Book Review: Spelled by Betsy Schow

I rated it 2 out of 5 stars.

Overview: Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.  

Review: Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful cover. So beautiful it deceived me.

A fairy-tale retelling with wit, it had so much potential. Unfortunately the main character reminded me of a bratty, spoiled, teenager, which really made it difficult for me to want to follow her, to the point where I didn't care if she got a happy ending. Her character just wasn't dynamic enough and the way it started out, I just couldn't be sympathetic to the girl. And though it was well written, it was sometimes difficult to picture exactly what was going on that some passages and scenes were a bit muddled. The descriptions and setting would then fall flat, which is unfortunate because I think it would have added to the story.

The overall tone was also a bit dramatic, outrageous, and over the top. At times it was too much for me that I felt like eye-rolling the page. Though some may have liked the puns and thought it was clever, I just found them kind of annoying and distracting as it didn't add to the story. Instead it acted like a reminder that this was a knockoff book or something.

Perhaps this type of book wasn't my cup of tea. But the fact that it lost steam after one third of the book, really confirmed my rating of 2 stars.

Vegas photos, a dose of nostalgia, and a poem.

I should've blogged about my sister weekend in Vegas, but life got busy, and whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right? So instead of bombarding you with pictures, I picked out my favorites (most from just the first night). If you're curious, we did XS Friday, Rehab pool party Saturday, Omnia that night, and Sunday was spent sinning with food.

Saw Zedd. Highlight of the trip!



My partner in crime. 

After a few busy weeks, life is finally starting to slow down just in time for summer. Since I've been taking a break from writing after completing my first draft, I've had the time to finally watch Season Two of 'The Paradise' and if you can believe it, went through my entire e-mail box from college. I had 7,600 e-mails since I last checked it! I cleaned it up and started archiving old creative writing assignments and papers just because I think it'll come in handy for story ideas. Not to mention, just knowing I have that bulk of work really makes me elated at how I've evolved as a writer. It's just really amazing when you think about all the work it took to get that piece of parchment (degree). Lab reports, research papers, science papers, theoretical papers, critical essays, and creative assignments. I just love it. It's made me so nostalgic for school.

Funny how at the time I just wanted it to be over and done with and now I find myself wishing I could go back. Where has the time gone?

Stepping away from the cubicle the other day waiting in the Starbuck's line I jotted down a quick poem about it on my phone:

A strange longing
of hazelnut coffee cups and freshly mowed lawns.
Conversations at picnic tables
with minds that can read my own.
Pressed notebooks with ink stains.
Stacks of books with too many owners.

I feel brave, new, scared, but learning
with every page that I'm turning.

In the moment it feels like forever;
an impasse from reality,
but it is the reality I miss.
Along with the hazelnut coffee,
biking under arches of trees,
as the sunlight beams on me.

I know this place, I know them all,
even when I don't.
But a strange pull, and big dreams,
pull us all together.
That I wonder where we've all ended up.

400th Blog Post: Reflections & the Growth of a Blogger

400. Wow. I cannot believe that this is my 400th post and that I am still blogging.

Growing up, I've gone through many blogs, but somehow this one stuck. And for a very, very, long time, I didn't know what 'kind' of blogger I was, but I guess it was always obvious that this was a writing/life blog, even when I didn't know it then.

My first post in February 17, 2012 was one of my favorite poems I'd ever written, Victim to Infinite Sleep. It was actually written in the Fall of 2009 when I was going through an awful breakup, losing my first love, and abused OTC sleep aids. When I posted it on my blog in 2012, it was simply a way for me to store my poems in one place.

In the Fall of 2011, I had changed my major to creative writing and I was actually pretty bad at it in the beginning. You can see from my short story "Butterfly" that I had written for an intro to Fiction class that I really sucked at tenses. I blame that on two straight years of lab and math classes that only require you to write in bullet points and equations. The forced dialogue and melodramatics definitely mark me as a rookie. Though I criticize myself, I also look back at it fondly and know that I can rewrite this and make it better. But for now, I like that it was a starting point in fiction and it's something I reread as a reference point. Compare that to my manuscripts now, I know I've come so far.

Then strangely, I had this weird idea of becoming a food blogger? Ha! Though my mint chocolate cookies were amazing, though! I'll have to make them again soon. Click here for the recipe. I'm glad that ship has sailed.

