Book Review on Endlessly by Kiersten White

This is what it says inside the cover of Endlessly:  
  
Evie’s paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie’s hands.

So much for normal.

I give this book 2 Stars **

Before I go into this review, I just want to say I respect every single author out there. The reason why is because so many people say they’re going to write a book and never do. Also, it takes a lot of hard work, persistence, and determination to complete a novel. I know because I’m an author myself. So even if a book sucks ass or is the greatest thing since peanut butter and chocolate, I still admire the writer, regardless if they’ve written a good or bad story.

Now with that being said, I’m going to point out the things I liked about this third and final book in this trilogy, then I’ll air out my grievances.

Paranormalcy is the first novel in this series. I really enjoyed it. I think Kiersten White is brilliant coming up with this concept–a teenage girl, who works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, can see through glamours, and humans working with and manipulating the Faerie realm in order to keep our world safe from paranormals–is totally thinking outside the box and nothing I’ve ever read before.

Supernaturally is the second one. I also enjoyed it as well and couldn’t wait to read Endlessly.

What I like most about Endlessly is Reth. He’s the beautiful Faerie . . . well, actually, all faeries are gorgeous. But he loves Evie and helps her out a lot. Sure he tricks her, but I think he has a valid reason. Then he gets sick, and we get to see that Reth can be vulnerable too.

I also like how Kiersten gets Arianna and Vivian involved in this tale and what she does with them in the end. It’s believable and the scenes they’re in add to the plot. They help propel the story and is a definite asset to it.

Jack is in this third book, and I have to say, I do like him. I don’t trust him, but he’s not a boring character, and you never know what might come out of his mouth or is up his sleeve. I’m glad Kiersten didn’t dispose of his character because he made me curious enough to wonder if he’s being genuine or not.

Oh. The faerie realm is really cool. I always enjoy reading about it.

Okay, now for what I didn’t like about Endlessly . . .

I really couldn't get into the story, and it took me a while to finish it because of how predictable it was. It seemed like this final installment in the series was rushed. There was no flavor, no color, no . . .



Evie basically only thinks about herself and what she wants. Also, her character hasn’t grown much, which is important to show in a series. And Lend . . .

I really liked Lend in the other two books, but in this one he’s 2 dimensional. I didn’t connect with him or Evie. Also, the spell Lend is put under is kinda lame.

Then there’s Evie’s good friend Carlee. I don’t want to do spoil it for those of you who haven’t read this book yet, so all I’ll say is . . . really?

Would you be nonchalant about the situation Carlee found herself in?

Ahhh, no.

At least, not right away.

You’d be asking some hard hitting questions about it if you were in her shoes. But when Kiersten wrote that scene, she didn’t take the time to have Carlee adjust to her situation or even had her ask Evie about what the hell was going on. That’s one of the reasons why I think this final story was written in a rush.

Anyway, I did like how it ended with the gate and what happened with Arianna, Vivian, and Reth. Kiersten did well with that. And although I’m disappointed in this book, I am looking forward to reading Kiersten White’s new novel coming out called Mind Games.

I suggest that if you have already read the first two books in this series to go ahead and read this one as well. I mean, just because I didn’t care for it, doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way. Besides, don’t you want to know how it ends?
 
 

