Let's Talk With Smash & Kt (19)

Welcome to the Let’s Talk weekly discussion meme!

Originally hosted by Melissa from i swim for oceans, Smash & Kt took her original inspiration, and made it their own, expanding it to more than just books. Let’s get personal (but respectfully so) and learn more about one another!  Each week, a different question will be posted along with a place to link up your posts and visit other people’s responses.This meme is definitely meant to bring out conversation and meet new people. So, Let's Talk!  
We'd love to hear any ideas you have for questions. Submit them Here. 

This week's question:

What social media sites/tools do you frequently use? Which ones do you avoid and why?


Between this blog and my job as a publicist, I feel like I'm always connected to social media. The big staples are Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. I also use Shelfari but that's more for personal book tracking than any socialization.

I've avoided all of the others, simply because the social media I already use sucks up so much of my time. We're talking hours...  From time to time I will look at other people's pins on Pinterest, but I've resisted creating an account since I could easily see myself losing hours to that site.

How about you?


*UPDATE*
Now I know this isn't really a social media site, but I wanted to share this with you since it has been an amazing help for me.

Crockin Girls

If you are anything like me, time can be limited, and even though I work from home, typically the very last thing I feel like doing in the evenings is make dinner. A lot of my coworkers are west coast ladies, so things always seem to just be getting into swing around dinner cooking time, and then I'm trying to juggle everything at once. More than one time my laptop has been drug out to the kitchen so I can still work even while stirring a pot. However, once I found the Crockin Girls website, my life became a lot easier most nights of the week. I usually prep the meals in the morning as the kids are getting ready for school and then I can just let it sit and cook all day. That way, whenever the hubby gets in the door, he has a hot meal ready even if my afternoon has turned crazy. More importantly the meal isn't half-assed or burnt like they always seemed to get in my distraction before. Granted, a lot of the recipes require some action in the last 1/2hr to hour of cooking, or require a side dish, but that's no big deal. Especially since microwave steamer veggie bags are your friend. Heck there's some out there that have sauce and pastas in them, making an instant easy side dish. But getting back to the website, there are hundreds of recipes on there, so there's something for everyone, even the pickiest of eaters like my family. Also, there's even some recipes that have "cheater" prep methods for when you are really pressed for time. So go forth and Crock!, your life will become so much easier!

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Let's Talk: Question Reminder

Let’s Talk is a weekly meme that delves into the minds of bloggers and readers alike. *snort* Actually, we just talk about lots of entertaining and corny stuff half the time, but the meme is definitely meant to bring out conversation and meet new people. We talk about book-related things, as well as personal questions, always remaining respectful and never asking for too much detail. Each Friday, a different question will be posted along with a place to link up your posts and visit other people’s responses.

It’s FUN. It’s EXCITING! It’s COOL!

Well, it will be if you

JOIN US THIS FRIDAY!

This week's question:

What social media sites/tools do you frequently use? Which ones do you avoid and why?

You can view all the Let’s Talk topics here, and if you have any fun topics to discuss, we’d love to hear them! You can submit your thoughts here.

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Kirsten Reviews: Dead Letter Day by Eileen Rendahl

Dead Letter Day by Eileen Rendahl

The Messengers #3

Melina Markowitz, messenger for the underworld, delivers the goods for the supernatural beings in our midst—no questions asked. It’s more than a job; it’s a mission. Safety be damned.

Melina’s missing friend, Paul, could just be taking a little werewolf “me time,” but her investigation yields something more sinister. Suspicions first fall on Paul’s wolf-pack rival. But that wouldn’t explain the sudden windstorms rattling Melina’s nerves—or the ominous, shrieking crows that keep appearing.

The clues lead Melina to a mermaid, a damaged and possibly deranged police officer and patterns for Norwegian doilies—finally bringing her to the realization that she may be dealing with the most powerful enemy she has ever faced.


Dead Letter Day by Eileen Rendahl is the newest book in the Messenger series. As a messenger that specializes in delivering information and news to supernatural beings, Melina Markowitz has an interesting job description. She doesn’t get health insurance or a guaranteed vacation, but it’s never boring. After all, not many people can deliver such unique messages, and also say that they’re a ‘werewolf whisperer.’ Then she finds out that one of her friends, Paul, is missing. Usually a werewolf can just take some time for himself, but this time when she looks into things, it seems that his Pack can’t find him either. That means she has to get involved.

There are the usual suspects, vampires, another werewolf pack, but there are other things that don’t sit right with Melina, and a murder of crows is a really bad sign no matter who’s involved. She follows the clues, and discovers a number of individuals with their own issues, all of whom are just leading up to an enemy that Melina isn’t prepared to deal with. But, she’s going to have to, if she wants to save her friend, and herself.

