Red Series

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Waiting on Wednesday: InkMistress and Goal Hop/ Update Day.



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to spotlight books we are eagerly anticipating to be released.

I am actually super excited about the release of this book. Even check up on this author's tweets online weekly. Audrey Coulthurst writes beautiful tales of you want lesbian romances steeped in fantasy, betrayals, and drama. Then there's even more for you to enjoy.


Release Date: March 6, 2018

Summary: Asra is a demigod with a dangerous gift: the ability to dictate the future by writing with her blood. To keep her power secret, she leads a quiet life as a healer on a remote mountain, content to help the people in her care and spend time with Ina, the mortal girl she loves.

But Asra’s peaceful life is upended when bandits threaten Ina’s village and the king does nothing to help. Desperate to protect her people, Ina begs Asra for assistance in finding her manifest—the animal she’ll be able to change into as her rite of passage to adulthood. Asra uses her blood magic to help Ina, but her spell goes horribly wrong and the bandits destroy the village, killing Ina’s family.

Unaware that Asra is at fault, Ina swears revenge on the king and takes a savage dragon as her manifest. To stop her, Asra must embark on a journey across the kingdom, becoming a player in lethal games of power among assassins, gods, and even the king himself. Most frightening of all, she discovers the dark secrets of her own mysterious history—and the terrible, powerful legacy she carries in her blood.

Goal Hop/Update Day



The hop has changed its posting location. Click here to go to the new site for the monthly event. Sadly this will be my last time taking part. But thanks for all the nice times.

This month I made two submissions of short fiction. One to a fantasy anthology for an online magazine and the other to Third Word's monthly under hundred word flash fiction challenge. I have more submissions in the pipeline including to Bustle Magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul. I can't wait to see how many submissions I make by the end of the year. Will keep you updated on my blog regardless. Have a great day.

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday 25 August 2017

Book Review: Action by Quinn Anderson

Will do Goal Hop/Update Day on Monday. Today I'm reviewing an erotic adult novel. It involves the porn industry so be advised if that makes you uncomfortable.

Title: Action by Quinn Anderson

Publication Date:  June 4, 2017

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Summary: Pete Griflow is the last person anyone would suspect of being a porn star. He’s quiet, gawky, and can’t even talk to guys without turning red. But on camera, he’s a different person. In the porn world, he’s Jaden Prime, a coquettish power bottom who’s been tantalizing fans for over a year now.

Pete is in a rut, though, and he knows it. And what’s worse, his boss knows it. If he can’t reignite his passion for the biz, he’s going to have trouble paying his none-too-cheap college tuition.
When Pete is given the opportunity to star in a huge summer production, sparks fly between him and his costar, Kyle Darko. Kyle is Pete’s opposite: he’s daring, achingly sexy, and in love with the sex industry. Their chemistry is palpable on and off screen, but dating on a porn set is tricky. Even pros struggle to separate fantasy from reality, especially with a script dictating their seduction. But what’s building between them can’t be ignored, and it’s so much more than getting some “action.”


Book Review

I had not read a book by Riptide Publishing in a while. They publish LGBTQ novels for different age groups from young readers straight up to adults and in multiple genres. This time I'm reviewing one of their more erotic titles, Action. Pete Griflow goes into the porn industry for financial reasons and though not the typical porn star, finds success. When he falls into a rut it puts his future and higher education at risk. So when he gets the chance to star in a huge summer production and meets a costar who actually loves the porn industry, a whole new dynamic is thrown into the story. The Porn industry isn't a business that's looked upon highly. Myself included. But this story does show the different dynamics of both the business and the people behind it. If you like reading erotic LGBT novels and want a different story that shows the ups and down of the sex business, this is for you. If you just love Riptide or willing to try a new book of any genre, this is also for you to take a look. Otherwise, you need to decide for yourself. NetGalley offered me a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars

Monday I will also discuss revamp plans I have for blog. Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday 23 August 2017

Netflix Nation: Marvel's The Defenders Review



The Defenders was okay. I know I'm supposed to detail my thoughts then give my overall judgment at the end. But this review doesn't need that. I'll just let you know right now. If you want a fun romp with Marvel characters you love and already a fan of the series for all four characters that leads to this eight episode team up, then you'll love The Defenders.


