Tag Archives: published work

Hello 2019

08 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Personal Thoughts, reading, Writing

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Can you believe it’s 2019. Not just 2019, but we’re already eight days in! Is the new year treating you well? Are you well on your way to exactly how you want to work, what you want to work on, and what all you’re doing?

I hope so.

I have a few things on my personal list to accomplish for this year, but also a good bit of wants for my blog, writing, & reading portions of my life.

For My Blog

Updates: 2018 saw me increase my posting much more than in the past. I want to stick with that momentum and continue doing better until this blog is getting a post a minimum of once a week – on Mondays for updates. (You’ll note that today is Tuesday…)

Reviews: I did some reviews in 2018, but I’ll be honest – especially for the amount I read last year – not enough. I want to be sure this year that if I liked a book, that I’m writing a review for it – and then leaving it on Goodreads and Amazon where I can too. Far too many of my Goodreads stuff right now has a star rating but no actual review – which while better than nothing is still not where I want to leave it for the future. For my blog, reviews are posted on Wednesdays – not in lue of an update post.

For My Writing

In general, I wrote more and published more last year (and mostly in the last six months of 2018) than I did in the past. In this I don’t just want to stick with the momentum, but increase it. I want to write more often, plot when I’m not writing, and get more of a catalog up on Amazon.

I also want to see my first draft edited so I can decide if I want to shop it around to publishers or really give it the push it needs marketing wise to indie publish it. It’s my baby, and I want to do right by it.

For My Reading

Last year I read 50 books. Which considering in 2016 & 2017 I read less than that combined, is a great accomplishment for me. My original goal for 2018 was 24 books, and I was pushing to read five to six books a month overall.

This year, however, because I want to focus a little more on writing. I’ve left the my Reading Challenge at 50 books. I’ve also decided to stop focusing so much on having a long TBR pile. I may decide at the beginning of the month to definitely read one or two titles, but the rest for the month will be titles that just hit my fancy and call to me to read.

I’m not really doing resolutions this year, but more goals to keep myself to month to month, to gradually improve myself and my life. I think goals will do me better this year. We shall see if I’m right.

Are you doing resolutions this year? If so, what are they?

đź’€New Release – The Reapingđź’€

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Just in time for Halloween, a new spooky short!

The Reaping

While their parents are away Katie and Josh watch as a dark storm rolls into town. With it, strange shadows lurking outside their window can be seen outside the house.

What are the strange shadows outside the in the rain?
Are Katie and Josh just jumping at shadows?

Find out in this creepy, short read just in time for Halloween.

You can find the book HERE for purchase or free to read on Kindle Unlimited!

Book Review: Twisted Gift by Jessi Elliott

19 Wednesday Sep 2018

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Author: Jessi Elliott 
Publisher: Jessi Elliott
Series: Twisted #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy (New Adult Romance)
Release Date: September 21, 2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Find Twisted Gift on GoodReads

WARNING – There may be Spoilers for Twisted Fate (Book 1). Pick up a copy here before you continue with this review of book 2!

Let me start out with the fact that I have been pining for this book since I finished Twisted Fate. The way Aurora and Tristan ended up leaving things kind of broke my heart. So to say that I needed to know what had happened to them, so the anticipation of this book was nothing short of zomg where is it excitement.

Becoming Fae was never something that Aurora planned for, and hadn’t expected. But life didn’t leave much in the way of arguing for Aurora after she killed the leader of the light fae and took on his powers, becoming that leader herself. Suddenly she’s forced to figure out how to feed, how to use her powers, and how to manage the emotions of those around her when she can barely hold onto and manage her own as her world shifts upside down.

Not to mention that while she’s adjusting, the world continues to turn and the war between the light and dark fae rages on.

Wanting to help the fae find peace, Aurora swallows her pain and agrees to work with Tristan despite all the emotions and memories doing so brings up. But when they come together to end the war and bring their people together, they find that there are twisted creatures lurking in the dark.

Everything I loved about Twisted Fate is present in Twisted Gift. Realistic characters with heart-wrenching pain and smiling inducing happiness, captivating plot, and addictive prose. I devoured this book, never wanting to put it down for fear of taking too long to find out what happens next.

