Category: Blogging

The Yard by Aliyyah Eniath Book Review (+Giveaway)

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Sept. 8th Blog Tour DateThe Yard

By: Aliyyah Eniath
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, Religion
Released Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Speaking Tiger Books
 
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Purchase Links: Amazon

Synopsis:

A story of love and redemption, set in Trinidad, that exposes the fault lines in Indo-Muslim culture. Behrooz is brought to a familial complex, The Yard, to live with a devout and extended family, where he struggles to belong. He forms a childish alliance with Maya, a wilful and rebellious girl, and his guardian’s daughter. After they share a night of adolescent tenderness, Maya, fearing retribution, flees to London. Behrooz painstakingly rebuilds his life and marries another. When tragedy strikes, Maya returns to her childhood home. There, she and Behrooz must face up to old demons. Can their love endure? Even after Maya is dealt the most righteous” blow of all?

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A Blogger Update: Wow, It’s Been A Looong Time

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Hey There:

So, I’ve moved a lot in the past six and a half years, but none of those experiences were enough to prepare me for last month’s move. 😐 Not only did I have to pack and split up all of my stuff for two different destinations (and make multiple trips over the course of three days). Not to mention settling in with a new dog whose internal setting seems to be permanently notched at crazy and wild. Whatsmore, following the move, I unfortunately was put in a position where I simply didn’t have the space or time to sit down and enjoy the books I put aside and planned to read for August.

I was so stressed and upset that I didn’t have time to read that when I was finally able to sit down and dive into the stack my stack of books, I found that I really only wanted to immediately get started with certain ones. It was in that moment that I realized it was time to stop doing the #2016TBRpile reading challenge and the #2016audiobookchallenge. While I enjoyed finally getting to that large stack of books that have been just sitting on my shelf, not all of the books were making me particularly giddy or excited to get through them.

Not like the books I’ve read for the tours I’ve been apart of or the books authors have actually reached out to me with and asked for a review.  And reading should be fun. It is fun! Reading the material and books that only I want to was the main reason I began book blogging in the first place and I’d like to get back to that feeling of excitement and thrill of sharing great stories and authors with all you lovely people ^–^.

Of the books I’ve read/started that I’ve enjoyed and had so much fun getting into in August were:

Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee (upcoming tour book)

Does My Head Look Big In This? by: Randa Abdel Fattah

True Colors Of Betrayal by: JC Kang ( Book #3 of Daughter of The Dragon Throne) Even though I’m only over the half way mark with it, I think this might be my favorite of the series. It’s soo good.

The Salarian Desert Series by: J. A. McLachlan

The Yard by: Aliyyah Eniath (upcoming tour book)

Just to name a few. I’ve also read a few kids books with my cousin now that school has started back up, but I don’t really think that they count for this particular list. 🙂

All in all,  Willow and I are finally feeling more settled and I’m already starting to feel like my natural, reader self ^__^ Let the wave of book reviews commence!

Thanks so much for reading and sticking around with me.

Until the next post (very soon),

Gia.

Read Diverse Books Year-Round & Diversity On The Shelf 2016 Book Reading Challenges

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Hiya, Guys:

So, I realize that I’m a little late to the Diversity On The Shelf 2016 book challenge here, but I’m not new to the game ;).

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I’ve already read about 12 or 13 diverse books this year (by authors of color), so I’m aim for the 4th Shelf: 19-24 books to complete this year. And based on the bit of research I’ve done so far, I’m going to have to list a few books I know I can get my hands on ie: Audiobooks and Physical copies from Amazon, thriftbooks and the library as my tablet (where I read most, if not all of my ebooks) has almost officially broken up with me and refuses to allow me access to all of the ebooks it’s holding captive -___- The rules for this challenge are simple: read books by and/or about people of color throughout the year to encourage other readers to have a more diverse reading experience and to support diversity in the publishing industry. Quoting challenge creator Akilah, over at The Englishist

And for the Read Diverse Books Year-Round, (which just started this month and is a variation of the first challenge), I’ve made a list of ten options that are subsidiaries of this particular challenge just below. And while these two reading challenges go hand-in-hand, the books of this #readdiversebooks2016  will have a few cross overs, but my ultimate goal is to stick to and only count books that have been written by/are about people of color, QPOC/LGBT characters books and characters with disabilities.

