Reads & Reels Tours: Backdoor Storytelling – And Sidetellings. And Retellings. Featuring Chauncey Rogers, Author Of Happily

April 11, 2018April 17, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆25 Comments

I would like to thank Reads and Reels Blog Tours and Chauncey Rogers for providing me with this opportunity!😍

I’m was beyond excited that I was able to be part of this blog tour! I was happy dancing majorly(insert cabbage patch) when I received the invite about this tour and it popped up in my inbox from the lovely Shannanigans @ Reads and Reels Blog Tours!!💃 Woot, Woot!!!😍

I have to admit I fangirl a bit ~~too much~~ over this novel and I am shamelessly guilty that I have already read this book twice. I loved it like that crazy fun kind of love the first time around and loved it just as much the next time around, if not more!
I have been battling that nasty thing called grief and this was the perfect story to read to help push me back into my ~~obsession~~ love of my books and blogging!😍 I highly recommend this book to anyone for any mood and/or occasion It’s simply one you won’t want to put down! You can find my review of Happily by Chauncey Rogers here. Okay, Okay enough with me my mouth , let’s get back to the tour!

Today’s blog tour is a bit different today. Chauncey has been celebrating his release of his newest novel by sharing something similar to the story but also unique as well with every tour stop. I will be sharing the synopsis of Happily and then you will get to hear from Chauncey himself!😁 Hope you enjoy and thank you for stopping by.😉💖💯

Publication Information:

Title: Happily

Author: Chauncey Rogers

Pages: 299

Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Genre: YA (MG-friendly) Fantasy/Fairy-Tale Retelling

If the shoe fits, wear it.
If it doesn’t, make it.

Laure is a teenage street urchin just trying to get away. Where the rest of the world sees an enchanting love story, Laure sees royal incompetence and an opportunity to exploit it. She’ll have wealth and a way out of a life she detests, if she can only manage to hoodwink the royal family and survive to tell the tale.

Backdoor Storytelling – And Sidetellings. And Retellings.

Thank you Dani! It’s great to be on your blog today!

We’re talking about the different variations of retellings today, and what it is about them that charms us so much. I’m going to make up some of my own definitions, because I’m of the type of person that does that.

So let’s start with the made up definitions for retellings, backdoortellings, and sidetellings.

A retelling follows the same character as the original tale, but twists major elements of the story.
A backdoortelling follows a lesser character through the same events, offering a new perspecitve.
A sidetelling follows an equivalent character, offering a new perspective andpossible twists.

The film A.I. is a retelling of Pinocchio.
The novel Ender’s Shadow is a backdoortelling of Ender’s Game.
The picture book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs! is a sidetelling of The Three Little Pigs and the Big, Bad Wolf.

Think I’m making these definitions up just to look smart and unnecessarily subcategorize Happily?
You’re probably right.

But anyways, what is it about these new approaches to traditional stories that we love so much? Why do readers and viewers love to see a story they already know, told in new ways?

I’m sure there are many different reasons. One I’d like to talk about is predictability. We like these retellings because of their predictability.

It might sound slightly counter intuitive. Normally, when you hear “predictable” ascribed to a story, it’s a bad mark against it. And yet, there is a certain degree of predictability that we want to see in stories.

We can usually guess the ending—we still don’t want people to tell it to us and spoil it, but we have a hunch that the good guys are going to win, the lost dog will be found, the lovers will be ruineted, the athlete will overcome, etc. Does this always happen? Of course not. Is that okay? Of course it is. But generally, we can guess the outcome.

For example, in Star Wars: A New Hope, we know right from the beginning that there’s an evil empire, a group of rebels opposing them, a battlestation that can destroy planets, and plans that will reveal its weakness.

Does it take a genius to predict that the rebels will (spoiler alert, I guess) blow up the Death Star? Hardly.

But how will they do it? That’s what we don’tknow, and that’s what’s exciting to find out. It’s exciting to see our predictions be correct, and it’s exciting to see the twists that will make it happen (or will delay it happening).

And that is a rather roundabout way of explaining one reason why we enjoy retellings as much as we do. It’s because the audience has an even higher ability to predict what might happen, because we already know one version of the story. The fun, then, is in seeing how the storyteller is going to introduce the elements we’ve predicted. If they’re not creative or surprising enough, it feels bland. If they’re too creative or surprising, it comes off as untrue to the original story. But if it hits the sweet spot, where it provides the perfect twist on the reader’s expectations—a masterpiece!

There are other reasons, I’m sure, why we love retellings—nostalgia or familiarity being one, I’m sure, but I wanted to discuss one that people might not have considered, as well as a concept that applies to storytelling in general. It isn’t the often predictable outcomes that surprise and delight audiences. It’s how they got there.

Have your own theory of why people love retellings? Have a favorite retelling yourself? Or maybe want to say how upset you are with me for spoiling the ending of Star Wars: A New Hope? Let us know in the comments!

Bio:

Chauncey Rogers was born in Arizona, and since then has hopped back and forth between the mid-western and western United States. He married in 2012 while attending school in Utah. His favorite movie since he was three is Jurassic Park, and he wishes very badly that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster were real, though he doesn’t believe in them as much as he used to.

In March 2017, he published his first novel,Home To Roost. In October 2017, he published Cleaving Souls.

He currently lives in Kansas City with his wife and two children.