However, if you had issues with any of the character's individual show's or any character themselves. Then this show might wear on you a bit. Especially if it's Iron Fist because I just feel so much fell short with this character. Mostly in execution, writing, and diaglouge. Also, some of his fighting scenes were pretty clunky and ill shot. So if you go in with a more critical eye, there might be things that disappoint you. Especially if you are used to quality television series writing. This falters at that.


I will not spoil the series for you. But this review will have limited mentions of what happens without revealing the entire plot. However, if you are opposed to any mention of the show beyond character names. Leave now. In short, the series is fine to watch but I do believe it falls short in several areas including the writing and pacing in some episodes. Thanks for coming and keep being you.



Still here? Let's go!

At the start, the first two episodes fell flat to me. They really reminded me why there's a certain level of complaint about The Hand being boring. Some of the things being pushed forward weren't really needed. But banter between characters like Iron Fist and Luke are among the few highlights. Madame Gao is just great throughout the series, this actress deserves high praise. Episode three is where things start to heat up, a quick intro to how the Black Sky came to be and the series starts moving at a much better pace. From there the other episodes go from great to watchable. Daredevil gets better front time which I believe should have just been so from the get because he has a more logical connection to The Hand than Iron Fist. The 'magical fist' is literally the only thing connecting Danny to anything going on. If Luke got the Iron Fist, Danny would be more useless than Night Nurse lady (love her character, I'm not hating). Plus the climax of what was causing the whole danger to New York in the first place fell flat to me. So at the end of the day, this series is watchable and enjoyable. I just think they're better Netflix and Marvel Netflix shows you can watch or rewatch. Recommended (as okay).



Thanks for stopping by and sorry for the sudden hiatus.

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Cover Reveal: The Chaos of Standing Still

Awkwardly forgot to have a post ready for Monday. But today I get to share the cover for Jessica Brody's upcoming novel. I think it's beautiful with the font and flowers.


Publication Date: November 28, 2017

Full Summary: Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it’s been there for almost a year.
She hasn’t tried to read it. She can’t. She won’t. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died.
But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death, fate literally runs into her.
And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can’t get her brialliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head.
Ryn can’t move on.
But tonight, for the first time ever, she’s trying. And maybe that’s a start.
As moving as it is funny, The Chaos of Standing Still is a heartwarming story about the earth-shattering challenges life throws at us—and the unexpected strangers who help us along the way.
Purchase: Amazon

Author: Jessica Brody

Website: Jessica Brody Author Website

Thanks for stopping by. What did you think of the cover?


Friday 4 August 2017

Netflix Nation: Summer 2017

I took a break from Netflix for a while for a couple of reasons. But now I'm back and catching up on shows I wanted to see. House of Cards sadly took a back seat to other fare so I'm leaving it off the list. Might have to continue it in September. The life of a slow awkward binger.

Teen Wolf

Image result for teen wolf

I finally watched seasons three through five and it was quite a journey. The show's teen sense has worn a bit on me since I last watched it regularly on MTV which has been a long time. But there's no denying that the series still has bite. Scott always had tough decisions to make and not all of his pack always makes it out on the other side. I'll be watching the first half of Season Six online then catch up with the rest on MTV. Since it's the final season, I really want to be there.

Shadowhunters Season Two

Image result for Shadowhunters Season Two

I took a break from this show but now I'm back and all caught up. Clary and company have a lot on their hands. Trying to protect the mortal instruments from Valentine isn't going so well. The bad guy got two of the three items! Now our heroes find out the final item isn't a mirror like they originally thought but an actual lake. Right, now the people who couldn't keep their hands on the Mortal Cup and the Soul Sword will try to keep Valentine from using an entire lake. Nothing can go wrong. And yes, that's sarcasm.

