Book of the Month!!!!
August
INK by Holly Hood
Holly Hood is the
author of Ink. She is from Ohio and writes in many different genres, but has
her finger on the pulse of paranormal writing. She loves writing about
dysfunctional relationships and likes to shock her reader into loyalty. If you
pick up Ink you will know exactly what I mean.
"Holly Hood is a
28 year old Indie author, from Sylvania, Ohio, a mother, wife and reality TV
aficionado. She enjoys good music, spending time with her family and of course
writing. Inspired by authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Jim Carroll and Nicholas
Sparks, she strives to write stories that move the reader. Holly's stories are
about emotions, she likes to put the reader into the characters shoes, she
wants to leave you feeling the same emotions they are, and that is the way she
likes it. 'Goosebumps and tears' are her motto when she writes anything. So
enjoy!
In 2009 Holly finally
got the urge to write again, she was determined to come up with a unique story.
One that had forbidden love, a story that talked about death, family life,
sadness. She wanted to write a book that let the reader inside the mind of
someone who had a raw thinking about life. And so she created
"Wingless" a book that was just that, a character that hardly had a
handle on life, yet had to deal with so much bad in it. Because to Holly she
wanted to show that life wasn't always rainbows and butterflies, she wanted to
show the bad. But she also wanted to show that even with bad there still could
be good. And her character Eve is just that, a tough girl who no matter what
keeps pushing forward.
After finishing her
first book, she wondered if she would even let anyone read it. To her it was
more a means of venting and she doubted anyone would understand. A close family
member not knowing how much Holly even liked writing asked to read it, and
within the day she called her thrilled beyond words at how much she liked the
book. With the support of family, friends and even strangers she decided to
take Wingless seriously and continue writing it. Everyone was dying to know
what happened next, from its creation in November of 2009 to the present there
are now five books in the Wingless Series.And her passion for writing is bigger
then ever.
Holly says writing is
all she thinks about sometimes, watching tv or even cleaning or listening to
music sends her brain into creative mode. She is always jotting down new story
ideas, or thinking about the next step in the series.
Holly also wrote
another book, a Family and Crime story about a young girl who was ripped from
her home and taken on the run. It was an idea that she wasn't expecting, but it
has now become a book very special to her. She admits that Heart of Gypsies was
a book that made her cry, but to her if writing could evoke that kind of
emotion then that meant something. And she hopes everyone takes a chance to
enjoy this book as much as the Wingless series.
The readers are and
always will be a very important part of writing to her, and she enjoys hearing
from them. She hopes everyone enjoys her imagination, and that it brings some
kind of joy in everyone's life. Because to her the whole reason she writes is
for the joy it brings. And lastly she wanted to make sure to always say thank
you for the support, it means the world to her." ~Amazon bio page~
When I started Ink I
had no idea what I was in for. I didn't know that when finishing this book I
would add it to the list of my favorite books of all time and believe me this
is a very exclusive club. This isn't a book that you want your thirteen year
old daughter to read, but eighteen and up is fair game, and so worth the
chance! The hot and steamy scenes in
this book are dangerous and exciting. Hope also makes her share of mistakes
while attempting to choose who she wants to be with. One boy charming, rich,
and popular and the other a loner, dark, and magical. She gravitates between the two until she realizes
that one of them could kill her. Hope finds out something about herself that
she never knew and knows that she met the man of her dreams for a reason.
This read will
bewitch your imagination and cast a spell over mind, you may even end up with a
little bit of Ink left on your hands.
Description of Ink:
Hope didn’t ask for
much. Dancing, singing, hanging out with her best friend, Karsen, those are the
things she loved. A worry free life is what she wanted.
But when her parents
suddenly get a divorce, Hope is forced to choose between staying in Georgia
where everything is familiar and comfortable, or leaving behind everything
she’s ever known and follow her dad to Cherry, California where everything and
everyone is not as it appears.
Choosing to move to
Cherry is a life changing experience. Thrust into a world where she is
surrounded by the high-class and over privileged, Hope finds it near impossible
to fit in. That is, until Slade comes along.
Hope knows she should
stay as far away from him as possible, but she can’t seem to help herself. Dark
and mysterious, covered in tattoos and piercings, Slade is every parent’s worst
nightmare and every teenage girl’s fantasy. Part of the local band Evil Kings
of Ink, his voice makes girls go weak in the knees, and Hope is no exception.