You can find Chauncey Rogers on his WordPress blog and author website @ chaunceyrogers.com

Day 9 of 13 of Happily’s Release Blog Tour. See the full schedule here.

Happily on GoodReads
Purchase Happily on Amazon!

Free Kindle Books Feature: Snapped(An Agent Jade Monroe FBI Thriller #1) by C.M. Sutter

April 9, 2018April 25, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆19 Comments

Title: Snapped: (A Jade Monroe FBI Thriller #1)

Author: C.M. Sutter

Genre:

Goodreads:

*Please note that prices changed often so always check your cart when you check out to make sure it’s the correct price. The following images take you to the Amazon page where you can download the book for free. I am an Amazon affiliate so have to let you know that if you decide to make any purchases while on my links I get a small fraction and you help a sista out!😋*

Murder happens in Houston, but when the most recent murders take on disturbing similarities, local law enforcement officers fear a serial killer is roaming their streets.

Former sheriff’s department sergeant Jade Monroe has just graduated from the FBI’s serial crimes unit in homicide and is called to Houston with her partner, J.T. Harper, to take on her first assignment—apprehending the person responsible for these gruesome crimes.

With victims piling up and the clock ticking, Jade and J.T. need to intensify their search because there’s no sign the killer is slowing down.

After a late-night epiphany while she’s alone, Jade suddenly comes face to face with the killer, and now Jade is missing. The clock continues to tick—but this time it’s for her.

Note: All Jade Monroe books are standalone stories but since characters carry over, they are best read in chronological order.

Series One – Detective Jade Monroe Crime Thriller Series
#1 Maniacal
#2 Captive
#3 Fallacy
#4 Premonition
#5 Exposed

Note: The Jade Monroe FBI Thriller books follow on the heels of the conclusion of Exposed, Book 5 in the Detective Jade Monroe Crime Thriller Series.

Series Two – Agent Jade Monroe FBI Thriller Series
#1 Snapped
#2 Justified

Thanks for checking out my post, lovelies! I have missed everyone and sorry I haven’t been so active lately. I am trying to get back into the groove of things but grief and chronic pain are some nasty things. I love all of your faces! You guys ROCK!😍💜💙💚💖

An Assortment of 5 Star Reviews!!! Whitman’s Sampler at it’s Finest!(A Whole Box of the Peanut Butter and Caramel Filled Goodies)

April 2, 2018April 9, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆40 Comments

I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing

me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciate this opportunity and all

views expressed are my own.

A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.

Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn’t normally do. But there’s something about Drew Nichols that’s too hard to resist.

On the eve of his ex’s wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend…

After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she’s the mayor’s chief of staff. Too bad they can’t stop thinking about the other…

They’re just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century–or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want..

This was a fun rom com that will leave you swooning for more!!!😍 I requested this novel because I was looking for something to lighten my mood! Well this book definitely did the trick and gave me more! I was in a rough patch and my power was on and off but this was something that gave me the light and and the bliss, I was searching for!😍 If you are looking for something sexy, swoon worthy and something that will make you laugh out loud, then look no further than this outstanding novel!😍
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

“An important antidote to the dogmatic ‘kale and vitamins’ tone of most ‘self-help’ literature.”
—Alexa Tsoulis-Reay, senior writer, New York magazine

Popular blogger Ilana Jacqueline offers smart and savvy advice, humor, and practical tips for living with an invisible chronic illness.

Do you live with a chronic, debilitating, yet invisible condition? You may feel isolated, out of step, judged, lonely, or misunderstood—and that’s on top of dealing with the symptoms of your actual illness. Take heart. You are not alone, although sometimes it can feel that way.

Written by a blogger who suffers from an invisible chronic illness, Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness offers peer-to-peer support to help you stay sane, be your own advocate, and get back to living your life. This compelling guide is written for anyone suffering with an illness no one can see—such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), Lyme disease, lupus, dysautonomia, or even multiple sclerosis (MP).

This book will tell you everything you need to know about living with a complicated, invisible condition—from how to balance sex, dating, and relationships to handling work and school with unavoidable absences. You’ll also learn to navigate judg-y or skeptical relatives and strangers and—most importantly—manage your medical care.

Suffering from a chronic illness doesn’t mean you can’t live an active, engaged life. This book will show you how.

This was an absolutely amazing book! This story was a magnificent work of art!!! I was completely blown away with how much this story hit home! It’s like the author knew everything that I needed to hear with my chronic invisible illnesses! As a person that battles fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, severe mental health issues and much more, I wake up crying in pain most days and am stuck in my bed from the inability to even walk at the age 29. I feel like giving up most days. I have lost many friends and many family members don’t talk to me because of all of my problems but like the author I found solstice in blogging and other things. The author describes things that people go through perfectly! I literally highlighted 4/5 ths of this book because of how amazing it was! I also added so many notes that it was unbelievable!!! I found hope within the pages of this book. I guarantee you that this story is first class and I recommend it to anyone suffering any kind of invisible illness or any family of those who suffer! Hands down a five star read that I will buy for my family and friends, recommend to my manager at the bookstore I work at and will recommend to the blogosphere! I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next!!!! Just, WOW!

