Friday, May 29, 2015

Follow Friday 24

@parajunkee @alisoncanread #ff #followfriday

How does this work?

The goal is to increase blog followers and make friends. First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools — keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them “hi” in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you! What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to WordPress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don’t have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed. All features are chosen randomly to be the feature. They are not chosen by content or name.

This week's question
How many books have you got on your TBR list? via Obsessive Compulsive Reader 

  I have no idea. I'm sure it's in the 100s. Soooo many books and so little time. I am working on getting so that I can spend most of my day reading while making a living doing something book related. The dream will become a reality; I am sure of it.


Sign Up Here

Book Blogger Hop 2

@coffeeramblings #bookbloggerhop #followfriday #ff

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended December 31, 2012. Relaunch by Ramblings of a Coffee Addict on Friday, February 15th, 2013.

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt just like before. The hop's purpose will remain the same as it will give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's question:
Can you read in a room with noise or do you have to have total quiet? (submitted by Elizabeth)

It depends on the book. If the book is good I can read it anywhere. If it is slower pace then noise may distract me especially if what's going on around me is more interesting than what I'm reading.

Leave a comment below and I'll comment back (unless you have disqus. I don't have an account with them and they usually don't allow me to comment any other way..sorry). Follow me and I will follow you back.

:



Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Book Review: Aftermath by Tom Lewis


@XpressoReads #giveaway #bookblitz


Aftermath by Tom Lewis 
(After the Fall #1) 
Publication date: March 28th 2015 
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:
The end of the world came fast. Between the time the warning had sounded on the TV, till when 16-year-old Paige O’Connor awakened sometime later, civilization had been crushed.
The attacks had come by “them” – those things in the ships in the sky that had appeared suddenly, and without warning.
And as Paige would soon discover, the attacks had only been the beginning.
Aftermath is the first book in the new After the Fall dystopian action series, which follows a young girl’s struggle for survival in the wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings. 

Purchase:
Amazon  
My Review:
A different take on an alien invasion. Instead of coming down with laser blasting, they have humans attack each other. Paige is a strong female character who takes charge of a gang of homeless youngster like herself. I really like the youngest character. She was wise for her age and the voice of reason.

I think that it is very much an action movie. As a book, it lacked character development. Paige had a  moment of sadness for her family but not much. It just weird how the subject of her family isn't brought up but she grief for the friend she just met. I mean who wouldn't wake up in at least a cold sweat about the horror she saw at the beginning of the book regarding her brother. That's all I can say without giving anything away but you'll see what I mean when you read it. By the end of the book, we still don't really know who the aliens are. Or what the hybrids are for? It's a good start but leaves you wanting more.


AUTHOR BIO:
Tom Lewis served in the United States Marines, before attending college, and then law school. He currently practices entertainment law from his office in Santa Monica, California.

Mr. Lewis has written and sold several screenplays, and is currently in post-production on a motion picture he wrote, directed, and produced.

His novel, "Aftermath," is loosely based on one of his screenplays. In writing "Aftermath," his goal was to take his readers through a post-apocalyptic America, where civilization had been crushed in an alien attack. The reader is taken on this journey through the eyes of his protagonist, 16-year-old Paige O'Connor, and encounters this hostile new world as she does.

"Aftermath" is the first book in the "After the Fall Dystopian Series," which will continue to chronicle the adventures of Paige and the remnants of humanity in their struggle to survive, and ultimately reclaim our planet from the invaders.





*This is an ARC review
**If you would like to support this blog consider purchasing your books from the links provided. Thank you for stopping by. Comment, share, and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday 1


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.


Top Ten Books - Beach Reads
  1. Any of the books from the Harry Potter series. I am actually rereading all of them for Harry's b-day in July.
  2. Insurgent series by Veronica Roth
  3. Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist(releasing soon, believe me it's a winner)
  4. Selection series by Kiera Cass
  5. Undergrad series by Aster Avery
  6. New to urban/street lit - Coldest Winter Ever by Tyree Omar
  7. Fathomless by Jackson Pierce
  8. Perfected  by Kate Jarvik Birch
  9. Mary, Mary by James Patterson
  10. Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts
A random list I know but I think they are all fast to good pace reads. 

Monday, May 25, 2015

Book Review: Zombie Fallout by Mark Tufo

@ZombieFallout #bookreview #zombie

est. 328 pages
source: Amazon
Rating: 3 stars (3.2)


Summary:
It was a flu season like no other. With fears of contracting the H1N1 virus running rampant throughout the country, people lined up in droves to try an attain one of the coveted vaccines. What was not known, was the effect this largely untested, rushed to market, inoculation was to have on the unsuspecting throngs.
Within days, feverish folk throughout the country, convulsed, collapsed and died, only to be re-born. With a taste for brains, blood and bodies, these modern day zombies scoured the lands for their next meal. Overnight the country became a killing ground for the hordes of zombies that ravaged the land.
This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family and his friends. This is their story a band of ordinary people just trying to get by in these extra-ordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for.