Problem is, the
longer Hope stays in Cherry, the more she learns its secrets. There is
something strange going on in Cherry. Something sinister. A girl has already
died and everyone is pointing at Slade. Could there be more to him than meets
the eye, or are the people of Cherry looking for a scapegoat?
As Hope’s life takes
a turn from the ordinary and depressing to dangerous and wild, she’s not sure
who to trust. Will Slade steal her heart, or will she fall victim to the hype?
Not recommended for
readers under eighteen.
Review's for Ink!!!
(Rated 4.2 stars on Amazon)
****Since Ink has
THIRTY reviews on Amazon I'm going to list three and the link if you would like
to see the others.
http://www.amazon.com/Ink-ebook/product-reviews/B005IAQD26/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ink, June 3, 2012
By
DragonRene
"~AVA~" (New York) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified
Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from:
Ink (Kindle Edition)
I cannot believe this
book has even 1 negative review. I could not put the book down for a minute!
(To each is own I guess). It's my first time reading any of Holly Hood's works
and I absolutely love her writing! She is another author out there that has an
addictive quality to her writing. She created amazing characters with such a
realistic feel that snatches you from the start. It's an exciting, emotional,
magical, fun and suspenseful read that keeps you hooked and wanting more!
Hope has moved to
Cherry California with her dad and twin brothers because her parents have
separated. She could have stayed behind with her mother. But being the warm
hearted, kind, caring person she is. She decided to go with her dad to take
care of him and help in whatever ways she can. She is not that happy at first
when she sees her new home and thinks about the new start, new school and all
new people. She quickly makes a few friends, but just as quickly makes a few
enemies. Some people are just evil through and through and feel the need to do
harm to others. Hope is determined to weed them out and make sure to stay as
far away as possible. Hope's hope is sparked when she meets the hot, tattooed
rebel Slade. He is the only person that treats her like... A person. But he
runs hot and cold with her and she knows there's something hidden deep within
that he's yet to reveal to her and she wants to find out.
Slade is not the
rebel people see him as. There are reasons behind his looks and attitude. He's
sacrificed a lot for his family and close friends and is scarred because of it.
When he meets Hope, she sparks something within him that he never thought he
would feel. He is constantly judged and does not think it's right to bring her
into his life because of that and other reasons that could bring her danger.
But it is difficult for him to stay away from her for she now has a place in
his heart.
Hope and Slade are
amazing together and have a very rough road ahead of them. They are both very talented,
kind people that have a sort of magnet for unwanted trouble. But they are each
determined in their own way to see it through and go through a roller coaster
of events to get to where they want to be.
I CANNOT WAIT to read
book 2 and see how Hope and Slade have made out after some of the trash has
been taken out.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story!, April 20, 2012
By Sheri - See all my
reviews
Hope moves out to
California with her father and brothers after her parents' divorce. Having a
hard time making friends and fitting into the rich and snooty town, Hope meets
Slade and Tucker, two guys from completely different worlds. After she starts
spending time with both Slade and Tucker, Hope's life takes a dangerous turn,
and she has to decide which one of them she can trust...possibly with her life.
I loved the
characters in this story. They were very well written, and you felt like you
got to know each one personally. Hope is an overall likeable person. I thought
the author did an excellent job getting inside her head and describing her
hopes, feelings, desires, and reasonings for doing the things she did. Slade
was dark, mysterious, and sexy...an excellent combination. I would have loved
to have his tats described in detail so I could imagine better what he looks
like. Tucker is...well confusing. Throughout the whole book you are not sure if
you are supposed to love him or hate him. Obviously, Hope felt the same way. I
like how the author was able to make him so open and friendly and yet so
mysterious at the same time.
I really loved the
storyline. It was very different from the usual boy meets girl sort of thing. I
really hope in the second book we get to see more of Oz, Kidd, and the rest of
Slade's family. They seemed really interesting. The only thing that really disappointed
me about this book was the ending. While I enjoyed how the story played out, I
thought it was wrapped up maybe a little too nicely. I know the next book in
the series is coming out in a few months (and I can't wait!), but really the
way this book ended it could be a stand-alone. It would have been nice to have
a bit more of a cliffhanger to keep the reader on the edge.
Ink is the second
book I've read written by Holly Hood, and she has quickly made it to my
favorite authors list. I love her writing style and the stories she brings to
life.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Story, December 23, 2011
By Liz @ Fictional Candy
(D Rock City) -
This really was a
fantastic read. I was captured right from the beginning, and found myself
staying up late and getting up early so I could read more.
