I want everyone to read this book the most out of all my books. It means so much to me.

So, so much.

You see, whenever I'm struggling with either the anxiety or depression side of things, I think about Corey and Olivia. Among the craziness, I think about this book. I think about what I wanted to accomplish with it, what readers have told me about the effect of it on them, and what this book means to me.

In a way, it's my own nepenthe.

Corey managed to crawl out of the hole when he was at his lowest. It was a slow crawl, but he made progress, little by little. He managed to see the speckles of light to push him forward, to keep trying, to hold onto to hope that things would be better one day, to know that he would one day simply be able to throw a football again.

While I love all my characters, especially those you'll be introduced to in December with Without a Doubt, I wish Corey and Olivia were real.

I miss them and think about them the most. These characters fuel me into hanging on and knowing I can survive whatever life hands me. They remind me that though we may not want seek help, doing so is highly beneficial.

If one book has my heart and soul within the pages, it's Nepenthe. When life is hard, one of the people I turn to are Corey and Olivia. (See why it feels weird?) I'll read the book and find a source of contentment from their accomplishments and their love. It always makes me feel better about whatever's going on.

So, basically, my life update is that I still struggle, but I'm still doing my best and doing well in the grand scheme of things. I guess I felt the need to share all of that about Nepenthe because I relate to Corey so much. We're both trying to keep making progress and keep pushing through the tough times because we know we can and we know it's worth the fight.

Plenty of updates to go around

Let's kick this post off with a positive.

The next six months are going to be awesome and I can't wait! I want to spill the beans about everything, but a few of those things have to be kept secret, only to be told at the right time.

In my personal life, I have three exciting things happening in the coming months. I'll graduate with my Associates degree and will transfer to a university to continue with my Bachelors in January. And Mary and I are going on a writing retreat/birthday trip in February for my 21st birthday! We're going to be having a blast in Pittsburgh!

Writing-wise, I'm going to start with this crazy fact: between now and January 2015, I'll release SIX books. SIX! So, I sure hope y'all are ready for more. 

Of course, this month is Bracing the Blue Line. Then in October, it's Looking for You, book one in Mary & my new series. The other three Oh Captain, My Captain novels will release one-a-month until the fourth one in January. 

PLUS, my secret WIP *may* come out in January too. So yeah, hope y'all are ready for more because they're coming.

Speaking of that WIP...

Characters Waiting to be Written

I have a lot of characters waiting to be written. Lots of ideas jotted down and I even have a handful of books I've started, but ended up pushing aside for others. The list is pretty endless as far as what's waiting for me to start working on next.

There's this true southern gentleman with a name I really love and a storyline, and he's waiting rather patiently for me to write his book. 

There's this girl named Chloe who is waiting for me to get the guts to try her story because it's unlike what I usually write. I will need lots of focus for her book and I don't currently have enough to give.

There's the two solo WIPs I keep going back and forth between.

There's a list of characters for my and Mary's books.

And then, there's the story I'm here to talk to you about today.

I've been wanting to write it for a while. I don't think about it a lot, but I do every blue moon. Lately, though, I've been thinking about it more than usual. I know why I have, but that's not something I'm going to get into. Like I said, I want to write it.

But I don't really.

I'm struggling with wanting to write it and not wanting to write it. What's the big deal with this story? That's what you're thinking, right? Why would I not want to write a book?

Because I'm scared. 

It's that simple. A portion of it would need to be carefully written a certain way, and that makes me nervous. The reason I thought of this idea is very personal, so that makes me nervous. And because of that, if I do write it, I know that I'll be even more obsessed with every last detail to make sure that the story is told perfectly. 

The story itself scares me.

Not because of anything bad, but because of my personal attachment to it. This won't be a true story, but there will be a lot of truth in it. 

So, here I am, thinking about this story, half way to obsessed already. But the fear has been holding me back. 

Until today.

I don't know when I'll finish this book or if I ever will finish it. However, I'm going to start writing. Thinking about it won't get me anywhere, so I'm going to pour my heart into this story in bits and pieces until it's either done or until I can't work on it anymore. I realized that all I need is progress. That's the only thing that will help. 

Not thinking about it for hours on end.

Not wondering if I'm good enough to tell this story.

Not my fear of writing it.

This may be the only time you'll even hear about this unwritten book, but I need to do something instead of thinking about doing something. That's my new plan with this particular idea. I'll start writing it and take it slow, and we'll see how it goes.

What a CRAZY Year!!!

This year has been the wildest ever, but I've loved every second of it. I hope I have many more years like this to come because it's been absolutely wonderful.

Here's a recap.

• I turned 19. 
• I have attended three Penguins/Canes games and the Pens have won each one! 
• Always released.
• Mary Smith became my co-author! I met her in person and loved her even more! We started writing and finished the first draft in just two weeks. We've been writing ever since and have published two books in our trilogy, along with a novella. I can't wait to continue writing with her in the new year and see what amazing things are sure to come for us. Mary has become a best friend. After this year, I honestly I don't what I would do without her!
• The fifth Bold as Love book was not only given a title and release date, but I finished it completely. I can't wait to share Our Happily Ever After with you on the 13th! The cover will reveal tomorrow!
• I completed another semester of college and have been 99% anxiety-free. If you missed it, you can read my post on that here.
• I also completed my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal to read 50 books! Woohoo! You can see all of those books on Goodreads, if you want to check them out.

In short, I've had an awesome year all the way around! 

I hope your year has been great as well and that 2014 will be even better for you and your family. Share a highlight of yours from 2013 in the comments! I would love to see it!