Interview with WattPad author Erin Latimer

Written By: Kellie - Sep• 28•13

Woohoo! Interview! Today I’ll be chatting with Erin Latimer, a mega-popular WattPad author about her experiences on the increasingly popular website that’s all about sharing your stories with the world. I met Erin earlier this year when we swapped manuscripts as beta readers. Since then, we’ve also become partners in crime on a new YouTube channel and friends. You should all absolutely check out her stuff as she’s pretty hilarious and a mega-talented writer!!!

Kellie: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and WattPad is for anyone who might not know?
Erin: Well to start with, I’m Erin Latimer and I write YA fantasy and steampunk. Back home, before I moved to the middle of nowhere I started a writer’s group. One of the girls I met through that has become a very good friend of mine, and she introduced me to Wattpad. Wattpad, for those who don’t know, is often called “The Youtube for books” but it’s much more than that. Not only can you read free books, and write your own, you can find several MILLION book lovers to network with. I’ve become very good friends with quite a few people on there. We skype, write one another letters and chat online. For a YA writer, Wattpad is a gold mine, since it’s full of teenagers who love to read, teenagers who love BOOKS. It doesn’t get better than that.

Kellie: Do you have any ongoing stories we should know about?
Erin: I have over seven full-length novels on wattpad. The latest one is called “Lucky” a steampunk romance about a girl with a gambling problem, and a secret that allows her to win every game.

Kellie: Why did you decide to start putting your work online?
7821393-256-k762944Erin: I had a novel that was languishing on my desktop. Agents had rejected it because the girl was too old for YA. It now has over a million reads on wattpad, and NA is a now a thing, which made me chuckle a little bit.

Kellie: What has the experience been like for you so far?
Erin: I cannot say enough good things about Wattpad (as you can probably tell). I’ve built up a fanbase of wonderful, dedicated readers. They’re passionate and intelligent, they cheer me on when I’m down and give me feedback when I ask for it. If I want to run something by thousands of teens for the YA book I’m writing, I just ask them. Plus, the team at Wattpad are fantastic. They are great at supporting and promoting authors. I’m actually speaking on a panel at Vancouver Writer’s Fest about my Wattpad experiences next month, which is another opportunity that wouldn’t have come to me without the site.

Kellie: Any advice for those considering trying WattPad?
Erin: Do it! Oh, more specific advice? I’ll say the same for any networking sites, any fanbase building: Give, give, give and THEN ask. Network with people, read their stories and comment. Make friends with people, skype chat with other writers, give and take writing advice. If you’re looking for more specific details about covers, blurbs and how the Wattpad ranking system works, I have more information on both my Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheELatimer/videos  and on my Wattpad profile: http://www.wattpad.com/user/ELatimer

Kellie: With SO many stories to sort through, how do you find quality stories to read?
Erin: If you don’t enjoy digging through dirt to find the hidden gems (imagine how agents feel!) you can always go to the Wattpad “featured” list. These authors are handpicked by the Wattpad team.

Follow Erin on Wattpad – Follow Erin on Twitter – Visit Erin’s Blog

Erin and I are also both part of the upcoming YouTube channel, WordNerds. We’ll be talking about YA books, writing, publishing and probably a bunch of other nonsense that is sure to be entertaining. If you’re a fan of all things BookTube, you should definitely subscribe.

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos, Reading, Writing , , , | 1 Comment »

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson on Audiobook!

Written By: Kellie - Sep• 24•13

Sooo, not sure if you guys saw my review of Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson awhile back, but I loved it! It’s also being released today on audiobook (you can check out the first five chapters for free here). This is a really cool superhero story, and the narration style is perfect for audio! Definitely worth checking out.

61qFtbz2KCL._SL500_AA300_PIaudible,BottomRight,13,73_AA300_

About Steelheart: From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of the Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson, comes the first book in a new, action-packed thrill ride of a series – Steelheart. Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.

Nobody fights the Epics…nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart – the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David’s been studying, and planning – and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He’s seen Steelheart bleed.

And he wants revenge.

 

Get the Steelheart audiobook on Audible!