The story picked up effortlessly from book one, while still carving its own path of enjoyment. The plot was well wrapped up by the end of the book, as was the overarching storyline for the characters between the two books. I recommend picking up a copy if you love a good romance story, good urban fantasy, and a bit of magic.

I can’t wait to see what Jessi will publish next!

Disclaimer: I did receive an arc of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. All thoughts are my own, and were not colored for receiving the arc.

Remember to find Twisted Gift on GoodReads

Synopsis

Being the new leader of the light fae really puts a dent in your post-grad plans.

Aurora, once a snarky business major, struggles to adjust to fae life—and the diet of human energy that comes with it. A change made worse by the overwhelming ability to feel the emotions of everyone around her, especially when she can barely manage her own.

Agreeing to work with her dark fae counterpart, Tristan, in an attempt to bring peace between their people is a painful reminder of how strong they are together. Even still, Aurora fights the urge to keep her distance. She needs to be sure what she feels for him is real, and not a result of the former light fae leader’s manipulation as a part of his plan to eliminate Tristan.

Aurora thought she’d encountered the worst thing since early morning lectures when she stumbled into the world of the fae. She’s about to find out that they may not be the most twisted creatures out there.

Available September 21st

Amazon | iBooks | KOBO | Signed Paperback

TWISTED FATE (Book 1) IS ON SALE FOR 0.99c!

Amazon | iBooks | KOBO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads | YouTube

Jessi Elliott is a law clerk and author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog.

She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her adorable cat, Phoebe. Yes, named after the Friends character.

When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.

You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can join her newsletter to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.

Join her Facebook reader group, Jessi Elliott’s Twisted Sweethearts, for exclusive news, promos, review opportunities, and giveaways!

Book Review: Cocky Dragon Slayer – an Indie Author Adventure

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

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So there will be three shorts reviewed in this post. With everything going on with trademarks and things, a small group of us got together and wrote Cocky Dragon Slayer stories. Yes, I wrote one too, and you can find that one here. But this review is about the other authors that wrote their own story.

Going into this project, we wanted to show that not only could we work together and share titles – but that the title wouldn’t define the story inside that book so much as the author writing it would. Meaning, just because something shares a title, doesn’t mean it’s the same book or it was copied or stolen. That it can be unique and able to stand on its own. Because this is how you Indie.

 

Author: Maddie Blake 
Publisher: Maddie Blake
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 Stars

Before the dragon arrived, Kiera thought that the town of Cresent’s Cove was known for the vast library the late king had bequeathed them.  But after a renowned dragon slayer arrives, Kiera realizes that some things might be worse than a potentially fire-breathing creature that flies overhead of her home.

Loved the take on dragons, dragon slayers, and how important a library can truly be! Kiera is fierce in both her quest for knowledge against the dragon that has taken up residence near her town and the protection of the library that she works at. This is a sweet, enjoyable read that I completely recommend.

 

Author: Alicia Chumney 
Publisher: Alicia Chumney
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 Stars

Ander the dragon has one major goal in her life – protect Princess Lilianna at all costs. When Arnold arrives to fill the shoes of his older brother – a renowned and feared dragon slayer – can Ander help him to see that dragons aren’t bad or a threat to their princesses?

Ander and the Cocky Dragon Slayer is a wonderful and fun read. It takes a fresh, interesting spin on dragons and why they’re always with princesses at castles, and a surprise twist will leave you scratching your head – in all the good ways.

 

 

Author: J’nae Rae Spano 
Publisher: J’nae Rae Spano
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars

Sephra has a choice. She can accept her fate to bare a War Dragon and become the concubine of his rider, or she can take a stand and battle to become the new Queen Dragon – letting her choose her own fate and live how she wants.

This was a beautiful take on both dragons and dragon slayers. The world building was stunning, the take on where dragons originated from, how they worked in this word was fresh and interesting, and Sephra was stunning as our main character.

