Tag Archives: Recap

2014, A Year in Review(s)

Posted on by Robert Zimmermann

Now that it’s 2015, it’s time to take a quick look back at the 2014 reading year. I’ll be the first to admit it was a strange year (for reading and otherwise). The book world has changed a lot since I started blogging, and in the last year the trend continues, sometimes at a rapid increase.

You may have noticed a change in my blogging, as well. I started out the year with a challenge to read 5 short stories a week and post mini-reviews. That series, A Storied Week, was short lived, though it was fun while it lasted. I also wanted to focus more on my writing and less on reviewing. That was only partly accomplished. I didn’t have as many reviews and I wrote a few things. I hope that, even with the change and less frequent posting, you’ve still found pleasure in stopping by and that you’ve found some great books to check out.

In 2015 I think it’ll be much of the same around here, though I hope that with the recent start of Story Time Friday, reading the blog will be a better experience each week. We’ve already had some great work in the first few weeks. I’ll be trying to include my own work more often this year. And don’t worry, even though I don’t plan on opening my doors for review requests any time soon (closing them was the BEST thing I could have done for my reading and my sanity), I’ll still be reviewing much of what I read. I don’t think that’ll ever change.

So, now that I rambled about all that, how about you continue to the rest of the post, to what you’ve all been waiting for. Here are my “best books read in 2014” lists. As always, there’s no specific order to the lists inside the categories. The first isn’t necessarily my favorite. Also, I decided not to do a list for short stories this year. I read too many, but had many duds.I also read many of them early in 2014, so it’d be hard to recall them for a best of at this point.

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NOVELS

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VERSE NOVEL

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POETRY

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NON-FICTION

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GRAPHIC NOVELS/COMICS

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FAVORITE AUTHORS

  • S.M. Boyce, for her Grimoire Saga which concluded this year with Illusion. I’ve go on and on about Boyce’s writing for years, ever since I read Lichgates in 2012. I was both happy and depressed when her series ended, but it just means I can move onto the next project Boyce has in store for her readers. I’m already clearing space off my shelves for whatever it is.
  • Francesca Lia Block, who first caught my attention years ago with Weetzie Bat. I reacquainted myself with that book and the rest of that series this year. I’ve also ventured into a good chunk of Block’s body of work and 2015 is sure to be a continuation of that journey.
  • Chelsea M. Cameron, one of the authors I met back in September. I’ve known her online early on in this blog’s life in 2012 and have finally begun to read her novels and I’m not sure why I waited so long.
  • Jessica Park will stay on my favorite authors list for some time. Even though she takes her time writing and releasing books (like my other favorite author S.M. Boyce) I know that with my patience I’ll be rewarded with a book worth the wait. This year’s Flat-Out Celeste, a sequel to Flat-Out Love from a few years back, blew me away.
  • Rebecca Makkai, the author of The Borrower and The Hundred-Year House. I read these both this year and have recommended them to many friends since. I’ve also checked out some of the short fiction Makkai has out and it’s just as high up on my list of great work. I’ll be eagerly awaiting this author’s next book. Part of me is hoping it’ll be a collection of short stories.
  • Honorable mentions: Tiffany King (she’ll always be one of my favorites), Tara Sivec (another great author I keep coming back to), Richard Stephenson (his New America series is worth checking out. Book 3 out in the spring), Megan Erickson and Christina Lee (two authors I discovered late in the year but who I know will be filling my “read pile” in 2015).

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BEST OF:

2012 | 2013

Line curvyPlease feel free to comment on this post with some of your favorite reads and authors of 2014. We should always be about sharing the book love!

 

2013 #Review Recap – Two by @SonyaSones

Posted on by Robert Zimmermann

2013 Recap

Today, for my 2013 Recap, I’d not only reposting two reviews. Today, I’m also here to tell of how I was introduced to the world of verse novels.

These two novels by Sonya Sones, instead of being written in prose, are written in verse. This was a new form of writing for me. To be honest, I read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse years ago in school, but I’d forgotten about these type of novels until this year.

I’ve since bought all of Sones novels (expect the newest…hint hint, Christmas is coming soon 😉 ), and have enjoyed what I’ve read from those as well, so far. I’m also currently on the lookout for more verse novels to add to my TBR pile. I have some by Ellen Hopkins and a few other authors, but I’m always up for more suggestions. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments 🙂

If you’re a fan of YA romances, but are hesitant about trying one written in verse, this two book series might be one to check out. I’d recommend them.