With occasional posts about reflections, and academia after, thus began me posting about anything really. Until I had this crazy idea to write a manuscript which became M1 and will probably stay shelved for a long while! Then in the Summer of 2013, lots of things happened: I graduated, fell in love, moved to Seattle, and began working which all contributed to my lack of blogging during this time. But by November I recommitted to blogging with this post and never stopped since. After completing two first drafts by the end of 2013, I finally started feeling like a writer and a blogger.

Fast forward to 2014 and now I've become confident in posting about my life, the places that I've been, awesome books, and delicious food adventures. I've made blogging friends in addition to real life ones, tried my hand at querying, and continued to always write despite the lulls in between.

This is my life as told in blog form. And despite the ups, downs, and turnarounds, I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for reading about my life and essentially becoming a part of it.

Cheers to 400 blog posts and so much more.

Book Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

 

Overview: If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Review: A big thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of Every Last Word in exchange for an honest review. Every Last Word is scheduled to be released on June 16th, 2015, and trust me, you'll want a copy.

Completely heartfelt, genuine, with a lot of substance, this is one of those YA novels that leaves you reflecting on your own views of life. With flawed yet likeable characters, you'll be immediately invested in them. You'll want to keep reading, because you'll love seeing these characters grow and come into their own. With a great cast, Stone makes this book completely relatable to anyone who's gone/going through a rough time and simply needed/needs safe place, by making this story that safe place for them.

Beautifully written with its tinges of poetry between the pages, Stone has structured this story so that the pace is perfect and the twist so surprising, yet well planted that you wonder how you missed it before. Add a touch of friendship, romance, and vulnerability, and you have a Contemporary YA that needs to be read. This is one of those YA books that I wish I had during my high school years. And as full adult now, I'm still able to get value out of it. So come June 16th, get this book in your hands or add this to your TBR list.

Book Review: The Wrong Man by Kate White

I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

Overview: New York Times bestselling author of Eyes on You and The Sixes delivers a compelling thriller of mistaken identity and psychological suspense about an accomplished career woman who thinks she's met the man of her dreams--but instead he turns out to be her worst nightmare.

Bold and adventurous in her work as one of Manhattan's hottest interior decorators, Kit Finn couldn't be tamer in her personal life. So, while on vacation in the Florida Keys, Kit resolves to do something risky for once. Flirting with Matt Healy--the rugged stranger she literally bumps into at her hotel--is one thing. Going back to his room after their date is another.

Instead, Matt offers to cook her dinner when they're both back in the city. But when Kit arrives at his luxury apartment ready for the date of a lifetime, who is the man who opens the door?

Kit's usually so good at reading people. How could she have been taken in by the deceptions of a con man? And why has he targeted her? Piece by piece, Kit realizes that this treachery goes a lot deeper, and gets a lot deadlier. Now the only way out is to expose the vicious puppet master who's turned her life upside-down.

Adrenaline-charged and filled with harrowing twists at every turn, The Wrong Man will leave readers guessing until the final page.

Review: Big thanks to Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and friend, Karla Gomez for giving me an ARC for The Wrong Man, expected to hit the shelves on June16th, 2015! If you're into romantic suspense, thrillers, and mysteries, then this is one you'll want to tuck into your bag and read any chance you get. Nicely paced and polished, with clever twists and turns, this book will keep you engaged from start to finish.

With a likeable main character, Kit, who isn't the type to take things laying down, you'll be at the edge of your seat as you go along her real-life nightmare situation she finds herself in. Add in the minor characters and the cast is both intriguing and interesting. With a carefully devised plot, you won't be disappointed. This is the perfect escapist read for the summer. And come on, aren't you dying to know who the one night stand is? Because I sure was!

Weekly Writing Progress Report - M4 Week 7

The end of week seven... and I hit all my goals! That's right, I'm done with the first draft of M4! If writing is 10% drafting and 90% Revising/Editing, then I am so ready, because revising is where the story really lifts off the page.

But before revising, I need a break. Like a serious book binge while my story stews some more. Good thing I have some lovely ARC's loaded up on my Kindle!

Now onto the stats!

Week 7
Project - M4 YA Fantasy
First Draft

Word count this week: 11,987
Word count total: 74,134

This week in writing:

So... tired.... That's literally how I felt all week. Remember my sister weekend trip I've mentioned, but haven't blogged about (I know, need to do that soon!)? Returning from it and getting back into daily life was fatiguing. I'm also currently at the end tail of the busy season at work, so that also contributed to my exhaustion. But despite all of that I had to finish this draft. I had to meet my goals. After shelving M3, I refused to let the trend of shelving projects continue. I needed to break the habit, and I know deep down that this story really has something. So I pushed through it and got to work, and lo and behold at 12:17 p.m. on Saturday I tapped out these two words I've been waiting so long to write: The End.