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Author Q & A

Lately people have been asking me questions regarding writing and publishing, so I figured I’d do a post on it. I mean, maybe whoever is reading this might have been wondering the same thing, right? Okay, here goes . . .
Should I publish my book even though I’m afraid nobody will buy it?
Absolutely. Don’t ever allow fear get in the way of your goals. If nobody buys your book or your sales aren’t very good . . . so what? Yeah, it sucks. Yeah, it would hurt your feelings, but like the old saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in one day. If you love to write and are determine to do it for a living than keep writing. Try not to focus on sales or compare yourself to other authors. It’s hard I know, but we all have our own paths to take. You just have to believe in yourself and trust in it. If writing stories makes you happy, don’t give up. Walt Disney’s first animation company went bankrupt. He was also fired by a news editor because he was told he lacked imagination. And he was turned down countless times before he got financing to create Disney World.  So just think if he would have allowed his fear or all those rejections get in the way of his dream; this world would have missed out on a lot of cool shit.
If I get a bad review, I’m going to cry. How do you handle bad reviews?
You need to toughen up, missy.  Every single artist has had bad reviews. You can’t please everyone. When I get a bad review I have the sudden urge to explain to them why the things they didn’t like about the story was written that way. I want to defend it like why my main character in Beyond the Eyes is stubborn, naive, seems selfish and cries a lot halfway through the book. There’s a reason for it. However, it’s best to let it go and move on. Don’t ever base your self-worth on other people’s opinions. If all your reviews are bad, it just means you need to improve on your writing or story telling.  It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. You’re not. You wrote a book for Christ sakes! You are the bomb.

Should I copyright my book?
That’s a personal choice. Legally your book is already copyrighted. However, if you pay to get it copyrighted it goes into public record, and you get a certificate of registration.  So if somebody were to steal your work, it would be a lot easier to press charges because your story is registered.

I have a critique partner, and I’m really good at editing. I don’t have the money for an editor so I think I’m going to go ahead and publish my book without having it professionally edited. What do you think?
Bad, bad idea. I know money is tight, but you need to have your book professionally edited. I don’t care if you rock at editing. You need another set of eyes who edits for a living. If you don’t have the funds, try the barter system. Go to some writing forums and see if you can hook-up with one there. I did that with my cover artist who designed the cover for Beyond the Eyes. The deal was this: she would do my cover for free if I’d mention her in my acknowledgment page. It was a smoking deal. She did an awesome job & is now working on my cover for my next book in this series.
What are the things you’re doing to market your book?
I’ve been doing everything I can think of to spread the word about my book. Soon I’ll have to do that with Dark Spirits as well, which is going to be a whole new can of worms. But anyway, to answer your question I’ve done the following . . . blog, Goodreads, Podcast, book signing, radio interview, press release, book bloggers, giveaways, blog interviews, TV interview, and I just created an author page on Facebook. Oh! I’m also on Twitter, Pinterest, Book Daily and some other sites as well. So yeah, I’ve been marketing the shit out of this book, but I’m still learning about it.
Sales are not my thing. I’m horrible at it and much rather write.
Yeah, me too! I’m hoping someday I can pay somebody to do most of my marketing because sales are not my thing either. However, even if you traditionally publish, you’ll still have to market your book. So buck-up because marketing and selling your book is part of the package.  Writing books is a business. If you really want to succeed and write stories for a living, you’re going to have to sale it. Sorry. It sucks ass. I know. But it is what it is.

So those have been the questions I’ve been asked lately. If more comes my way, I’ll share them with you. I hope this helps some of you. I know I didn’t know some of those things when I first started writing.
Have a good weekend! J  









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The Vampire Diaries–Elena & Damon?

Did you guys watch last Thursday’s episode of The Vampire Diaries? If you haven’t, it’s online so you can still watch it.

It kicked ass.

After Elena kills the vampire hunter Connor, she starts having hallucinations. The reason why is if a vampire takes the life of those type of hunters, they go mad until another hunter takes the place of the one who just died.

Klaus knows how to help Elena because he went through the same thing. He tells her the hallucinations will drive her to commit suicide, then he locks her in a room to prevent her from ending her life. Of course, Stefan finds a way to free Elena; however, when he enters the chamber she’s being held in, she’s tripping out and stabs him. She escapes and finds herself on Wickery bridge.

Meanwhile, Jeremy (Elena’s brother) discovers he’s to take Connor’s place. You see, after Elena killed the hunter, a tattoo appeared on Jeremy’s hand. Only potential hunters can see it, so Jeremy can. The thing about the marking is it grows every time the hunter kills a vampire. So the curse Elena is under will break if Jeremy kills a vampire.