Book Review: Mated on Hades by Golden Angel

26 Thursday Jul 2018

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Author: Golden Angel 
Publisher: Golden Angel
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Rating: 4 Stars

Tarrik, a Hadesian, and Juliette, a human, sign up for Celestial Mates for reasons that do not include hoping to actually find a mate. But Celestial Mates is the best agency in the galaxy for a reason.

Tarrik enjoys his life, flying from planet to planet with his crew as he carts cargo to and from for his parent’s company. It’s a free life and one that lets him see the galaxy. But when his parents decide that he’s more than old enough to start considering settling down, spawned by their own want to be able to travel the galaxy while he stays planetside to run the business, he finds himself agreeing to sign up for Celestial Mates to appease them even if it’s not something he wants.

Juliette runs the wrong side of a very powerful organization as a hacker and needs an escape from Earth as quick as possible, which leads her to sign up for Celestial Mates in a way to get off world and into hiding faster than she had hoped to.

Neither are interested in making it work, but in the mix of everything going on will they find love anyway?

I loved the take on the different aliens that inhabited this galaxy, the author was creative in not just the kinds but also how they inter-mixed and their offspring gained the traits of both parents. I also loved being able to see some of it through Juliette’s eyes since she’d never been off Earth before. It was fun being able to explore that way.

The book passes between Tarrik’s point of view and Juliette’s point of view, and it’s helpful to be able to see where both of them are coming from as they go back and forth in this pairing that’s put them together. Switching between both views gives a good view of Juliette as she slowly integrates into Tarrik’s life and with his crew, how he feels about it and how she slowly starts to see if she can really live this way or not.

I enjoyed the writing and the characters a lot, and I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author in the future.

Book Review: The Quirky Hitman by Joelee Mayes

06 Wednesday Jun 2018

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Author: Joelee Mayes 
Publisher: Joelee Mayes
Genre: Satire
Rating: 5 Stars

Dylan Greene is a hitman, one with a special kind of skill set. But no one has ever questioned if Dylan got the job done.

What happens when Travis Baker, Dylan’s old childhood friend, is next on the hit list?

The Quirky Hitman is a cute Satire book based on popular tropes. It’s a short. It’s a cute, quick read that will have you tapping your foot and waiting for more.

I loved Dylan’s snarky humor and creative wit. As well as Dylan’s ability to do the job in a way that is satisfactory to both her morals and the client.

I’m already excited for the next one.

If you’re looking for a fun read, definitely make sure to check this book out!

Book Review: Twisted Fate by Jessi Elliott

07 Wednesday Feb 2018

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Author: Jessi Elliott 
Publisher: Jessi Elliott
Series: Twisted #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy (New Adult)
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Everything in Aurora Marshall’s life is going smoothly. She’s in her final year of her business degree, she’s on track to graduate, and she has plans for her own business after she graduates. It looks like everything will happen the way she’s planned it to.

One night changes everything when she meets Tristan Westbrook. Dragged into the Fae world, Aurora’s carefully planned out life tilts sideways and she struggles to keep her life as normal as possible while handling the dangers that come with being of interest to the dark fae’s leader and plunged deeper and deeper into all things fae.

I have to say, honestly, I loved this book. The characters were engaging, the world was built beautifully, and while time did pass quickly the author did it in a very organic way. I found myself rooting for Aurora as she faced obstacles, wanting her to come out the other side unscathed. Caring about Aurora and what was going on with her life, and with her family, became second nature and at one point in the book I felt as deeply sad as she was.

Now, lets be clear, I’ve read books where sad things happen before. But I will say, it takes a special kind of talent to get your readers so involved with the characters that they cry with them. Jessi has a beautiful way with words and how she weaves this tale.

The story of the fae, and their world and everything about them interests me with how Jessi made it her own and weaved her own mythos for them. I feel for the fae, for everything they’ve been through even as Aurora gets the raw end of a deal with having to deal with them and move in their world.

The completion of the book left me both satisfied with the ending of the plot within its covers, but also craving the next installment of the series.

Disclaimer: I did receive an arc of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. All thoughts are my own, and were not colored for receiving the arc.

Synopsis

Being kidnapped by the leader of the fae really puts a dent in your senior year.