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What My Mother Doesn’t Know

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Title: What My Mother Doesn’t KnowWhat My Mother Doesn't Know
Author: Sonya Sones
Rating: 5/5 Stars

“My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also of my second.
And, okay, my third love, too.

It’s not that I’m boy crazy.
It’s just that even though
I’m almost fifteen
it’s like
my mind
and my body
and my heart
just don’t seem to be able to agree
on anything.” (description from Goodreads)

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What really struck a chord with me in this book is that it’s a free-verse novel. I feel that Sones’ decision to write this novel in verse instead of prose makes it stand out from other young adult novels that might deal with similar characters and situations.

Because of the nature of poetry, there was a certain lack of depth to the story. With that in mind, there was also a much deeper depth to the story than what could be found just through reading this as if it were prose. The poems that make up What My Mother Doesn’t Know range in what they convey. Some are a full scene in Sophie’s day. Others create a full scene with a series of poems, where each might be a bit shorter and focus on one thought. Weaved together in a mixture of lengths and subjects, they create a beautiful patchwork view into who Sophie’s character is.

I really enjoyed the voice in this books as well. Sophie is a 15-year-old girl who is trying to sort out her heart, deal with an abnormal home-life  and even touches on the prejudices of her being Jewish. While I’m not, nor have I ever been, a 15-year-old girl, I found her believable and was able to sympathize with her. At times I wanted to reach into the book and give her a good slap, but she’s learning how to go through life and to sort things out for herself.

I’m happy that I went along on this little journey with Sophie figuring out what love is, who she really is, and ultimately a journey about growing up for a teen who could represent many teens in one way or another.

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You can purchase a copy of What My Mother Doesn’t Know from:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know

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Title: What My Girlfriend Doesn’t KnowWhat My Girlfriend Doesn't Know
Author: Sonya Sones
Rating: 4/5 Stars

“My name is Robin.
This book is about me.
It tells the story of what happens
when after almost 15 pathetic years of loserdom,
the girl of my dreams finally falls for me.

That seems like it would be
a good thing, right?
Only it turns out to be
a lot more complicated than that

Because I’m not gonna lie to you –
there are naked women involved.
Four of them, to be exact.
Though not in the way you might think.

Don’t get me wrong — my girlfriend’s amazing.
But the way things have been going lately,
I’m starting to believe that the only thing worse
than not getting what you want,

is getting it.” (description from Goodreads)

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Again, Sonya Sones brings a great novel in the form of poetry. What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know is the sequel to Sones’ free-verse novel What My Mother Doesn’t Know, and was a great addition to the first book.

It was a little weird going from book one to this book because of the POV switch from Sophie as the narrator to it being told by Robin, but in time I grew to like him, as well. I feel that Sones was able to capture the mindset of a teenage male accurately, and that’s part of the success of this book. While I didn’t like his voice all the time or some of the decisions made in the story, I feel that Robin did things how even I would have at that age.

The way Sones uses poetry to tell a story, rather than prose, is what makes her writing so enjoyable to me. There might be a lack of word count, but there’s just as much depth to what the sparse pages hold for the reader. I also liked how there were a few poem/chapters that were “concrete poems,” which  used words to create a picture instead of just having the words describe the subject.

I continue to be pleased with Sones’ work and can’t wait to see what else she has written.

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Want to read this book? You can grab a copy from:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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About the Author:

Sonya Sones is an American poet and author. She has written four young adult novels in verse, as well as a novel in verse for adults and a picture book.

Find out more:

 

2013 #Review Recap – Wuthering Nights, by @Heathcliffian

Posted on by Robert Zimmermann

2013 Recap

2013 is winding down, but it’s not over just yet. Last week, I brought back reviews from some of my favorite books of 2012. Instead of just posting my favorite books of 2013 in one post in January (which I’ll do as well), I figured I’d fill up the rest of 2013 by recapping some of my favorite reviews from the year. There are ten days left, and that means out of the 260+ books and stories that I’ve read this year, you’ll get a preview of what my favorites list will look like.