Revenge

Image result for revenge series

I just saw the other day that this series will be leaving by August 28. So now I'll be watching from Season one to four before then. Since Wednesday I've gone through five episodes. Told you I'm not an expert binger. The main character Emily is on a path of vengeance against the people who helped send her father to prison. Where he died an innocent man framed for funding a terrorist attack. Ouch.

Other Shows

The Space Between - Paper thin movie with an annoying love triangle thrown into a sci-fi tale

The Pirate Fairy - A cute Tinkerbel movie that I enjoyed. Disney did a nice job with this one.

Amy Schumer: The Leather Special - This woman needs to retire from comedy. God awful! Unless of course, you love jokes about vaginas smelling like barn animals and pretending men are...perfect...awful? What? I just made it through barely ten minutes before I got out and gave it a huge thumbs down.

Dave Chappelle: Collection 1 - Loved it! If you are a fan of the Chapelle Show, this is even better.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: Caught up on a few episodes in Season Five. Will have to watch Season Six online so I can get ready for Season Seven which is currently airing.

Image result for twilight sparkle tired

I still have all sorts of shows to watch including Ex-Machina, animated movies and upcoming shows in August (The Defenders, Dragons: Race to the Edge Season Five and more). I'll do my best to watch something so I can balance my time between working, staying healthy, keeping an eye on my recovering mom (for someone with stitches recently taken out, she won't lie down) and making time to relax with reading and Netflix (while also doing reviews and blog posts...am I turning into a workaholic too)?

Anyway thanks for stopping by and see you all on Monday. What are you watching or streaming?


Wednesday 2 August 2017

IWSG Summer 2017 and Goal Hop Update



Welcome to another IWSG with host Alex Cavanaugh and his fellow ninjas. Also, thank you to his latest batch of cohosts.

I've been on and off the blogging arena. Life and health issues have taken up a chunk of my time. Plus I've been helping look after my mother since late July after her surgery. So I'm a busy girl. But I have been working on getting back into writing and reading. I read two books during a read-a-ton and I'm reading another right now. Bought a couple new books recently. Most for my Kindle. My insecurity is pretty much finding time for writing and myself. The answer I already know. Make time. It is just that simple and oh so damn hard to do. I'm doing it though, trying alone is not enough.

August Question: What are your pet peeves when reading/writing/editing?

My pet peeves for all of these are when careless mistakes are made. In reading it is when authors don't keep characters consistent. Like having a warrior character suddenly act opposite just for a plot twist that makes no sense. Or to push a love interest. In writing when I'm not focused and write myself into a corner that could have been avoided. Editing? Yeah that's a whole other story and not a top expertise of mine. But I'm extra careful when it comes to that process.

On a whole, there will always be something that bothers us. We have to decide to move past it. Because just fuming over it without moving forward helps no one. Trust in God and all the best.




The Goal Bloghop is a hop where you sign up with the goal you have in mind. It can be a small or big goal. Either way after joining you share your progress the last Friday of each month. Started by Misha, it is now co-hosted along with Jen and Brittney.

I submitted to The Mary Sue and waiting to hear back from them. I had planned to make some other submissions but when I went to check where I had stored some sites to submit to, the list was gone. I have no idea how that happened. But I have to remake the list and update myself on submission terms. Annoying but doable. I'll be sure to have multiple submissions to report at the end of August. Those are the breaks. You win some, you lose some. Just don't give up.

Thanks for stopping by. See you on Friday and have a great day whether IWSG or otherwise.

Waiting on Wednesday: Reconnected

Please Note: The final WOW on this blog as I take my final bow this month. I want to thank all readers of this post and all my blogging. I r...