Aurora Marshall is sharp, witty, and always has a plan. Ready to finish her business degree and graduate, her life is going smoothly—until the night she meets Tristan Westbrook.

Tristan, the overbearing, gorgeous fae leader, and an admired businessman in the human world, is all kinds of dangerous. While he finds Aurora intriguing, her refusal to bend to his will keeps them locked in a constant power struggle.

Entering into a deal is the only way to escape Tristan’s clutches, which only plunges Aurora deeper into the fae world. With her future at stake, she is forced to handle his arrogance and extraordinary fae abilities as she fights to stay grounded in her mundane life.

Not to mention her struggle to ignore the growing attraction she knows she shouldn’t feel for the man who kidnapped her.

When people said college would be the most exciting time of her life, Aurora never thought this is what they meant.

 

Available February 13th

 

 

About The Author

 

Jessi Elliott is a newly graduated law clerk and debut author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog Living Within Fiction.She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her family and two adorable cats.
​
When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.

 

Book Review: Esme Novella Trilogy by Lizzy Ford

03 Wednesday Jan 2018

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Author: Lizzy Ford 
Publisher: Lizzy Ford
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars

Esme is a half angel living in a tiny town with her full angel mother and a zoo. Her home life is warm, loving, and she loves it. However, she’s bullied and alone at school. Everything shifts for her when two strangers come to town and start renting a couple rooms from her mother in their house.

This review is for all three Novellas as a whole, because honestly while the author calls them novellas, they read more like a serial trilogy than three separate novellas. The plot doesn’t resolve itself at any point during the first two, Halloween and Thanksgiving, instead everything builds and builds until the final installment, Christmas. As well, both Halloween and Thanksgiving both end in serious cliffhanger reveals, which push you to pick up the next one. While not a bad way to lead someone to buy and read the next installment, is a little frustrating when called a Novella. I expect some resolution at the end of a novella, even if it’s part of a trilogy for an over arching storyline.

Over all, it did take me a little bit to get into Halloween but I was curious enough that I persisted. About half way in, Halloween hooked me and I consumed the rest of it, and the other two, in record time. The three are fairly quick reads at only roughly 100 pages a piece, so it is easy to pick them up and finish them in a short sitting. The plot is interesting, and I was very curious how it would wrap itself up.

You’re probably asking, but Meri if you liked the plot and enjoyed the books as a whole, why is it only three stars? Well, unfortunately, there were some grammatical errors littered throughout the first two that for me (maybe because I’m a writer myself) pulled me out of the story as my brain paused to fix the error before continuing the story. And while the auto-fixes for my brain were fairly quick it happened enough times that it made it noticeable to me. It’s something that a little more time editing them would have fixed.

As well, there were times that I was incredibly frustrated at the lack of details given. An example, in Thanksgiving Esme wears a dress to the Thanksgiving event at the Community Center of their small town. We’re told that this is something she never does. We’re told that she’s going to wear her boots with it anyway. And we’re told her mother bought the dress for her. But we are never told what the dress looks like, on a hanger or on her. Not the color, not the cut. Is it floor length or tea length? Is it blue or pink? is the neckline sweetheart cut or scoop neck? Does it have a pattern on it?

This may sound like something trivial in the grand scheme, but it wasn’t just the dress that wasn’t described. After reading all three, I still honestly can’t tell you exactly what Esme looks like. I know she mentioned she doesn’t look like her mother, the blonde angel, but that still doesn’t tell me what Esme looks like. And when I’m trying to envision this story playing out in my mind, these details that were missed or skipped over leave shadowed patches in my head and it disconnects me from the book some. Which does make it less enjoyable as a whole.

Would I recommend these books as a read? If you’re looking for a quick, cute, HEA ending read? Completely. They are a good read, and the plot is engaging enough to be worth it.

New Steps

09 Thursday Jul 2015

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Some new steps in the direction of self-publishing, however small. I’m excited, and a little nervous, about finally getting something up on the Kindle eBook store that’s all my own.

ftow2 cover

Following the Old Ways is now available for purchase on its own over here!Â