First up in this series of 2013 recapped reviews is a review of a classic with an erotic twist. I.J. Miller has taken the classic novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, and explored the erotic side of its characters. While I may not be very well-versed in the classics, (I’m getting to them though, in time,) this book by Miller caught my interest. There might be some readers who don’t think a classic should be touched, and I have that feeling at times too, but in the end, I feel that Wuthering Nights turned out to be a great read. It’s also gotten me to throw Wuthering Heights  a bit higher on my towering TBR.

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Wuthering Nights

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Title: Wuthering Nights
Author: I.J. Miller (and Emily Brontë)
Rating: 4/5 Stars

“Romantics everywhere have been enthralled by Emily Bronte’s classic novel of the tragic love between beautiful, spirited Catherine Earnshaw and dark, brooding Heathcliff. The restrained desire between these two star-crossed lovers has always smoldered on the page. And now it ignites into an uncontrollable blaze.

In WUTHERING NIGHTS, writer I.J. Miller reimagines this timeless story to reveal the passion between Catherine and Heathcliff–in all its forbidden glory.

Set against the stark, raw beauty of the English moors, Heathcliff, an abandoned orphan, recognizes his soulmate in wild, impulsive Catherine, the only woman who can tame his self-destructive nature. And Catherine cannot deny the all-consuming desire she feels for him, despite his low birth. Together they engage in a fiery affair–one that will possess them, enslave them, and change their destinies forever…” (description from Goodreads)

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When I saw the title of this one, and that it was an erotic retelling of the classic novel, Wuthering Heights, my interest was grabbed. There are a number of authors who go about adding his or her own spin to stories from the literary canon. Wuthering Nights stuck out from many other similar titles out there.

What I found in this novel is that Miller made use of a well-written characters and a story line  but really made it a story of its own. From the start, I was drawn into the setting of the Heights and later on the Grange, as well as the beauty and dangers at the moors. I feel that the way the characters were written in with these settings made it all stick in my mind even better. For a reader like me, a reader who doesn’t read many historical novels due to the language style used, to enjoy the writing of this book, I think that is the icing on the top of this novel. Without the accessibility a more “modern” reader like me found in this novel coupled with writing more true to Brontë herself than Miller’s contemporaries, I may have been less interested through to the end than I was.

Another thing I enjoyed about Wuthering Nights is the way the erotic element was thrown in. It never once felt out-of-place. There were a lot of steamy moments between all of the characters. I liked that there was also a great deal of romance mixed in. This wasn’t a book that was to add “smut” to a classic. Miller worked descriptive sex scenes that only enhanced the emotions between the characters, as well as pushed much of the plot along in Miller’s own way, making this story the author’s own without following a straightforward blueprint set up by Brontë.

If you’re looking to relive a classic or to experience the Wuthering Heights story for the first time, or just looking for an enjoyable erotic novel that’s a little different than others out there, Wuthering Nights might be a novel to check out.

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You can grab a copy of Wuthering Nights from

Ebook:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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About the Author:

I have published five literary works of erotic fiction: the novels SEESAW and WHIPPED, the novella CLIMBING THE STAIRS, the short story collection SEX AND LOVE. I have been translated into German and Spanish. WUTHERING NIGHTS, an erotic retelling of Emily Bronte’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS, is due out in January 29, 2013 as an e-book and April 23, 2013 as a trade paperback. Any erotic material is always there to enhance the story, develop the plot, reveal character. Keep smiling!

Find out more:

Blast From the Past – #Review: Wishing for Someday Soon, by @AuthorTiffany

Posted on by Robert Zimmermann

Blast From the Past

The year 2013 has begun to wind down, and as we prepare for the start of 2014 it’s a great time to look back at what has happened in 2013. In the first few days of 2013, I took a look at all the books  I read and authors I met in 2012, compiled a list of my favorites, and shared them with you all.

This year, I wanted to do something similar, but a little different. Instead of just one post to begin 2014, I’m going to do a series of posts all of this week called “Blast From the Past.” I’m going to be reposting my reviews of some of my favorite books from 2012 to bring them to your attention again and to set up for the new list for this year. Next week, I’ll repost some of my favorite books from THIS year. Then come January, I can bring the 2013 list together as a whole for you all to check out.