James “Professor Puff” Henry may as well have “loser” stamped on his forehead. Divorced, overweight, shy, and living at home, he relies on books and his favorite snack — cheese puffs — for sweet relief from his problems. A former English lit professor at William and Mary, he moves back to Quincy’s Gap, a small Virginia town in the Shenandoah Valley, to take care of his recently-widowed father. To improve his social life and waistline, he joins a supper club for dieters who lovingly call themselves the “Flab Five.” Avoiding carbs is nearly impossible in this deep-fried potato-loving land, so a mysterious death in their small burg provides an effective, if disturbing, distraction. While dodging delectable temptations, Professor Henry and his fellow dieters work together to shed pounds and find the killer who has struck fear in this tight-knit community.

What another fantastic series by Ellery Adams! I absolutely LOVE this story! I requested this novel because I have loved reading the author’s other works. All of the stories that I have read by this author were books that involve books and that’s an obvious weakness. What can I say? I am #obsessed This one seemed a bit different and not focused on the love of reading as much but I am crazy about the author’s work so requested and I am so glad I did because Ellery Adams made another great cozy that is sure to please many!
This story is a great cozy that is filled with characters that you can’t help but to love!😍💜 I thought this story wouldn’t involve books as much but it still had a little bit of the bibliophile charm to it as well. Also being a plus size woman, I could relate to the main characters and their battles. They had there unique and quirky personalities with backstories that made them relatable and causes you to become highly invested in their stories!
I enjoyed the mystery of this story and was surprised by the outcome. This book took me on such a fun adventure and warmed my heart at the same time causing me to be distraught when I finished it. I wanted to read the second installment immediately but you know how a book reviewer’s schedule goes, “so many books, so little time”. I can’t wait to get a chance to read the second book in this series and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good cozy!😍

A suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare…

Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants–the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it’s located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming–until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . .

Vermont, 2014. As much as she’s tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past–and a voice that won’t be silenced. . . .

This story is a hands down MUST read! I was in complete awe of this book and when I finished the book I had to go back and read through the story again to see how everything tied in! I was utterly addicted and an immediate fangirl! The hype for this book is well deserved. I stayed up hours past my usual bedtime because I had to know how this story concluded and was highly pleased with the results!
I am usually confused by different time tables and different POVs but this novel pulled it off perfectly! The plot was fast paced yet wonderfully descriptive. This is a page turner that I don’t think many would be able to forget. There was so many different amazing elements of this sorry such as; depth, drama, suspense, thrilling and chilling moments, paranormal, romance, war crimes, tragedy, and perspective on how much things have changed over the last 50 years.
I was captivated and intensely invested in all of the enticing characters in this novel. There were so many unique personalities with such intriguing backgrounds that you can’t help but become invested. If you love reading a story filled with twists and turns, this is one that is sure to please. I only figured out one twists out of so many unexpected plot twists! I highly recommend this book! This is surely one of the best stories that I had the privilege to experience!😍
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

Hello my lovelies! I have missed you guys so much! I have been pretty much on a hiatus for going on a month only online here an there. Unfortunately, I lost someone close to me and went through a heartbreak as well. It was a very difficult time and having some crazy ear problems. I battled vertigo so bad I was bed ridden most days and couldn’t read so had to do TTS but enough about that depressing crap. We all know when it rains, it pours but I am back to the positive Dani that is trying her best to dance and break it down in the rain. Thanks so much for all the love and support you all have shown me. You guys are the cheese to my macaroni! I will be doing my best to catch up on my posts and blog hopping so what that means is hopefully your notifications will be filled with Dani-style spam soon! Yay! Anywho, I love your faces and hope you guys had a fantabulous holiday!

*As an Amazon affiliate, I am supposed to let you fabulous people know according to Amazon guidelines that if you click on my links and purchase anything you won’t be charged any different. The only difference is that I get a percentage of the sale because of sharing the love of these books. So there I said it and I can’t be put in the corner! “Nobody throws Baby in the corner!”

Book Review: Happily by Chauncey Rogers~5+ Stars!

March 28, 2018April 9, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆40 Comments

I would like to thank the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

Title: Happily
Author: Chauncey Rogers
Categories and Genre:

If the shoe fits, wear it.
If it doesn’t, make it.

When Chauncey Rogers first asked me to review his new book “Happily”, I was automatically intrigued after reading his horror/thriller novel, “Cleaving Souls”. Now when he told me it was a Cinderella retelling, I was completely thrown off guard! How was the man that wrote such a thrilling novel as “Cleaving Souls” going to pull off a fairy tale relling??!! Honestly, I was a little scared because what if I didn’t like it and I liked Chauncey as a person so much as well as his previous novel.
Well he put those feelings at bay, instantly!!!

In fact, I devoured this whole novel in one sitting! This is hands down the best fairy tale retelling that I have read! It was completely incredible and the characterization was absolutely amazing! Laure was filled with this sass and spunk that you can’t help but love. Luc has a heart of gold that just made me swoon.

The plot was fast and steady yet wonderfully descriptive! This book teaches a lot of valuable principles, for instance you should “never judge a book by it’s cover” and “true beauty truly lies from within”. I became intensely invested in these characters that I didn’t want the novel to stop and I am dying for more! I truly loved everything about it and Chauncey Rogers has quickly made himself one of my all time favorite authors! I know that regardless of the genre or the synopsis of the book that Chauncey Rogers comes out with, it’s going to be a magnificent work of art! I would seriously follow his work anywhere! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good retelling and/or Young Adult novel.😍💯📚❤👑

I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all opinions expressed are my own.