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Avery’s Designs: Grand Opening Celebration

Written By: Kellie - Sep• 22•13

Avery’s Designs, a design service run by fellow Canadian blogger Avery of Avery’s Book Nook (and whose goal is to make blog design easy and affordable- with blog packages, including a header, button, and avatar, for $25), is having is having a grand opening celebration and you are invited! Enter to win one of two complete blog makeovers (including winner’s choice of her premade designs and installation of said design- $35 in value)!

This is the perfect opportunity for those who have always wanted to start a blog, but have yet to do so, or for those seasoned bloggers who feel like their blog could use a facelift! Make your blog stand out with her one-of-a-kind, professional designs!
Avery's Designs

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: Once We Were by Kat Zhang

Written By: Kellie - Sep• 08•13

once we were

Series: The Hybrid Chronicles, #2
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Publish Date: September 17th, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

About the book: “I’m lucky just to be alive”

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever. -Goodreads

Thoughts: It took me a long time to write this review… I’m conflicted! Not two souls in one body conflicted, but conflicted all the same. I still love the concept of Kat Zhangs, hybrid universe. When the series started, Eva was tucked away inside her sisters body. Everyone is born with two souls inside their body, but one soul eventually fades. But not all souls. Eva and Addie are hybrids (or are they one hybrid?). By book two, Eva has control as often as her sister does… which is good for Eva, but the book quickly becomes basically any other dystopian story. But hey, who doesn’t like dystopian stories?

Once We Were takes place not long after the events of book one. Now Addie and Eva are living in hiding, and being drawn into the hybrid rebellion. The first part of the book was really slow, and a bit of a struggle to get through. The characters were all bored, and we were definitely feeling it. Once they’re pulled further into the rebellion, things definitely pick up. There’s a lot going on and each of the 3/6 main characters has conflicted feelings about everything that’s going on. Main character Eva is definitely gung-ho, but the feelings of her friends keep things interesting.

As the rebel group becomes more confident, it becomes easy to equate their actions/plans with domestic terrorism, which is where things became quite interesting. When does rebellion cross the line? You may be in the right and fighting for your own right, but how far is too far? Of course, I’m not going to answer any of that right now… but this book will make you think! And really, can there be a higher recommendation than that?

Overall, I still preferred book one, but I will definitely be sticking with this series to see what happens next!

Purchase Once We Were
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@ABC Book Review
@Finding Bliss with Books
@The Quiet Concert

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Review: If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 25•13

if you could be mine

Publisher:  Algonquin Young Readers
Publish Date: August 20th, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

Rating: 3.5/5 – A completely unique contemporary story.

About the book: In this stunning debut, a young Iranian American writer pulls back the curtain on one of the most hidden corners of a much-talked-about culture.

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self? -Goodreads

Thoughts: I’m not entirely sure what I expected after reading the blurb for If You Could Be Mine–there are just so many unique elements here. Set in Iran. Centered around a lezbian relationship. Transgendered elements. It’s a lot to take in, but Sara Farizan pulls it off. This is a fairly quick read, but there’s a lot to take in from beginning to end.

For all the LGBT qualities, what I found most interesting was the look at modern day life in Iran. It’s not easy to be a woman in the middle east, and being gay makes things infinitely harder. All that being said, IYCBM (long title) is a love story. Sahar loves Nasrin so much, and will do anything to be with her. Both of these girls are such complex characters. Nasrin drives me crazy–she’s incredibly selfish and immature, but her relationship with Sahar is genuine and organic.

Overall, highly recommended!

Second Opinions
@Just a Little Lost
@Bookish Comforts
@Xpresso Reads

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Blog Tour: When the World was Flat by Ingrid Jonach + Guest Post

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 22•13

When the World was Flat

When the World was Flat (and we were in love)

Author: Ingrid Jonach

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Release Date: September 3rd, 2013

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15767908-when-the-world-was-flat

About the book: Looking back, I wonder if I had an inkling that my life was about to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.

But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.

When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again.

An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.