When Elena is on Wickery bridge, her mom appears before her. She tells Elena how proud she is of her, but Elena shouldn’t have cheated death. She’s supposed to be dead–not a vampire. It’s an emotional scene that I think was well played out. Elena decides to take her dayring off and tosses it into the river. As she’s waiting for the sun to rise, Damon shows up. During this time, Jeremy kills a hybred (half vampire, half wolf). The curse breaks right when the sun rises. Elena’s hands start to burn. She looks at Damon with wide, fearful eyes and says, "Damon." Damon jumps into action, grabs her, and they plunge into the river. He recovers her ring, and when Elena awakes, she’s in her bed with Damon quietly sitting nearby.

Okay, now, we get to the ending of this episode and this is where I get a stupid grin on my face because I think the writers are listening to their fans . . . Check this scene out
 

 
Yeah, that's right, Elena breaks up with Stefan. I do feel bad for Stefan but . . .

*goofy grin*

I do like Stefan. I do, but in a previous episode he basically tells Damon he prefers Elena to how she was before she became a vampire. Damon’s comment to Stefan’s confession is he loves Elena either way. So that right there solidifies it for me–Damon and Elena belong together. And it looks like they’ll finally get their chance. I hope.

Here’s the preview to the next episode.


Now the anticipation begins. Let's just hope the writers don't disappoint the fans who have been waiting for this to happen for so long.

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Character Interview

Warning: To those who haven’t read BEYOND THE EYES, there are some spoilers in this.

Four months ago, I interviewed Paige Reed, the main character in my YA paranormal series. The chat was cut short because she and Nathan had to meet Tree and Carrie at the movie theater. Paige promised to meet with me again and since the second book in this series (DARK SPIRITS) will be coming out at the beginning of 2013, I thought this would be a good time to get back together.

Right now, she’s at a hidden location, so we can’t do a video chat. I have to say before I start the interview that I love her raspy voice. It reminds me of Demi Moore’s, but not as abrasive.


Me: "Good evening, Paige. How are you?"

Paige: "I’m doing well. Thanks."

Me: "I’m going to get this interview rolling by asking you some hard hitting questions . . . if you don’t mind?"

Paige: "I still feel bad for bailing on you in our last interview, so I’m totally fine with it."

Me: "No worries . . . Before you became immortal, you had to deal with a lot of shit that you harbored inside yourself for so long. I know you’ve shed many tears, and now you’re a stronger person, not only physically but mentally-"

Paige: "Yeah, I am."

Me: "But don’t you still feel sad about your parents?"

Paige: "Sometimes I do, but it’s not like the same kind of sadness as before. I understand now why they made their decisions. Also, they haven’t abandoned me. Your readers will discover that in your third book–The Devil’s Third. However, there are times when I miss them, and that’s when the sorrow creeps into my heart."

Me: "I know Nathan told you immortals’ emotions are heightened exponentially. How are you dealing with your intense feelings?"


She laughs.

Paige: "The people who read Dark Spirits will find out I’ve had a hard time controlling my temper at first. I am getting better, though, at switching off the feelings I don’t want."

Me: "I know you get premonitions from a ghostly voice only you can hear; however, you’re starting to discover other gifts you have as well. Am I right?"

Paige: "Yeah, you are. I do come from an ancient line of witches; however, I’m something different. I mean . . . *sighs* I really don’t know what to think about it, to be honest–about what I am."

Me: "What can you tell us about Dark Spirits?"

Paige: "Well, in Dark Spirits, I find out one of the abilities I have comes from Solomon. It’s an awesome gift I hope to keep if his power ever leaves me."

Me: "What else can you tell us without spoiling it for the readers?"