You can find Chauncey’s website/WordPress Blog @ chaunceyrogers.com

~Quick But Meaningful Literary Quotes~

March 20, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆19 Comments

~Author Interview With Annie Woods~

March 14, 2018March 28, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆38 Comments

Hello there, lovelies!!!!😍 Today I am sharing with you my interview with Annie Woods! Annie Woods is the author of First Come Forever which is the first installment in the Angelheart series! I met Annie last year and was thrilled to read her book and LOVED it! You can find my review here. Not only was her book fantastic, she is a kind and supportive author. Annie gets involved with her readers, posts her own book reviews and goes the extra mile by featuring her reviewers and other special book enthusiasts on her website. You can find my Sunday Spotlight post I made about it here. Annie has been an inspiration to me and turned out to be a great friend!😍 Now let’s get to part where we learn more about Annie and First Came Forever!📝💖🌠

First love. A promise of forever. A lie that changes everything.

Backpacking with her high school friends, Erica Lindell’s life takes a thrilling new turn. Meeting the fascinating Sasha Ailes, she can’t help but fall completely and irrevocably in love with him. When he feels the same way about her, Erica finds herself drawn into a fairytale love story that will set her life on a new direction. But Sasha has kept his true identity a secret. Finding out who he really is, Erica must overcome the betrayal and make the hardest choice of her life. Can she give up her own dreams to live in his world, or leave and lose him forever?

First Came Forever is an enchanting, heart-wrenching story about finding true love and the devastating consequences it can lead to. What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Will you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, but I’ve spent a lot of time in the USA and UK. Currently I am partly living in the US, dividing my time between Stockholm and New York.

Reading has always been a big part of my life, I love to read and travel through books! My favorite genre is definitely YA, both contemporary and fantasy.

Other things I love are Italian food, champagne and, embarrassingly enough, Cosmopolitan drinks (yes very 1990s and Sex-And-The-City-ish, I know…)

I’m also kind of always freezing (you know, always wearing twice as much clothes as anyone else…), so I love the sun and being in warm countries. Funny, considering that I live in cold Sweden most of the time and in NY during winter, which is also as far from warm as you can get… My favorite thing is when it’s warm enough to lie under a sunshade (preferably in a hammock under a large tree) reading books without being cold. I love the feeling of being outdoor and healthy, when in reality you’re just lying still and reading…

Another “fun fact” about me is that I am super clumsy. I always drop things and spill food and drinks on my clothes. It even happens that I walk into walls, missing the door opening…

What are your hobbies?

Besides books I also love music, theatre, dance, art and movies; anything that brings magic to your life, really. And I love to run, so I’m spending quite a lot of time with my running shoes on.

I also love traveling with my family and experiencing the world together and doing outdoor activities, like hiking, surfing or skiing. On the top of my bucket list I have walking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, climbing the Kilimanjaro, exploring the Great Wall and seeing the cherry blossom in Tokyo. I hope to be able to check some of those things off the list soon. (One can always dream, right…?)

Can you tell us about your new novel, First Came Forever?

First Came Forever is my first novel and it means so much to me! It’s the first book in The Angelheart Saga trilogy following 18-year-old Erica Lindell as an unexpected meeting changes her life forever.

It’s a story I’ve been carrying with me for years. The image of Erica and how she moved to US for love came to me on a vacation in California over four years ago. Driving along Highway 1 the plot and the other characters crystalized; how she meets Sasha and falls heads over heels in love with him, but how difficult even such a strong love can be when reality hits with their different worlds and the mixed feelings for Tyler that intrudes Erica’s mind. On the plane back home I started writing this book. Then it was the song Moonlight by Stevie Nicks that gave me the final direction for the book, and the courage to start writing it. When I learned about how the song is a combination of Stevie’s own personal relationship and the love story between Bella and Edward in Twilight it just hit me how to get the story I’ve had in my head for so long together. That it should focus on something both ancient and up to today. So, my book is a love story of the same kind as Bella and Edward’s, but instead of a vampire tale, it’s a conventional kingdom and its old-fashioned rules that forces Erica to decide what is worth giving up for love. I think that First Came Forever is a lot about finding your directions in life. To find out who you are and feel comfortable in your skin. To stay true to yourself and make your own decisions no matter how hard they are.

Are the characters in your story based off yourself or anyone else?

Yes, I have to admit that Erica is very much based off myself. Erica is just a tiny bit (oh, alright, A LOT!) smarter and better looking and with way more integrity. But, just like me, she’s clumsy, a bookworm, too serious for her own good at times, a kind of bad driver, but a great runner finding peace and quiet and respite from all demands out in the woods with her running shoes on.

But Tyler on the other hand was not based off any person, he was just supposed to be this secondary character, the stereotype High School bad boy/jock that was not meant to play such an important role in the story at all. But when I started writing the book that changed completely. Or rather, he worked his magic on me… He really made me so interested and intrigued that I just wrote more and more about him, so in a way Tyler created his own character.Also, most of the places described in the book are based off my own experiences. I’ve been to all places described myself, and I really love Cambodia and Vietnam, which I hope shows in the book.

There have been so many positive reviews on First Came Forever and everyone I know (including me) loves the story. Did this positive feedback take you by surprise? Were you nervous about the publishing process?