The Messenger series has a number of supernatural creatures, and in this one there is a lot of information about werewolves, establishing right away that it takes a special kind of person to handle them. Other characters play crucial roles, and Melina has to deal with her emotions more than she might want to, all while figuring out what happened to Paul. Of course, this would be easier if Melina knew how to ask for help, but it seems that she’s learning. Overall, Melina handles things with an amusing narration, and sometimes has to bite her tongue so she doesn’t say the wrong thing, which is combined with her observations about werewolves, vampires, and anything else that crosses her path.

For new readers, this isn’t the book to start with; and it’s a much more fun read if one already knows where Melina and her friends, and sort-of-friends are coming from. The conclusion leaves the story open for a lot more adventures, and it will be fun to see what sort of trouble Melina finds next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

\Order Links:



Other Reviews:

• Urban Fantasy Investigations

Previous Books:

1. Don't Kill the Messenger
2. Dead on Delivery

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Masquerade Blog Tour

Please welcome Sarah-Jane Lehoux to the blog today as part of her tour for the third book in the Sevy Series, Masquerade. Don't forget to enter the giveaway after reading her post on her experiences in publishing. :)

I’ve always been a writer, even before I knew how to write. Story-telling was in my blood, it was just something I had to do, had to share. But as I grew older, I conditioned myself to keep the stories inside for fear that I would be judged or mocked. It wasn’t until I finished writing Thief, the first novel of The Sevy Series, that I thought, “You know what? This is good. This means a lot to me, and I want other people to read it.” And thus began my quest for publication (you can read more about that journey here http://sarah-janelehoux.blogspot.ca/2010/05/honest-recap-of-how-i-got-thief.html if you’re so inclined).

Before I was published, I had this idea in my head, this persistent little fantasy that once I got published I would be legitimized, that all my hard work would pay off and I would receive enough accolades and validation…and money…to make all the frustration of rejection worthwhile.

Turns out I have a better imagination than I thought.

See, getting published is a lot like graduating from university. Woo, you have that hard earned diploma in your hands, but so what? Now it’s time to find a job and the real work begins.

One of the first things I had to come to terms with is that writing is art, but getting published is all business. I learned that I desperately needed to separate myself from my stories (my babies) and look at them through cold, objective eyes. Marketing plans, budgets, branding, organizing promotion, both online and off…whew!

I also learned that just in case your ego gets too puffed up by being able to sniff, toss your hair over your shoulder, and say, “Yes, I’m a published author,” the universe has ways of deflating you pretty damned quickly. Turns out that almost all the excited people I talked to about my contract were most likely being polite. And all the friends and family who promised to buy at least ten copies…yeah. Most didn’t even buy one, and if they did, they didn’t bother reading it. However, these same people would repeatedly ask how sales were going and how much money I was making (head meet desk).

Harder still than dealing with indifferent friends/family was trying to keep a stiff upper lip when dealing with the public. I’m not a politician, but man, it didn’t take long from me to learn to keep a smile glued to my face as people rolled their eyes when I told them the genre (apparently, fantasy still has a nerd stigma attached to it). I also learned how to keep my mouth shut when people proudly and loudly told me that they don’t like reading or asked the inevitable, “Is it like Twilight?” And I even managed to hide my exasperation when faced with that dreaded question: “What’s it about?” when I knew that anything longer than a three or four sentence synopsis would have them wishing they never asked.

So why bother? If the reality of getting published is so very different from your expectations, if the money doesn’t come close to equaling the amount of work you’ve put into it, if you are faced with obstacles at every turn, why bother trying to get published at all?

Because I’m not that little girl who’s afraid of being judged or mocked anymore. Because I trust myself and my stories, and I don’t just need to share them; I believe people need to read them. Now with the release of Masquerade, the third in The Sevy Series, I know what to expect and what’s expected of me. I know that this book—this story and these characters that are so much a part of me—is just one book among millions. But there is nothing quite like holding the work you’ve created in your hands—a real, tangible object at last instead of just a thought. There is nothing quite like having someone tell you that your words moved them, that your characters have stayed with them. It’s the best sort of high. It connects me with the world in ways I never thought possible. And it’s enough to keep me writing.


Thanks Sarah-Jane!

Author Info:

Sarah-Jane Lehoux has always had a passion for storytelling. From grade school tales of cannibalistic ghosts, to teenaged conversations with God, to her rebellion against adulthood with fantasy kingdoms and fairy magic, she has attempted to share her love of the quirky and unconventional with her readers.