Paige: "There’s an ancient dark spirit named Volac who wants to destroy me. He has a following, and they plan to help him do just that. One night they ambush us, and Nathan finds out some disturbing news. Also, in this book Nathan and I have some relationship problems, but I don’t want to talk about that."

Me: "I understand. What about Brayden? Or do you not want to talk about him? I know he had stepped over the line towards the end of Beyond the Eyes."

Paige: "He did totally screw up there. However, he's back to Astoria and genuinely sorry for that."

Me: "You forgave him?"

Paige: "Well . . . yeah. I’ve known him since I was five, and he would never hurt me."

Me: "Is he coming between you and Nathan?"

Paige: "Brayden still believes we belong together, and he did offer me something I want from Nathan–a partnership of equal standing. You see, Nathan is overprotective. I mean, I can understand why because I almost died. But still . . . The readers will find out about his secretive behavior and why. I also find out he has an ally in an unlikely source. It totally shocked me when I found that out."

Me: "What about Aosoth? The last we read about her, Nathan had cast her out of Carrie and used one of his homemade incantations to prolong her suffering."

Paige: "All I can say is the reader will get to find out where she went and what happens after she regains her energy."

Me: "So Carrie and Tree play a bigger role in these next two books?"

Paige: "Yeah, and unfortunately they’re now involved in my dark world."

Me: "Carrie tells you a shocking secret that greatly impacts her life. I know in book three it gets worse for her, and you do everything in your power to help her, including casting a circle and doing magic."

Paige: "I do. She’s my best friend, and I’d go to hell and back if I had to to save her."

Me: "I’m going to leave it at that because I don’t want to spoil the next two books for the fans of this series."

Paige: "Good idea."

Me: "I think I’ll end our interview now because it’s getting a bit lengthy. Please tell Tree, I’ve been hearing from quite a few people that he’s their favorite character."

She laughs.

Paige: "I will."

Me: "Thanks for talking to me and looking out for humanity."

Paige: "You’re welcome, and thank you for telling my story."

Me: "How could I not? If only they knew . . . Take care."

Paige: "You too."

So there you have it. My editor just finished editing Dark Spirits and said the plotting and characterization was excellent, which of course made me happy. The cover is almost complete, except for the testimonies I’ll be receiving from a couple of authors. I will do a cover reveal before I publish this book. So it’s all coming together. I can’t wait for you to read it and join in on the fun. I will be doing some awesome giveaways such as the claddagh ring Nathan gave Paige. I can’t wait for you to see it. It’s beautiful! :)

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Book Review for Clutch I Am Just Junco-by J.A. Huss

I give this book five stars *****      

This futuristic story, set in the year 2152 surprised me because honestly I don’t read these types of books. However, as the story progressed, twisting around dark corners from scene to scene, I was pleased at how the author managed to sprinkle some horror into this stewing pot of illegal bioengineering and deception.

Nineteen-year-old Junco Coot is the main character in this imaginative tale. As a child she was trained to be a soldier in the Rural Republic where her father was ranking commander. She knows how to handle a gun and in fact is a trained sniper. I was hoping for more scenes displaying her sniper skills, but that’s just because I’m personally interested in expert marksmanship. But Junco is one tough chick who knows how to handle herself and has a foul-mouth that fits her character perfectly. And although she’s a capable person–a survivor who not only can put up a good fight but knows how to live off the land–she’s also emotionally fragile and harbors fears that grounds her and makes her a believable character.

After Junco crashes a military vehicle called a Goat, she meets Tier. He’s an avian which is basically a human with wings and talons for feet. He’s considered an alien because avians don’t live on earth. I liked his character except it annoyed me when he called Junco "darlin’" but that’s just my own personal pet peeve. Aside from that, I enjoyed getting to know him and the history of his people. At first, though, Junco views Tier as the enemy and attempts to kill him several times. However, circumstances bring them together, and Junco finds herself struggling to trust him.