Oh my gosh, I was so nervous! Having your book published is like sending your child off to school for the first time. I’ve been living with the characters in the book for years now, so I actually think about them as real-life-persons, like my children or old friends that I wish the very best for. So it was so devastatingly nervous to have the book published and wait for the readers’ reactions, hoping that they would love Erica, Sasha, Tyler and all the others just as much as I do.

But it’s such an amazing thing to share your story with others, and getting positive feedback is just magic! I love the bookworm community and all the wonderful contacts; I’ve gotten so much love and support and encouragement, it’s just unbelievable! (This is also the reason why I started my “Sunday spotlight”-series on my blog, where I try to share and return some of all that love and support I’ve received by shining some light on an amazing blogger, bookstagrammer or other lovely book community person every Sunday.) And I’ve really found some amazing friends, found some true kindred spirits, like you, Dani! I can honestly say that getting to know you is one of the absolute highlights of having my book published!

How long has it been since you first started writing and created your own stories?

In a way the answer could be “always”, or at least as long as I have been able to write… When I learned to read a whole new world opened up to me. I can still remember the feeling of being blown away. So, reading has always been a big part of my life, and soon (I think already in first or second grade) I started to write my own stories. But I never thought I could be a writer, so I went on to study other things and pursued another career, and never really did a serious attempt to write. I guess I didn’t believe enough in the story or in myself… So First Came Forever is basically the first fiction I’ve written. When this story came to me, I felt that it was so strong that I just couldn’t let it go but had to try and write it down.

Who inspired you to become an author?

I really have to say thanks to my parents for opening up my eyes to the wonderful world of books, by giving me books at an early age and by always coming along to all bookstores I dragged them to. In school I also had some wonderful teachers who encouraged me a lot. And then there was my grandmother who was a painter, but who’d never dared to follow her dream and instead only painted ”for fun” at home, who taught me the importance of being brave enough to pursue your dreams. But I’m a late bloomer, so it took me quite a long time to really do that… I guess that you could say that it was the story itself that inspired me to dare to write it down!

The feeling when I held the first copy of the book in my hand was so overwhelming, I can’t even try to put it into words. I wish so much that I could go back in time and tell the younger me to believe in myself and pursue my dream to write much sooner, not to wait this long to do it.

What is the hardest part of writing?

I think that the hardest thing is to deal with a writer’s block. I’ve had a few of those, but I try not to worry too much about it (easier said than done though…) and allows myself to take a break from writing when I feel a block coming up. Instead I try to get some new inspiration from reading books and watching movies. And I also use running as a way to clear my head and get new inspiration.

Another hard part in writing a sequel, when so many have loved the first book, is that you are afraid to disappoint the readers. It was so much harder writing the second book than the first one, I have really struggled with writer’s blocks and anxiety this time.

Are there any authors that have inspired your love for writing?

Oh, yes, there are so many amazing authors out there! I love YA authors like Rainbow Rowell, Marie Lu, Cassandra Clare, E. Lockhart, contemporary authors like Maggie O’Farrell, Curtis Sittenfield, Nobel prize winners like Toni Morrisson, Nadine Gordimer, Doris Lessing… And an all time favorite is Joyce Carol Oates. I also have to mention Stephenie Meyer, since the Twilight series was the series that really opened up my eyes for the YA genre, even though I’m not sure that I would love the series quite as much if I reread it now.

What is your favorite book? I know this can be a difficult question for readers!

Right now the two books on the top of my mind is The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice And Virtue by Mackenzi Lee and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell; I’m so in love with these books and the characters! But if I have to choose one “life-time” favorite book, it would have to be the Harry Potter series. To me, those books are pure book perfection! The way J.K. Rowling has created a whole universe on her own and all the characters that you love and carry with you in your heart forever. With Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling has also helped so many troubled and lonely children, giving them hope and bringing them joy, it’s utterly amazing. There’s even a research study proving that the Harry Potter books help children to be more accepting of LGBT persons, so the books are literally making the world a better place.

If you could give young writers (who’s dream is to be published) a piece of advice that has anything to do with the writing process, what would that be?

The best advice I can give is to believe in yourself and never give up on your dream! And to just get into the habit of writing, a little bit every day. It’s really the hard work and actually putting the words in your head down on the paper that makes you a writer. Writing down the initial concept is so much fun, then after that it is basically just a lot of hard work… But just keep in mind the story you want to tell, and that you will get to share it with others when the book comes out, and it will be so worth it all!

~Author Interview With Misty Mount~

March 11, 2018March 28, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆55 Comments

Hello lovelies!!!😍 Today, I am sharing an interview I conducted with an awesome author, Misty Mount, author of The Shadow Girl!😍📚💜💯 She is such a kind, supportive and talented author that I dream to be like one day! You can find my five star review of her book here. I LOVED her book so much and was thrilled will she agreed to an interview. Before, I even agreed to give my honest review to Reads & Reels Misty went out of her way to give me positive feedback and be kind to everyone in the book community. I wasn’t surprised her novel received so many five stars because of how talented she is and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!😍💙💜📚💯 So enough with me jabbing my jaws! Let me share more about Misty!!!😍

Amazon Links: U.S. Amazon Link / U.K. Amazon Link

Misty’s author page You can find Misty on Twitter @MistyAMount

📌Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Sure. I’ll start by saying yes, Misty Mount is my real name. Most people think it’s a pen name or have a laugh about it. 🙂 I’m a wife and mother to a kindergartener and I also have partial guardianship of my sister who has special needs.