The book starts off
with Hope and some of her family moving out to Cherry, CA. They are a family
divided, and her paternal grandmother lives out west, so they decide to leave
GA. They aren't rich, but they are definitely moving to a wealthy area. Hope,
her dad, and two of her brothers (Eliot and Easton - twins) pack up the van and
are on their way.
Right away Hope meets
a few people, and they are all kind of haughty. She manages to make a couple
friends right away, but no one like her bestie back home, Karsen.
And then one night
she sees a bunch of people walking down the beach, and they are all heading the
same direction. She decides to investigate and comes upon a rock concert! The
crowd is enthralled, and soon starts to get wild. But someone is coming to
Hope's rescue, a guy full of tattoos, mystery, and carrying a baseball bat! His
name is Slade, and he saves her from the rock hungry crowd.
And then Hope meets
Tucker. He's the classic all American boy type: fantastically good looking,
charming. And he's giving Hope lots of attention. What girl wouldn't be
flattered and excited?
Boy, these two guys,
Slade and Tucker, really had me in a tug of war for the first half of the book.
I could easily see how Hope was having trouble picking just one. But luckily
that difficulty doesn't last. She goes on dates with each of them.
Slade and Hope's
first date is the perfect teen dream. Two young people learning about each
other, fanning that spark. The undertow of excitement, curiosity and
fascination took me back in time and made me want more, more, more! I thought
right there I had made my mind up, regardless of the story I was picking Slade.
But then Tucker picks
Hope up for the first day of school and he seems so sweet and genuine. Could it
be true? I was wrestling with myself mentally here. He seems so intent on
getting to know her better and definitely on a flirtier level. I must admit, if
it was me I would have totally fallen for his tactics. Flirty, fun, carefree.
Then I made my mind up again, I wanted Tucker.
And then I flip
flopped around, every new fact giving you more information. Do you go with the
mainstream and play it "safe" or do you go outside your boundaries
where there is passion and danger?
So which does she
pick? Who steals her heart? And whose mystery is more dangerous than fun? This
book was really good at keeping you guessing. The author gives you a little
hint, then steers you in a new direction. But either way, you are glued to the
page, waiting to see where the path goes. You get to see the characters really
develop and grow all while going on a great trip. I got mad, I got happy, and I
was anxious and scared. It was a lengthy book, but for me it went superfast and
would be positively happy if it were even longer - or a series!
I agree with Holly
Hood, this book doesn't exactly fit into a YA category. There are some mature
scenes. It is probably best left for eyes 16 and over. And with that said, I
think that the paranormal fans will be happy, along with love story fans, and
even some mystery fans.
Ebook provided by
author for review
To buy this book:
Kindle -
http://www.amazon.com/Ink-ebook/dp/B005IAQD26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343582249&sr=8-1&keywords=holly+hood
Find Holly on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3071384.Holly_Hood
Find Holly's Other
Books on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_seeall_1?rh=k%3AHolly+Hood%2Ci%3Adigital-text&keywords=Holly+Hood&ie=UTF8&qid=1343582470
Visit her on Twitter:
@winglessreapers
Holly's blog:
http://fictitiouschronicles.blogspot.com/
Book of the Month!!!!
July
Faerie Tales: Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite by Brandi Salazar
Brandi Salazar is the author of this book. She is a super creative writer from Ohio who writes in many different genres, but has focused on paranormal and mystery thus far.
"She is a devoted wife and mother of three beautiful children. She has many passions in life, writing being one. Unlike a lot of writers, Brandi doesn't see this as a job, but as a passion, and it comes naturally to her. Throughout her life she has played with it, writing quirky poems and short stories bordering on the bizarre, which no doubt reflects her self proclaimed "weird" personality, but only over the last three years has she really focused on finding her voice.
Writing is an outlet. It's what offers relief when she is overflowing with creative juices. It is what keeps her company on a quiet night. And, as all writer's can relate, it is what keeps her up far too late when she should be snuggled into her pillow.
As of now, Brandi has quite a few projects she is working on, all unique in their own way, but all with an element of fantasy. A perfectionist at heart, she constantly strives to make each work better than the last. Here's to hoping you enjoy her work because there is more to come." ~Bio from Amazon's Author Page~
When I began to read this book it felt completely normal, like any other YA teen book. High School, spoiled girl, blah blah blah...but after a few chapters I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author constructed the love triangle, I mean GASP! Tall, muscular jock vs. sleek, dark and sexy neighbor...and then poor Valerie's life began to fall apart at the seams and she didn't understand why.