Here–in my opinion–is where the story picks up and captures my interest. They end up in a cavern inside a mountain which happens to be a breeding ground for nightdogs. Those creatures freaked me out, and I shared Junco’s horror when they chased and attacked her. I was pleasantly surprised when the author threw this into the story. Another scene that chilled me to the bone was when the bots were chasing after them down underground tunnels. After Junco fires at them, they explode, then self-reassemble into more bots.

Holy, shit!

They cannot be totally eliminated.

This was one of many action-packed scenes throughout the book.

Junco also has a house that’s a sentient being.

How cool is that?

The author has a great imagination, and she skillfully intertwines these surprises without overwhelming or diminishing the story. I have to admit, I was hoping Junco and Tier’s relationship would develop more. It ran hot and cold throughout the story, leaving me to wonder if they truly have feelings for each other.

During the chaos Junco faces, she discovers she’s been betrayed by the people closest to her and just about everything in her entire life is smoke and mirrors. I’m not going to go into the whole sordid detail about how tragic it is to find out you’ve been manipulated mentally and physically by a sinister government for their own twisted agendas. You’ll have to read the book to find out. I don’t want to spoil it for you.

I was going to give this story 4 stars. However, the author’s awesome imagination and ingenuity deserves 5 stars. I recommend this outrageous book because it’s worth reading.

Here’s where you can buy CLUTCH and connect with this wonderful author:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/CLUTCH-Just-Junco-Dot-ebook/dp/B009BIOJTU
Website: http://www.iamjustjunco.com/
Author Blog: http://jahuss.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmJustJunco
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAHuss
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6446815.J A Huss
 
 
 

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Guest Post With Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author J.A. Huss–Creator Of The I Am Just Junco series

Who am I? Am I real? Am I just another copy? Did I crawl out of these vats? When did I crawl out? A few weeks ago. The day I ran away? Are there girls just like me lurking somewhere? Here?–Junco

Ya Get What Ya Need-by J.A. Huss
Author of CLUTCH-book one in the I Am Just Junco series
It’s available at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/CLUTCH-Just-Junco-Dot-ebook/dp/B009BIOJTU
  
It turns out The Rolling Stones got it right after all. You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need. No truer lesson has ever been learned as a young adult. I mean, what’s the journey into adulthood anyway if not sitting around being "angsty" or lamenting the one who got away?

Yes, The Stones knew what they were talking about because regardless of what you thought wanted in life, sometimes you only ever get what you need. Call it fate, call it destiny, or simply call it hard luck. It doesn’t matter what you call it because unless you purposefully go out and make something happen, you won’t get far.

And even if you set your sights high and make all the necessary preparations, life can still get in the way.

So you’re left with what, then?

Acceptance? That may or may not be the answer – it has the potential to sound a little like giving up to me. So what is one to do when life gets in the way of your plans?

Stephen King came up with a really good analogy about his characters meeting their fate in his Dark Tower series. He called it travelling the path of the beam. It simply means, do what you’ve been created to do and things become clear.

In my new science fiction series my main character, a nineteen year old female named Junco, is forced to give up her childhood dream of being a mother and wife and instead, embark on a grand journey to meet her fate. A journey that takes her off earth for a period of time to search her soul and decide who she is and how far she’ll really go to set things right.

She can fight her fate, maybe run away with her one true love and take what she’s wanted all along. But that would mean ignoring all the terrible things that are about to happen to her friends, not to mention an entire race of people.

Sometimes life is about accepting who you are and your place in the world. This is Junco’s greatest lesson and while she might not like who she is, it’s out of her control. She can only move forward.

Acceptance is not a bad lesson, but there are more lessons for Junco to learn before she fulfills her destiny in book five. If you’re looking for a fun read filled with mystery and meaning, then give the I Am Just Junco series a try.

Thank you J.A. for your wonderful post.

Check out her book trailer. It's awesome.