📌Can you tell us about your new book, The Shadow Girl?

In short, I’d say it’s a coming-of-age novel focused on a lonely girl who suffers from anxiety and depression. She feels so inconsequential to the world around her that she begins to feel herself physically disappearing. I’d say it’s realistic fiction for the most part, with a large mystery at its core and some fantasy elements blended in.

📌Are any of the characters in The Shadow Girl inspired or based off a real life person/persons?

Yes, definitely. There’s a part of me in each character, but I’m the most like Zylia. Either one of us could be the poster child for social anxiety disorders. Other than her, I didn’t really base any characters specifically on one person; however, I dropped in pieces of my family and friends into the action and dialogue in an effort to make it realistic (and for an inside joke here and there).

📌What are your hobbies and interests?

I’m basically boring. I love to read and write and occasionally draw. I’m into everything geeky, my favorites being Star Trek, Doctor Who, and almost anything superhero related.

📌Do you have a day job or do you write full time?

I would love to have more time to write, but I suppose I’ll have to retire first. In the meantime, I work as a personal care assistant for young adults with special needs.

📌When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I’ve been writing stories and books since I was five. My mom kept some of my handwritten manuscripts that were stapled or taped together to make “books.” My first actual published book wasn’t until I was fourteen.

📌How did you choose the genre that you write in? Where do you get your ideas?

I’ve always been captivated with mystery stories, and I guess it’s for that reason that all my own books have ended up focusing around a mystery in one way or another. I usually take something I know inside out (like struggling with anxiety, for example), then slap a mystery around it to make an interesting story.

📌Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I always start with an outline where I work out at least a few chapters in advance. Then, I usually get too eager to bring those chapters to life before finishing my outline completely, so I end up going back and forth from the outline to the draft.

📌Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

There are so many books, actually, so I’ve decided to pick one of many to share. I read Harriet the Spy when I was around 10 or 11, and it infected my life to the point that I wanted be Harriet. I started eating tomato sandwiches every day, just like she did in the story. Even though I secretly found them mushy and disgusting, I never once betrayed my love for Harriet by saying so out loud. (Until now. Sorry Harriet.) I also began carrying around a notebook just like her to write about anything and everyone I saw. This lasted for years. Around 14 or 15 years old I finally started to be embarrassed by surreptitiously jotting things in the corner of a room while everyone else wondered what in the world I was doing.

📌What inspired you to become an author?

In kindergarten, my teacher read a story to the class and I was hanging on the edge of my carpet square until the very ridiculous and anticlimactic ending. I was so disappointed by the way the story finished that I couldn’t relax until I had rewritten it at home using my best crayons. I’ve been writing ever since.

📌Can you tell us about your challenges that you have faced with becoming a published author?

I think one of the biggest challenges was opening up my writing for others to see. That was really difficult for me, letting potentially critical eyes rove over what had always before been my private words. Then there were the publishing house rejections that all authors face. Those definitely stung and made me feel like giving up at certain points.

📌What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love escaping into a world that I’ve created and that I can control. I find it incredibly relaxing and fun.

📌If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

I need a time machine to go back to age fourteen. That’s when I had my first novel published and had a wonderful opportunity placed in front of me. But I was too young to take advantage of what I had. I was incredibly introverted and overly sensitive to criticism, which led me to shrink away from my good fortune and hide in the shadows for two decades.

📌Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

I’ve written some novellas that I personally feel attached to, but in all honesty, I’ve fully accepted the fact that they are not worthy of being published. 🙂

🌟Thank you so much everyone for viewing my post and big thanks to Misty for doing this interview with me!😍

ARC Book Review: The Golden Hour by M.K. Graff

March 1, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆21 Comments

I would like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

U.S. Amazon Link / U.K. Amazon Link

Click Here to Check out on Goodreads

Rating:

From the award-winning author of the Nora Tierney Mysteries comes her most chilling novel to date, one author Elly Griffiths of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries notes: “Nora Tierney tackles her most complex and catpviating mystery yet.” Nora Tierney can’t shake the feeling she has a stalker. While she’s house hunting in Oxord, her partner, DI Declan Barnes, untagles the murder of an art conservator. When these situations collide, Nora find herself fighting to save her child and the family she’s trying to create.

Ausma Khan, author of Among the Ruins and The Unquiet Dead praises THE GOLDEN HOUR: “One of the best things about Marni Graff’s latest Nora Tierney Mystery is sthe down-to-earth depiction of family life coupled with the tightly paced build of a twisty, time-honored puzzle. A meditation on love, loss and motherhood, THE GOLDEN HOUR blends touchingly real domesticity with tongue-in-cheek humor, as the backdrop to a tale of art theft, germ warfare, and international conspiracy. The reflections of a reprehensivle villain on the shortcomings of the British add just the right note of comedy to these otherwise weighty concerns. Added to this is a wonderful sense of place–Bath, Brighton, and Oxford are vividly rendered and charmingly true to life. Come for the crackling mystery, stay for the steady companionship of debonair detective Declan Barnes and feisty heroine, Nora Tierney, who offers warmth and smarts in equal measure.”

Sarah Ward, author the DC Childs Mysteries, adds,”THE GOLDEN HOUR is a compulsive read with a narrative that both charms and surprises. I love Nora Tierney and can’t wait to see what happens next.”