She currently resides in Southern Ontario with her husband and her horde of Machiavellian cats. In addition to her own writing, Sarah-Jane works as an editor and freelance cover artist.

Find Sarah-Jane online:

Website Blog Twitter Facebook

Book Info:

Never Trust a Liar, especially when they're telling the truth.

Starting over isn’t easy, especially when the world isn’t ready for you to change. Sevy, thief turned assassin turned mercenary, isn’t having any fun adjusting to a normal, law-abiding life. Luckily for her, an old partner in crime arrives with an irresistible proposition: a getaway to a tropical island, an adventure of a lifetime, and an amazing friendship ready to blossom into an even more amazing romance.

Things are looking up for Sevy. That is, until a pack of maniacal fairies with a taste for human flesh arrive on the scene.

Now she must unravel a web of magical intrigue hidden behind the outwardly idyllic atmosphere of the islands of Belakarta. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. Trapped under the spell of a handsome and mysterious stranger, Sevy must fight fairies and tricksters to regain her freedom.

Or spend an eternity as a sorcerer’s plaything.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Bargain Books & Kindle Deals (37)

I've decided to make my Bargain Book and Kindle Deal finds a weekly feature here at A Book Obsession.. If you guys are anything like me, your book addiction can easily get out of hand, so any sales/deals are a huge help. If you like any of the deals below, I would appreciate if you use the affiliate links below. All earning support the giveaways here on the blog. :)

(Prices accurate as of 3/5)

If you find one of these kindle deals that are expired, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Bargain New Paperbacks/Hardcovers:




























Kindle Deals:

$0.99 

  $1.99

$2.24-$2.99      $3.49-$3.99      $4.00-$5.99  

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Waiting on Wednesday (137)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Twice Tempted - Night Prince #2

by Jeanine Frost

Publication Date: March 26th, 2013

Pre-Order:

 

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges...

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity...

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

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Early Review: Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza 

Mila 2.0 #1

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

Mila thought she was an ordinary girl, one touched by a scarred past, but ordinary all the same. Little did she know that she's actually an android, and not really a girl at all. Her "mother" stole her from a dangerous group and erased her memories, hoping Mila would never find out the truth about herself. But like all big secrets, it was only a matter of time before the walls came crashing down. Now Mila's dealing with the harsh reality of not know who or what she really is, all the while being forced on the run as she fights for her very existence. With danger coming from all sides, she'll have to embrace what she's becoming, yet hold onto everything that she has been if she's to have any hope at making it out alive.

I absolutely adore Mila's character. You can't help but love her and want to root her from the very start. My heart nearly broke for her when she found out the truth about herself, and honestly her emotions were about as real as they get. But more than that, I greatly enjoyed her progression throughout the book. At the start of the book she is almost weak and rather whiny. Although to be honest, I'm almost surprised that she didn't lash out more than she did considering the non-human bombshell that was dropped on her. But then things happen, and she's forced to stop wallowing in self-pity and take a hard look at her circumstances. There's an inner core of strength in her just waiting under the surface, and I really enjoyed watching her slowly build on it. That being said, what I felt was more important was that despite some of the other character's best efforts, she never lost that inner goodness and humanity.

Speaking of humanity, MILA 2.0 really made me think about what it truly means to be human. Are we just the sum of our parts, only human because of our biology, or is it our very nature and soul that makes us who we are? At first thought, I wouldn't call any machine human. I mean how could a hunk of wires and metal possibly be human? Humans are born, not made. But when real emotions become involved, the line gets a little blurry I think. Mila wasn't just mimicking emotions, she actually felt them, everything just as real as you or I would. Just because her body is made up of circuits rather than blood and bones, does that make what she feels any less real? But to actually call her human, well that is the question of the hour. I have no doubt at her inner goodness, or "humanity," as she's got that in spades. In fact, despite being an android, she's a much better person than most can claim to be. So when push comes to shove, the question of whether or not she is human is irrelevant, as no matter what she is made of, she has more than proven her worth and her right to live.

There's always a problem with reading a really good debut. I get so wrapped up in the new world and fall in love with the characters, but then once I finish, I feel almost bereft at the loss. It only makes matters worse, knowing that the next installment won't be available for a year or more. MILA 2.0 is definitely one of those cases. In fact, I am nearly desperate to get my hands on that installment as I cannot wait to see what happens next for Mila. Be prepared to set aside a solid block of time to read this book as once you start, you won't be able to put it down! A fantastic ride from start to finish MILA 2.0 is an absolute must read.

(Received a copy from the publisher via Edelweiss)

Rating:

Pre-order:



Other Reviews:

• Wild Heart Books
• Infected Loser
• Cuddlebuggery

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