Purchase
Amazon  l  B & N  l  Kobo  l  iBooks

My Review:


About the Author:
Mark Tufo was born in Boston Massachusetts. He attended UMASS Amherst where he obtained a BA and later joined the US Marine Corp. He was stationed in Parris Island SC, Twenty Nine Palms CA and Kaneohe Bay Hawaii. After his tour he went into the Human Resources field with a worldwide financial institution and has gone back to college at CTU to complete his masters.

He has written the Indian Hill trilogy with the first Indian Hill - Encounters being published for the Amazon Kindle in July 2009. He has since written the Zombie Fallout series and is working on a new zombie book.

He lives in Maine with his wife, three kids and two English bulldogs.

Author Links

*If you would like support this blog consider purchasing your books through the links provided. Thank you for stopping by. Comment, share, and Happy Reading!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Book Blogger Hop 1


@coffeeramblings #bookbloggerhop #followfriday #ff

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended December 31, 2012. Relaunch by Ramblings of a Coffee Addict on Friday, February 15th, 2013.

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt just like before. The hop's purpose will remain the same as it will give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's question is submitted by Elizabeth!
Why would you stop reading a book? Too long, wrong genre, bad language, not what you expected, or something totally different? 

It's rare for me not to finish a book. If I don't finish then it's because the story or worse the character were so horribly off putting that it wasn't worth finishing the book.


Leave a comment below and I'll comment back (unless you have disqus. I don't have an account with them and they usually don't allow me to comment any other way..sorry). Follow me and I will follow you back.


Friday, May 22, 2015

Follow Friday 23

@bunnitaz @parajunkee @alisoncanread #ff #followfriday 

week's question
How do you write your reviews? via bluebooksandbutterflies.blogspot.com
I usually just wing it to be honest. I used to try to write in on paper but that became a pain in the butt. I do pay attention to the five points that I base my rating on. My reviews need a little work though...working on that.


Interview: Sky High by C.J. Lake


Q&A with C.J. Lake 

What makes Jamie and Sky such a great couple? 
When the story begins, Sky is in a tough transition, finally coming to terms with the fact that her ski career is over after it had only just begun—and that she has to figure out what’s next.  She has become somewhat negative and cynical, but when Jamie comes along with his easygoing, funny personality, he inevitably brings a positive energy to Sky’s life.    

If you had to choose, what is your favorite scene? 
Sky and Jamie have a confrontation about their whole “friendship” and what’s really been happening below the surface.  It’s a pretty intense, sexy scene and I love that whole moment between them!   

Do you have a music playlist for this book? 
Yes!  My #1 Jamie-Sky inspiration song is Afterlife” by Ingrid Michaelson—but there are so many fun, romantic songs that remind me of their love!  Like: “Want to Want Me” (Jason Derulo), “Sugar” (Maroon 5), “Boom Clap” (Charli XCX), “Riptide” (Vance Joy), “Classic” (MKTO), “Love Me Like You Do” (Ellie Goulding), and “Unconditional” (Katy Perry). 

What are your must-haves while writing? 
I’d like to say good lighting and espresso—but truthfully, I’ll write even when I’m out of espresso.  Still…good lighting is a must and I will pretty happily settle for regular coffee. 

What else should readers know? 
Sky High is the third book in The Attraction Series.  Like the other books in the seriesSky High is a standalone novel—although characters from Constructing Us (Book 1) and A Hot Winter (Book 2) also appear, so readers can see how they’re doing!  I had a lot of fun with this book, because Jamie is one-of-a-kind and I hope I captured that.  

What’s next? 
Coming up are Parts 2 & 3 of The Allnighter (My New Stepbrother).  I recently released Part 1, which you can check out here: http://amzn.to/1cuDWZc  Mick and Cady would be perfect together…if only the timing and circumstances weren’t so imperfect!  The rest of their sexy and at times funny love story is coming soon… 

Also, Let it Burn (Book 4 in the Attraction Series), is coming in 2016! 




Sky High by C.J. Lake 
(The Attraction #3) 
Publication date: May 2015
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:
**All books in C.J. Lake’s Attraction Series are standalone novels with NO cliffhangers.**

First she stole my parking spot.  Then we became friends.  Then I fell completely, mind-torturingly in love with her.  Oh, wait—I think that happened first.