I LOVED this book! I was a little bit hesitant by reading it because it was fourth in a series but this book can be easily read as a standalone and was highly enjoyable! I loved all the characters and enjoyed the twists! The plot flowed smoothly, descriptive yet fast paced. I loved the English setting and was captivated by the descriptions.

This is the first book that I have read by this author but it surely won’t be the last! I think many would enjoy this mystery! I know I gobbled it up within a few sittings!

Marni Graff is the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries. Her first novel, THE BLUE VIRGIN, won First Place for British Cozy in the Mystery and Mayhem Awards from Chanticleer Media. Her newest, THE GOLDEN HOUR, takes Nora to Brighton, Cornwall and Bath, where a stalker turns deadly serious in Nora’s life just as her partner investigates the murder or an art conservator. These two threads are interwoven frame the new book, one author Ausma Khan calls “. . . a meditation on love, loss and motherhood, THE GOLDEN HOUR blends touchingly real domesticity with tongue-in-cheek humor, as the backdrop to a tale of art theft, germ warfare, and international conspiracy.”

Set in the UK, Graff’s English series follows an American children’s book writer as she manages to involve herself in police investigations. THE BLUE VIRGIN is set in Oxford, that hallowed mix of town and gown. THE GREEN REMAINS takes Nora to England’s glorious Lake District and also won Best British Cozy from Chanticleer Media. Book 3 in the series, THE SCARLET WENCH, debuted May 2014 is shortlisted for the same award. All three books are in Kindle editions and now on Audible listening books, too. Here’s what Editing Pen and Publishing had to say about the series:

” . . . Graff’s clean, uncluttered style is smooth and polished, and there are no irrelevant details or conversations. . . I loved every page of all three books.”
Read the entire review here
http://www.editingpenandpublishing.com/nora-tierney-series/ …

Graff debuted the first of The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries in 2016. DEATH UNSCRIPTED follows nurse Trudy Genova, who works as a medical consultant for a NY movie studio. Based on Graff’s favorite nursing job when she lived in NY, Trudy Genova considers herself lucky to have such a great job without emergencies. That is, until the actor whose been annoying her lately suddenly dies in the middle of taping–but not before pointing his finger accusingly at Trudy. This is the book P D James insisted Graff write, and it is dedicated to her.

A native New Yorker now living in rural North Carolina, Graff has written essays, interviews, poetry, and screenplays. She is co-author of WRITING IN A CHANGING WORLD, her writing group’s primer on finding your own critique group and providing useful feedback.

A member of Sisters in Crime, Graff is Managing Editor of the curated hybrid press Bridle Path Press.

You can find more about the author and her works on her WordPress site @ https://auntiemwrites.com/about/

~Book Review: The Library Jumpers Series by Brenda Drake~5+++ Stars!~

February 19, 2018February 20, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆18 Comments

I want to give a huge thank you to Entangled Teen and Brenda Drake for providing me with copies of The Library Jumper Series in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Rating:

Thief of Lies / Guardian of Secrets / Assassin of Truths

U.S. Amazon Link / U.K. Amazon Link

From Book 1: A New York Times Bestseller

Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels-magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books-rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world’s most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik’s world and her own, before both are destroyed.

OMG!!!! I can’t believe this series is over!!! I am fangirling so bad right now! I just want to re-read this series over and over! This series has helped pull me out of a depressipn and brought me to a fantasy world that was beyond my wildest dreams!

This is a MUST READ! Going on these journeys with Gia and all the other amazing characters was indescribable!

I fell in love with every single character and was invested in them all. I loved seeing Gia grow and loved how strong she became.

I don’t care that there was a love triangle, I loved it! This series was hands down perfect for me and one of my all time faves!💙💙💙 I even have my book club ladies reading the first in the series because I wouldn’t stop fangirling!!! Oh and Bastien is my fiction husband! Swoony, Swoon, Swoon!!!

Brenda Drake orchestrated a perfect trilogy that is sure to capture any YA book lover’s heart! I know I won’t EVER forget this trilogy! The plots of each story were at the perfect pace, fast but fantastically descriptive. There were also beautiful and remarkable settings!!!

I mean you can jump to a different mystical/fantasy world through a book in some of the most beautiful libraries throughout the whole world!!! I mean it’s a book lover’s dream! I am over the moon that Entangled Teen sent me this whole series and I couldn’t get enough of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

In Assassin of Truths(the just released book), my heart was put on a rollercoaster ride and I turned pages at the speed of lightening.

I cried, I smiled, I was on the edge of my seat from the suspense and was devastated it was over! I can’t say it enough that this series is highly recommended and is beyond amazing! Brenda Drake, thank you so much for creating this YA/Fantasy Masterpiece! I will follow you anywhere and want to read all of your work!!!!❤❤❤

Brenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

~Book Review: No Sad Songs by Frank Morelli~

February 18, 2018February 18, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆25 Comments

I want to thank the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Rating:

To View or Buy via Amazon Click Here

To Check Out on Goodreads Click Here

Following a family tragedy, 18-year-old Gabe LoScuda suddenly finds himself thrust into the role of caregiver for his ailing grandfather. Between the shopping trips and the doctor visits with Grandpa, Gabe and his friend John try to salvage their senior year, meet girls, and make the varsity baseball team. It doesn’t take long for Gabe to realize that going to school and looking after a grandfather with Alzheimer’s is more work than he ever imagined. And when long-lost Uncle Nick appears on the scene, Gabe soon finds that living with Nick and Grandpa is like babysitting two grown men. Aside from John, the only person who truly understands Gabe is Sofia, a punk-rocking rebel he meets at the veteran’s hospital. When these three unlikely friends are faced with a serious dilemma, will they do what it takes to save Grandpa? If there’s a chance of preserving the final shreds of Grandpa’s dignity, Gabe may have to make the most gut-wrenching decision of his life—and there’s no way out.