Read the First Chapter

Guest Post by Ingrid Jonach

IMAGE RECORDERI was top of the class in year six. They even gave me a trophy. I played the saxophone in a concert band and liked listening to classical music. I also played the recorder. I represented the school in debating. I loved books and went to the library every other day. Needless to say — I was a nerd.

As an adult, I wear my nerdiness like a badge of honor. As a kid, it made me a social outcast.

I went to three different schools in three different towns when I was in year three, which highlighted my social awkwardness. I was so badly bullied that the teachers had to get involved at two of the schools. This bullying continued on and off until year eight, which was when I changed schools for the seventh time.

If you had asked me what I liked about being a nerd I think I would have swallowed my own tongue. I hated being called a nerd, along with a square, goody-goody, loser, dork, etc. But, if I look back now as a well-adjusted adult, I can list a thousand things that were great about being a nerd.

I got to play jump rope and elastics and knuckles years after everyone else decided they were too old. I got selected to go on a camp for the gifted and talented in year four. I got to hang out with the most interesting people in the school, instead of the prettiest or most popular. And then there were those couple of weeks in year six where I pretended to be a monkey and walked around on my haunches (yes, I really did).

IMAGE UNIVERSITY ROOM

Between years eight and twelve I tried to hide my nerdiness under brand name clothes and bleached blond hair, but once a nerd, always a nerd. Even during those years when I was surfing and flunking math, I went and got myself a perm and started an obsession with Elvis Presley.

It was not until I went to university that I actually embraced my inner-nerd. You can see in the picture that the walls of my dorm room were covered in posters of Elvis. I just wish I was nerdy enough to be able to build a time machine and go back to tell myself that it is okay to be delegated to the back row of your school dance extravaganza. That it is completely fine that you would rather read that book instead of go to a party. And to go ahead and walk around like a monkey for a month if you want to, because us nerds grow up to be… well, nerds, which is actually really cool.

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Review: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 21•13

antigoddess

Series: Goddess War, #1
Publisher:  Tor Teen
Publish Date: September 10th, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

Rating: 4/5 – Good gods, this is a good book!

About the book: The Goddess War begins in Antigoddess, the first installment of the new series by acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake.

Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

Thoughts: When I went to BEA, evvveeryyonne was talking about Antigoddess. Everyone. And the lineup for ARCs was nuts. Since I hadn’t read any of Kendare Blake’s books before, I opted to pass. Biiiggg mistake! Sufice it to say, I eventually got my hands on this one, and I’m so glad I did! The Greek gods always make for a great story, and Kendare Blake put a fantastic spin on things. Love, love, love!

The storyline mainly follows to characters–Athena, the eternal Goddess who is slowly dying, and Cassandra, a human prophetess, reborn into our world with no memory of her ancient role. I really liked Cassandra, which had a lot to do with her relationship with dreamy Aiden, but also because she came across as very real and genuine, despite her paranormal ability. Athena was definitely less likeable, very much in line with the Greek gods of old. She makes some interesting growth across throughout the story though.

Essentially, we have reached the twilight of the gods. Everyone is taking sides and teaming up to take out the opposition. Only one group can live, while the others waste away in a variety of poetically appropriate ways. The amount of craft that went into creating this world shows some real understanding of the ancient myths, and I absolutely loved everything about the plot. The writing probably could have grabbed me a bit more, but that’s really my only complaint–that I wasn’t quite hooked enough to for-go food and sleep.

Highly recommended!

Purchase Antigoddess
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions
@Books Live Forever
@Pen to Paper
@Peace, Love, Teen Fiction

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Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 12•13

scorched

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Publish Date: September 3rd, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

Rating: 3/5 – Dragons are aweeesommmee!

Trinity
Don’t leave me here… It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise–her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it…

Connor
He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb
He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head–a dragon that won’t be tamed.

Thoughts: I saw the cover for Scorched by Mari Mancusi and knew I had to read it. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve read a book about dragons. Unfortunately, there wasn’t quite as much dragon action as I was hoping for, but it was still a really fun read. The first half of the book was action packed, engaging and wonderful, after that things got a little confused, but I’m eager to see where this series goes next.