*Q&A was provided by Xpresso Book Tours
**If you would like to support this blog consider purchasing your books from the links provided. Thank you for stopping by. Comment, share, and Happy Reading!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Write On Review-a-thon 2

Write On Review-a-Thon
@TheBookVixen #reviewathon #writeon

The Write On review-a-thon is a monthly event created and hosted by Brianna at The Book Vixen. This time, it’s THREE days dedicated to getting reviews done, whether you have one review to write or 30+. This edition of the review-a-thon takes place all day Friday, May 22nd through Sunday, May 24th. Let’s get those reviews done!

I am not sure how many reviews I'll get done but I have a ton I need to post to Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari, and this blog.


I got the following done.
Prescheduled:
8 Book Blogger Hops
1 Follow Friday
Review - Secret of the Sevens
Review - Zombie Fallout
Review - Faking Perfect

Interview: Aftermath by Tom Lewis

@XpressoReads #authorinterview #bookblitz




Tell us about your debut novel: 
The book’s called “Aftermath”.  It’s a fast-paced, dystopian sci fi actioner that follows a teenage girl’s struggles for survival in the increasingly hostile wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings.  I’m calling it a “Hunger Games” with aliens.

“Aftermath” is the first novel in the “After the Fall” dystopian series, which will follow my heroine, Paige, and the remnants of humanity in their efforts to both survive, and reclaim our world.

How did you get into writing?
I started writing screenplays in 1999, and had my first screenplay optioned that year.  I followed that up with several other screenplays, a few of which were optioned by production companies and ended up getting me hired for writing assignments.  Two of those scripts were made into movies which I produced and directed.  The first of those movies was picked up by Lionsgate for distribution, and we’re in negotiations with distributors on the second film, a spooky ghost story called “The Chanel”.  It’s about a teenage girl, who after surviving a near-death experience in a car crash, finds herself haunted by a shadowy figure she sees from the corner of her eye – something that followed her back from the other side of death.

You’re also an attorney?
Yes.  I practice entertainment law from my office in Santa Monica.  My clients are mainly producers, so that’s helped with getting my screenplays out there.  Before that, I served in the Marines.

Where did your interest in post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction come from? 
My first exposure to the dystopian genre came about 4 years ago, when I was negotiating movie rights to a best-selling novel for one of my clients.  I read that novel, and then read the “Hunger Games” trilogy, and then I was hooked.  Dystopian, YA, NA, sci fi action, survival, and post-apocalyptic stories are far and away my favorites.

Where did the inspiration for Aftermath come from?
I came up with the idea for Aftermath about a year ago.  I was searching Amazon for something post-apocalyptic and dystopian, but with ordinary people thrown into that upside-down world. Most of the books I was finding had either elite commandos, or the threat wasn’t big enough, or there just wasn’t enough action, thrills, or scares.  So basically I wrote Aftermath as the story I wanted to read.  I originally started drafting it as a screenplay, but then I saw the potential of it as a series of novels.  The story is epic in scope – it follows the survivors through the end of civilization, and its conquest by this alien race.  And by doing it through novels, I wasn’t limited to budget considerations you have when writing screenplays.  But I did have the fun of shooting the trailer I made for the book.  You can see that trailer here:  https://vimeo.com/124008432

What's next for you? 
I’m about halfway finished with the second installment in the series, and hope to publish it later this summer.  The working title is “The Whisperers.”


About Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, where his family still resides.  He served in the Marines, before returning to Arizona, where he attended Arizona State University, receiving his BS in Business Management.  After ASU, he moved to San Diego, where he attended law school at the University of San Diego.  He graduated in 1996, and was admitted to the State Bar of California the same year.  Shortly after that, he moved to Santa Monica, where he practices law as an entertainment attorney.

When he’s not writing, or handling the legal work for his clients’ films, Tom enjoys working out, hanging out at the beach, bike riding, reading, and movies.






After the Fall by Tom Lewis
(After the Fall #1)
Publication date: March 28th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:
The end of the world came fast. Between the time the warning had sounded on the TV, till when 16-year-old Paige O’Connor awakened sometime later, civilization had been crushed.

The attacks had come by “them” – those things in the ships in the sky that had appeared suddenly, and without warning.

And as Paige would soon discover, the attacks had only been the beginning.

Aftermath is the first book in the new After the Fall dystopian action series, which follows a young girl’s struggle for survival in the wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings.



Purchase:



*Interview provided by Xpresso Reads
**If you would like to support this blog consider purchasing your books through the links provided. Thank you for stopping by. Comment, share, and Happy Reading!