Not gonna lie, not a huge fan of the stereotypical ass pose on the cover, either. The Spawn of Lilith by Dana Fredsti has promise, but ultimately didn’t give me everything I wanted. I wanted the chocolate fountain, and instead got like, a stream of chocolate milk that only landed half in the glass. The book takes place in Hollywood, where stunt double Lee Striga is trying to make a comeback after a near-fatal accident on the set of one of her movies. But Hollywood is still a tough town and she competes with all manner of supernatural creatures to get work, despite being human. When she ends up ..read more

Do you ever feel like writer’s block happens at the worst time? I do. Right when I’m approaching that big twist or working on some particularly pithy dialogue. Or when I’ve set a completely arbitrary deadline for myself that absolutely affects my mental health and stress levels. That’s when it hits me like a fucking troll in the bathroom. Like a club to the head during the Hunger Games. Like a demon coming at a Shadowhunter. Like right now. Like this meme I just found on Google while procrastinating on my writing. I finished my novel during Camp NaNoWriMo and I’m working on query letters. And ..read more

Hello everyone! You may have noticed that I was a little late with my review for Bonds of Brass (a lot late, oops!). I was finishing up Camp NaNoWriMo and have finally emerged from my writing binge. Honestly, it was like coming out of a cave into direct sunlight. Good news though! I’ve emerged both with a completed book and a Vitamin D deficiency and I may post my first chapter of my WIP on here as an excerpt and an apology. I’m hoping to start querying for an agent soon, but we will see how it goes. I’m sure I’ll have lots of writer rants to post as I go through the process. Feel free to hit ..read more

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie is a promising start to new YA sci-fi series. However. It was kind of like being given a Hershey kiss when I really just want to scarf down the whole fucking chocolate bar. Bonds of Brass features Ettian, a young pilot from a world that’s been invaded and conquered by the Umber empire – an empire that he has pledged his loyalty to as a cadet at their military academy. His best friend (and secret love interest) Gal has helped make the academy his home – until it’s revealed that he’s heir to the Umber throne and the target of an assassination campaign. Ettian m ..read more

Melissa Hawkes is an author in the young adult, fiction sectors and has combined her extensive corporate marketing experience with her book knowledge, to create an author-targeted blog, full of wonderful tips on how to market your novel effectively. Take a look at her blog here www.melissahawkes.com and make sure you subscribe to keep up to date with the latest community news. You’ve spent months, or even years, writing and perfecting your book. You proof-read, edited, and designed a fantastic book cover and you’re happy with the finished result. Now time for the perfect launch, but wait…that ..read more

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron was incredibly enjoyable. I won’t lie, I mainly picked the book because of the catchy title and interesting cover art (we all judge a book by its cover in some way, okay?), but I liked this book far more than I was expecting. The book has an interesting and unique premise and the protagonist was plucky and humorous in a way that keeps her relatable to readers. Set in the future when the gods have reclaimed their domains, the dragons have returned, and magic is common among humans, Minimum Wage Magic uniquely blends elements of fantasy into a futuristic world ..read more

If you like Monty Python-esque humor, plentiful puns, the destruction of white male power fantasies, and the incorporation of feminist themes and LGBTQ+ representation in novels, you will absolutely love Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne. Luckily, I enjoy all those things thoroughly, so I loved this book. However, I think it’s important to know your sense of humor and preferences before deciding to read this. I love slapstick humor and terrible puns, so this book had me giggling maniacally and even laughing out loud at times. But if over-the-top humor doesn’t appeal to y ..read more

Part-Time Gods by Rachel Aaron did not disappoint. Seriously. This shit’s so good, it’s better than second breakfast. I’m not someone that’s long been familiar with Rachel Aaron’s work, so I feel like I’m a little late to the party. Before I read the first novel in the DFZ series, Minimum Wage Magic, I had actually never heard of her (oops). Of course, after reading that one, I promptly went and read through the entirety of the Heartstrikers series, her other series set in the same universe as the DFZ books. So, you could say I’m a fan. Rachel Aaron is especially interesting to me as a write ..read more

“So… you just write? That’s not that hard.” A coworker said those heinous words to me when I was talking about my book, which I’ve been working on for the last six months. I’ll admit that my initial reaction was to let out a screech of fury and launch myself at her like a provoked tigress. However, I’m proud to say that I had enough self-control to remove myself from the situation and talk shit about her later. Just kidding. But it did make me think about a common misconception that I feel most creatives encounter – that being in an industry focused on the arts is deemed “easy” by others. This ..read more