Her parents stop coddling her, her friends bail, and she's made to get a job! It's then that things get really interesting. Valerie meets yet another buff and sexy stud that is a little older and hard to love at times, but gives the other two a run for their money, and by the end of the story I really feel for him. After lots of mystery and beautiful imagery provided to us by Mrs. Salazar, Valerie finds her big girl feet and her true love. This book keeps you guessing and is a great read. I would read it again!
Description of Faerie's:
Valerie Williams, a self-professed teenage socialite, is about to get the shock of her life. Thrown into a new job, struggling with a new, identity, and juggling boys from every direction, she discovers that her fragile facade goes much deeper than even she though possible.
Tossed into a world of magic she'd only ever read about in books, Valerie Williams goes from teenage drama queen to tooth faerie almost overnight. Struggling to maintain her social status in a high school where designer clothes and having the right boy friend make the person, she finds that what's on the outside doesn't always determine what's on the inside.
Having a hard time adjusting to the maturity she's been forced into, Valerie finds love, but makes mistakes that could cost her everything. To make matters worse, she discovers that her employer, Enamel Wear, Inc. is hiding a secret that may just leave her future hanging in the balance.
Review's for Faerie's!!! (Rated 4.5 stars on Amazon)
Best book I've read in a while!,
By
Kate Hughart (Ohio) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Faerie Tales: The Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite (Kindle Edition)
This book was addicting! I couldn't put it down and ended up finishing it in just a few days! Faerie Tales: The Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite was mature and youthful with the tortured romance that I love to read about. You better believe that if there is a book two I'll be buying it!
I want my cake and eat it too!,
This review is from: Faerie Tales: The Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite (Kindle Edition)
At first I thought it was going go something like Ah poor little rich girl her parents are not giving her any more money for shopping and expecting her to get a job. I didn't know if I was going to be able to finish it. However it changes from poor little girl to in your face this is your life and you have to learn the value of a dollar, grow up and stop being a little you know what. She no longer the popular female in her school, she no longer has time for shopping, she barely has time to sleep and try to stay awake during her classes. Her boyfriend has dumped her and her friends have replaced her, she is feeling the effects of being an outcast. No longer with the trendiest Prada, Gucci or up to date fashion she is out of the in-group and in with the norms.Her mother finds her a job at her job Enamel Wear Inc but refuses to tell her what the job entails until they get there. The surprise she gets is a whopper. Although she feels that they are pulling her leg but decide to go along with it. She can not believe who they partnered her with...non other than her arch nemesis since they were in the sixth grade next door Goth neighbor Rick who by the way is a hoooottie! There is also another hottie which is Vince a sort of bad guy that gets her in serious problems with Rick. This story had me laughing and yelling at Val throughout the book. Sometimes she just acted like a tramp. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too and what's wrong with that more power to her right...males do that sort of thing all the time it's about time females stepped into those shoes as well. I would have love to have those two to myself as well.
Doctor's Notes Review,
This review is from: Faerie Tales: The Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite (Kindle Edition)
This book was a cute take on an age old tale. Valerie goes from being a normal self-absorbed teen to discovering she is a tooth faerie. Valerie seems to have it all she has the jock boyfriend, is popularm and has all the latest fashions. She soon learns she isn't as happy as she thought she was. Valerie's mom tells her she needs to get a job and breaks it to her she will be working with her. She soon learns that job is as a tooth faerie. She is paired with Rick and soon starts to discover herself. She realizes a lot of what she thought was important isn't. I loved that this book was the type of story that would appeal to the average teenager. It is truly a coming of age story. I love that the author really captured the essence of teenage life and what they deal with. She made me feel like I was reliving those years. Overall a great read and I highly recommend it.
Absolutely Amazing!,
By
Holly Hood (Sylvania,Ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Faerie Tales: The Misfortune of a Teenage Socialite (Kindle Edition)
This book was so good I read it all in a day! I fell in love with the story, the characters and the whole magical idea. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages! The story is fantastic. And now I sit and wait for the author to write a follow up. |
Brandi's Author page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brandi-Salazar/e/B004TWZSS4/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1339802901
To buy this book:
Paperback -
Kindle -
Find Brandi on Goodreads:
Find Brandi's Other Books on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=brandi+salazar
Visit her on Twitter: @brandellavanela
Her Blogs:
Brandi's personal blog:
Brandi's shared Blog:
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