 
 
 
 

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Interview With Science Fiction/Fantasy Novelist J. A. Huss

Author J. A. Huss is here today to tell us about her science fiction/fantasy novel Clutch-I Am Just Junco. This is the first book in the I Am Just Junco series.

"Because the voices in my head only ever tell me to do one thing, and that’s kill people. In very interesting ways."–Junco

Hi, Julie. Thanks for stopping by. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
 


Hey, Rebekkah! Thanks for having me on your blog. I’m a recent fiction author, having only started writing in January on 2012. But I’ve been writing non-fiction for several years now and own a small company that sells science curriculum to home learners.



Can you tell us about your debut novel Clutch and how you came up with the concept for this imaginative book?


Clutch is a character driven novel that revolves around a nineteen year old soldier named Junco. When we first meet her she is in the middle of making a decision that will change the course of her life. It pretty much all falls apart from there and we begin to realize there’s something really wrong with her. I came up with Junco a long time after I built the futuristic world she lives in. In fact, this first book was supposed to be a paranormal romance but Junco was a little too crazy for such a tame plot and Clutch ended up being a science fiction thriller.


Did you do an outline on this story before you wrote it?


I am a fastidious plotter – so yes. I made about twenty plot planners, had a plot consultation with a "guru" and the book was heavily edited twice, for plot alone. While I love to focus my stories on characters, plot drives the car. I’m not a seat of my pants writer at all.


What character do you identify the most with? Who is your favorite character in this book and why?


I identify with Junco the most. It’s hard not to when you’re writing first person present. But my favorite character in the series is not introduced until book three, his name is Gideon. I love Gideon because he’s totally 100% on Junco’s side and he won’t put up with her crap. Most of the others are either afraid of her or love her too much to say anything. But Gideon tells it like it is. He’s Junco’s reality check.


In the next book in this series Fledge, does the relationship between Junco and Tier get more in depth?


Hmmmm…sort of. :) Tier is not in a good place in book two. Neither is Junco. It’s a long hard struggle.


If you could choose between being a human or an avian (a winged creature with human characteristics), which would it be and why?


Human. Definitely. After writing about characters with wings for the past year I’ve come to the conclusion that wings are a major annoyance! And trying to dress yourself with wings is not easy! Even my illustrator started asking me about how they get dressed! No thanks, I’ll stay human.


As an author, whether you traditionally or self-publish, you have to market your book. What tactics have you found so far that work in selling your book?


I am an excellent marketer and I’ve been hawking my non-fiction books for several years now so I’ve gotten to know the tricks to getting attention. I like Twitter right now, but definitely blogging along with other book bloggers is a tactic that helps in many ways. It allows you the room to develop relationships with bloggers that have nothing to do with our book and it gives you insight into how book bloggers and readers think about certain plot devices and what really turns them off in a story.


Do you have any plans for another book after this series?


Yes, I have the first book in my next series plotted out already. I can’t say much about it but it will definitely be more speculative in nature – set in the near future, and will feature another female protagonist. It will be a true paranormal romance.


What is your writing schedule like?


I have to juggle marketing and writing my non-fiction products with my fiction so it’s quite difficult to find time to write fiction at times. Since it’s NaNoWriMo right now I’ve devoted November to finishing up book four in the Junco series.


If you found a time machine, which year would you go to and why?


I’d go forward about a thousand years so I could see how far humans have advanced. Or maybe we’d be gone, who knows. Well, I’d know! I guess that’s the point. I want to know.


If you were driving down a deserted road one night and saw an alien craft crash in a woods nearby, what would you do?


Drive the other way. I’m with Stephen Hawking on this one – if aliens show up we’re probably screwed.


If you can give any advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?


Learn to plot your stories correctly using the standard story structure. It helps bring it all together.


Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers?


Thank you for believing in Junco. She’s got a foul mouth, she could use some lessons in the relationship department, and she’s terrible at following directions. And yet, they like her. So, thanks for that.
 
 

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