Then I proceeded to jump around my home office shaking my tail feather while my cat and boyfriend gave me funny looks :P

Draft One Summary - Goals:

• I made the goal of a 70,000 word count draft in seven weeks. 
• I achieved that and more at 74,134 words in exactly seven weeks! This is now my personal record for drafting, my standard is 8-9 weeks for first drafts.
• Aim for about 10,000 words weekly.
• Definitely made that ;)
• Do not go back and revise chapters--write it completely, tack 'The End' when I get there, then leave it to stew a bit before revising.
• I didn't go back and revise, which was big for me. I ended up putting one word in front of the other and I eventually got there.

To see more about my goals and the beginning of this draft. Check out week one here.

What drafting M4 taught me:

• After drafting multiple times with different projects (complete and incomplete), no process has ever been the same. I guess I'm still at that stage where I am trying to find out what works for me. One thing that this draft taught me was to take it one chunk at a time, wether that was one chapter, 1,400 words a day, or simply taking one line at a time.
• You can't be a writer, unless you're an avid reader. For the duration of this draft, I've been constantly reading as I write. In these seven weeks of writing, I've read six books. More than I normally do when I'm writing/revising, and I must say, it's made me a more productive writer. By reading, I'm keeping my mind engaged with words, feeding off other people's stories, which gives me a sense of energy and encouragement for my own writing. Also, reading other people's work gives me an opportunity to learn more about story structure. Stephen King said in his memoir, On writing, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.”
• Write for the right reasons. Don't force yourself to write for the sake of recognition or publication. Write because you love it. Write because you need to. Write because it's your way of life. Write because you want to touch other people's lives with your stories. When you're writing for the right reasons, the words will come. Just show up and work. Don't wait for inspiration, because sometimes we can't rely on a muse to make it happen. 
• No matter how much you've written, no matter how many manuscripts you've completed, no matter how many novels you've published, there's always room for growth. There's always room for learning.
• Pursue your dreams. You want to be a writer? Me too. But wanting gets you nowhere. Doing, does. Actively pursue your dreams. Write a little bit. Write a lot. Take a break. Read some more. Enjoy life. Learn all you can, and just keep going. Because trying is better than quitting. And maybe trying will be just enough for our dreams and reality to collide. 
• Believe in yourself. So cheesy, I know, but doubt is one m***** f***** and will mess with your mind and keep you up at night. My best defense, believing in myself and knowing that I am capable of more. Because if we don't believe in ourselves, how do we expect other people too? Lucky for me I have a wonderful support system who believe in me more than I do. Anytime my 'believe' tank is empty. They're always there to fill me up. 
• I may not have the authority to give advice on the matter, considering I'm only an aspiring writer, but I learn so much from other bloggers, writers, and dreamers, so this is me giving back with some encouraging words. And perhaps documenting my progress and my journey will inspire you to do so too. And if your 'belief' tank is empty, shoot a message my way, because we've all been through it and sometimes we just need someone to talk it through with.

In the meantime, I'll be taking a little break from M4, and then it's time for revisions. And once I do, you know these Weekly Writing Progress Reports will be back :)

Happy Writing Everyone!

<3, Michelle

My 'Hell yeah I finished' smirk.

Book Review: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Overview: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

Review: I rated this as 5, because as a teenager, I knew I would have loved the book. And as an adult, the fact that I can still love it warrants the high score.

In a nutshell this book is sweet, charming, light-hearted, and very cute. It's like teddy bears and chocolate chip cookies, truffles and unicorns cute. Not sure if I'm getting the point across correctly, but you know what I mean, right? It's first love cute, which is exactly what it is.

I actually liked this sequel better than the first book. Han was still able to get the plot line going, and familiarity of the characters was welcoming. Her characters are vivid with their own personalities and the scenes remind me of my own time in high school rendering her main character's point of view relatable. The whole cast was realistic and the roller coaster ride of the relationship and insecurities that go along with it was done very convincingly.

The prose is not magnificent, and setting not very memorable, but what is memorable is the nostalgia that comes along with it. Whether it's pigging out on ice cream sandwiches with friends, digging up time capsules, playing tag, and making Valentine's. It takes me down my own memory lane. Jenny Hans knows young adults, and she is specifically writing for them. For that I applaud her.

Also bonus points for adding some culture and adding in some dialogue about feminism and beautiful talk about not needing a man to fulfill you. Good points to have there for young girls!

If you haven't started the duology, check out my review on To All The Boys I've Loved Before.