I enjoyed the main trio of characters–who can say no to twin brothers? Not me! There’s a love triangle here, but the celebrity love that the guys have for Trinity is a new take and pretty compelling. The dragon was a more hit and miss character for me. She spends most of the book inside an egg, and the book’s dragon action mainly takes place in a dreamscape.

If you’re looking for a female twist on Eragon, this isn’t it. The book takes place in modern times (and sort of, the future), and there isn’t a lot of action. Still a recommended read though, especially if you’re looking for a cool infusion of fantasy into our world.

Purchase Scorched
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions
@Lili’s Reflections
@Dream to Infinity

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Review: The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 08•13

the thing about weres

Series: Mystwalker, #2
Publisher:  St. Martin’s
Publish Date: July 30th, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER 

In the never-ending saga that is my love-hate relationship with Robson Trowbridge, I, half-Were Hedi Peacock, have had a change of heart. Ever since I shoved Trowbridge through the Gates of Merenwyn, I’ve been the leader of the pack—hard to believe, right? The thing is: I’m half-Fae. So even though my Were side is ready to heed the call of the wild, the other part of me is desperate to take flight. And much as it pains me to admit it, life without Trowbridge is really starting to were me down…

I AM WERE, HEAR ME ROAR.

To make matters worse, the wolves of Creemore want my blood—and the North American Council of Weres wants me dead. So I’m just counting the days until Trowbridge returns from the other realm…and comes to my brave rescue…and becomes my alpha mate. Wishful thinking? Of course it is. But given all the mess I’ve been through already, what’s the harm in doing a little bit of daisy-plucking? Besides, Trowbridge owes me bigtime. A girl can dream.

Visit Leigh Evan’s Website
Add The Thing About Weres to Goodreads

Thoughts: The thing about were-books is, I absolutely freakin’ love them! Despite my reading habits having taken a turn towards all things YA, I keep coming back to urban fantasy whenever a book’s blurb even mentioned some sort of pack dynamics being integral to the storyline. It always makes for a wild ride, and The Thing About Weres is no exception.

I hadn’t read the first book in this series, but the premise sounded too cool to pass up. It did take a little while to figure out exactly what was going on and how Hedi’s world worked, but once I was there, I was totally hooked. Some of the descriptions of the magic dynamics got a little bogged down and confusing for me, but Hedi as pack leader more than made up for it. I’ll likely double back and read the first book in this series before The Problem with Promises comes out next year.

Purchase The Thing About Weres
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@A Book Obsession
@Dear Author
@All Things UF

Posted in Fun Stuff & Promos, Urban Fantasy Books , | No Comments »

READING VACATION!

Written By: Kellie - Aug• 03•13

Today, I am off to the magical world of… well, the cottage. But it’s going to be freakin’ magical! Why? Two reasons. One, this is the first time in awhile I’m giving myself full, 100% permission, not to do any work for more than two days in a row. No writing, no review requests, no NetGalley, no book marketing. The one exception to this is that I’m taking up a few chapters of Erica’s latest WIP, but everyone know that reading Erica Crouch’s writing is never actually work, just pure poetic awesomeness.

So, what am I going to be doing with all this free time. Well, that brings us to thing number two! READING! So far this year has been so crazed that every attempt I make to participate in a readaton has has middling results at best. I’m on track with my Goodreads reading goal (60 books, out of 100), but at this point last year, I was blowing this number away. I take my yearly reading goal weirdly seriously. And that is what this week is all about. Books, books, and more books.

Here is a small, off the top of my head, sampling of some of the books (both physical and digital), I’ll be bringing with me.

– Fear by Michael Grant
– Cast in Sorrow by Michelle Sagara
– Once We Were by Kay Zhang
– Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
– Altered by Gennifer Albin
– Countdown by Michelle Rowen
– Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
– The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

I’ll also be taking a trip to my favorite used book store to hand over a huuuggee bag of books and bring home some new pretties of my own. I have way more than I can handle on my TBR shelves in fantasy and YA right now, but I’m always looking to build up my non-fiction library.

So, here’s to a week of great reading! I’ve got one or two posts scheduled to go up this week, but hopefully I’ll be back with some fantastic new books to recommend when I get home.

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