Today, we’ll kick off the Blast From the Past series with…

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Wishing for Someday Soon

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Title: Wishing For Someday Soonwishing-for-someday-soon
Author: Tiffany King
Rating: 5/5 stars

“From USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King

Seventeen year old Katelyn Richards is a stronger person than anyone will ever know, and that is just the way she wants it. Behind her normal facade lies the reality of a broken home life. Thanks to her abusive mother, a string of deadbeat stepfathers, and an unsympathetic system, Katelyn has learned that the only one she can count on is herself. Her life’s mission has become to shield her nine year old brother, Kevin, and to give him the future that they both wish for. A life with no more abuse, no worries about where their next meal will come from, and no more wondering if they will have a roof over their heads. 

When her mother moves them again, this time to a small town in Montana, Katelyn’s resolve is shaken when she meets Max, a cute boy from her new school, who gets a glimpse into her real world. Max slowly manages to break through Katelyn’s wall of distrust, stirring up feelings she never saw coming. Now with her world more complicated than she ever intended, Katelyn struggles with the decision to follow her heart into the arms of the first boy she has ever loved. A decision that could risk the promise she made to protect Kevin, and to give them the ‘someday soon’ that is so close within their grasp.” (description from Goodreads)

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This book really blew me away. There were so many pieces of this book that not only drew me in to it, but it almost didn’t let me leave in the end. Tiffany King weaves a beautiful story of hope around one of the ugliest aspects of the human experience.

I’ll start out with the characters in the book. They were extremely lovable (with the exception of two, and definitely ONE). Once Kevin, Katelyn’s kid brother was mentioned, I knew he’d be one of my favorite characters. Katelyn’s character, while not all too likable for some of her values, is also a great character. She’s strong, loves her brother more than anything else in the world, and will do anything to protect him. What’s not to like? Katelyn has survived years of moving around the country and relentless abuse from her mother Lucinda. All the while she does nothing but hold out hope for her eighteenth year and a plan to leave the hell that is her home life behind.

The secondary characters were, while almost being TOO nice, believable and a godsend in times of need. The adults were always helpful, and through their actions from beginning to end they were a sign that life didn’t have to be lived how Katelyn and Kevin had seen it. There are great people in life and they are willing to help others. Even when someone was dealt a bad hand with parents and lifestyle, it’s nothing to settle for. There are ways out, and the adults and even teenagers, helped to show Katelyn an alternative.

One thing that kept getting on my nerves was the way Katelyn continued to endure the verbal and physical abuse dished out by her mother Lucinda. When her mother wasn’t in the mood to argue she was still using her daughter almost in a slave labor fashion because she couldn’t bother to do things for herself. This was appalling to read. But why do I praise this book? Well, it’s because of elements like this one. It’s UGLY, DISGUSTING, and downright UNACCEPTABLE; it’s also real life. This isn’t a unique experience made up for the world of fiction. There are families like this all over the world today. King painted such a graphic portrait for me as the reader that I couldn’t help but wish to jump into the story and save Katelyn and Kevin on various occasions.

Because of this way King’s writing captured me and kept me reading, it seemed like my emotions mirrored that of the character’s. There were sad moments (very sad ones), happy moments, and moments when there was nothing but anger. I’ve never wanted to jump into a book just to kill off a character so badly before. I think many readers will get this reaction when they read as well. Luckily the good emotions were ones of hope and happiness, those can always brighten the overall story.

This book succeeded in locking me almost completely into the story emotionally. This is something that has never been done by any book or author before. The last scene could easily have killed me if it went on any longer. It’s not that it dragged on and on, it didn’t. What happened is that when I read it, my heart was thumping so hard and fast in my chest that I thought it’d just burst, not allowing me to finish reading. I’ve never been this on edge for any book or movie before. That scene was pure literary magic for me.

From beginning to end this book will take a toll on the readers emotions. I don’t know how any reader will not feel at least the slightest emotional connection to this book.

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You can purchase this book on Amazon:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

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About the Author:

Tiffany King new profile pictureUSA Today Best Selling author, Tiffany King is the author of the Young Adult titles: The Saving Angels Series, Wishing for Someday Soon, Forever Changed, Unlikely Allies, Miss Me Not, and Jordyn: A Daemon Hunter Novel book one. She also has a New Adult title called No Attachments.

Writer by day and book fanatic the rest of the time, she is now pursuing her life-long dream of weaving tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iphone and ipad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

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