What a freakin’ fantastic book! When Mr. Morelli contacted me about “No Sad Songs”, I was going to start taking a break from author requests to help myself catch up and what not. Well, I read the synopsis and saw the book cover and was SOLD!

From the very beginning, I was sucked into the story and so invested in Gabe. He made me laugh and my heart wrenched for him at the same time. I enjoyed seeing him grow as the story was told. I LOVED all the characters in this story including Grandpa! He was a bit wild at times…

Okay maybe not that kind of wild but he was something else!😘 As a caretaker of someone that I love and see the person that they were diminish because of a severe traumatic brain injury, I could relate in many ways to Gabe. I know every single day is a battle and so hard to see someone you love forget what happened five minutes ago and not be able to remember the past you shared. Different illness, same battle.

Reading this story, you can really see how connected the author was to this book and how much he invested in this story with the fantastic descriptions and real emotions. Mr. Morelli wove the perfect blend of emotions and reality to create a remarkable tale that I won’t soon forget. Also I have to add that I loved Sofia!😍🤘 Of course, I would adore an awesome punk rocker chick!😊

I’m so glad that I read this story and I highly recommend putting this one on your TBR!😄📚❤

Frank Morelli and I did an interview and you can find it here. I used one of his answers to tell you a little about him.

ABOUT:

I’m from the Philadelphia area originally, but now I live just outside of Greensboro, NC with my best friend/partner in crime/chief critic, Alexandra, and our crazy gang of cats and dogs. We don’t have any children, but we’re passionate about rescuing animals, so the second we bought a house with a big, wooded backyard we adopted lots of pets. At the moment, we have two doggies (Stan and Brooklyn) and two cats (Jackie and Henry Aaron). Both of us are massive baseball fans, so we named our buddies after some of our favorite players and baseball towns. We spend the vast majority of our time reading, writing, editing, and cooking.

https://frankmorelliwrites.com/about/

*~Book Review: 17th Suspect(Women’s Murder Club Series #17)

February 15, 2018February 15, 2018Dani☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆22 Comments

I would like to thank Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate this opportunity and all views expressed are my own.

U.S. Amazon Link / U.K. Amazon Link

Goodreads Link, Click Here!

Rating:

A series of shootings exposes San Francisco to a methodical yet unpredictable killer, and a reluctant woman decides to put her trust in Sergeant Lindsay Boxer. The confidential informant’s tip leads Lindsay to disturbing conclusions, including that something has gone horribly wrong inside the police department itself.

The hunt for the killer lures Lindsay out of her jurisdiction, and gets inside Lindsay in dangerous ways. She suffers unsettling medical symptoms, and her friends and confidantes in the Women’s Murder Club warn Lindsay against taking the crimes too much to heart. With lives at stake, the detective can’t help but follow the case into ever more terrifying terrain.

A decorated officer, loving wife, devoted mother, and loyal friend, Lindsay’s unwavering integrity has never failed her. But now she is confronting a killer who is determined to undermine it all.

Wow, did I just go on an all night emotional rollercoaster or what?! I am so thankful that I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review! I am in total fangirl status right now! The Women’s Murder Club Series is the series that rekindled my LOVE for reading. I was slumping around the house and binging on Netflix 24/7 because of some new chronic illnesses. I was just in a total fog and numbed out completely. I got a recommendation from a friend about this series and decided why not try it? I purchased First to Die by James Patterson and fell head over heels in LOVE with these characters. I LOVED everything about the book and read it within a day and proceeded to read all of the series within a month. I still recall all the details of every book in the series and that’s when you know a book series is one that you absolutely adore!

Well rest assured fans that Patterson and Paetro blew this latest installment out of the water! The characterisation was amazing! I mean, what’s not to love about 4 strong and independent leading ladies with their own awesome and custom personalities?

This particular Women’s Murder Club book was more special than it’s been in years. There is some big game changers in this installment. This novel is focused primarily on Lindsay and Yuki’s current situations. As the reader, you get to experience an insane and cringeworthy courtroom case with Yuki and a twisty serial killer case with Lindsay. I enjoyed racing through this novel with not only their intense cases but their intense life experiences! I did not see any of the many twists coming and can’t wait for the next installment! If you have read any of these novels, the latest Women’s Murder Club installment is not to be missed!!!

James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author, best known for his many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, I Funny, and Jacky Ha-Ha. Patterson’s writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove to everyone, from children to adults, that there is no such thing as a person who “doesn’t like to read,” only people who haven’t found the right book. He’s given over a million books to schoolkids and over forty million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family. Learn more at jamespatterson.com.

Maxine Paetro is an American author who has been published since 1979. Paetro has collaborated with best-selling author James Patterson on the Women’s Murder Club novel series and standalone novels.

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