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You & I (Pt. 2 Of Stages)

Hiya,

So for this part of the Stages titled You & I, I have incorporated three elements: the passing of a loved one, a friendship ending and a romantic relationship coming to an end. This installment ties in with I Want Out, but on a slightly different level because of the other perspectives included within this poem as well as the dual perspectives You & I offers to the reader.

You & I (Pt. 2 Of Stages)

You’re the only person I let see me cry
You’re the only one who stays up late talking with me on the phone when I can’t sleep

I can remember when we said our goodbyes on that stale, hot August day
I can remember the way the light in your eyes faded as you slipped away

You’re the first person I want to share my good news with
You’re the only one who understands my jokes with just a look

I want to stop you, chase you down, and make you change your mind
I want to go back to hanging out in the park and talking on the porch at night

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Where Do I Get My Books From, You Ask…?

Hiya:

So, it occurred to me the other day (perusing through all of the e-Books on my tablet) and really realized that I have quiet a few books. Not including the ton I have on my bookshelf.

This fact made me really happy because for once the amount of fictional reading material I owned out numbered the non-fiction, informational and academic based material I have.

Likewise, I thought it’d be fun to share a list of places that I get my books from, besides signing up to participate in book blog tours, being gifted books by authors themselves and being asked to review material.

My Top Three Places To Buy Physical Copies Of Books:

1) Amazon

2) B&N

 

 

 

3) Thriftbooks

 

There is also of course the public library, but I live in a tiny suburban township. Which does have it’s own public library, but it’s slim pickings. I also know that B&N can be pretty pricey, but I remember when I asked for a B&N gift card for my birthday last year, I was able to get 7 books with the 50$ given to me.

How? You might be wondering. (I don’t. I’m not presuming to know what you’re thinking or that you’re thinking at all reading this.) Well, I waited a good month (haha, not even kidding) until B&N was having a big sale and went in to grab a few of the books I was waiting to buy and voilà.

The point is, book shopping at B&N is possible, if you’re patient enough. But for those who aren’t (which I am sometimes—or not? In this context) there are other options like Amazon or Thriftbooks.

What I love about Thriftbooks is that they offer older titles as well as several new ones, if you know when to look. Now, for those who do not know, Thriftbooks is a site that allows you to buy used books based on your preference of the book’s physical condition.

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Spotlight For: AFTER: The Battle Has Just Begun by R.J. Belle

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“It’s not about the war. It’s about the warrior.”

 

Publication Date: March 6, 2016
Genre: Military Non-Fiction
Book Synopsis:

Meet eight combat-injured men who sustained life-altering injuries. Read eight inspiring stories of heroism and the re-building of independent, productive and fulfilling lives after seemingly impossible circumstances.

This project looks at the struggles of these incredible men to reshape their lives after combat. It also sets these stories within the context of current veteran healthcare; injury, suicide, and disability statistics; and looks briefly at the impacts on the caregivers who support these men. Being face-to-face with combat-injured veterans has given me an insight that all Americans should have. Veterans of the Vietnam era began the process of opening our eyes to the grim realities that await veterans both psychologically and physically. These men’s stories show how much more we have to accomplish.

This book isn’t about war or politics – it is about figuring out what it takes to move forward AFTER the war. I wrote this book to raise awareness of what our warriors need most when they return, what the government does and doesn’t provide and why there is a high demand for private non-profits to fill the gaps. Make no mistake – we are in this period of recovery and rehabilitation for decades to come. It also introduces the non-profit organization Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station which has taken on the task of helping our combat-injured men and women make the daunting transition from military to civilian life. 100% of the proceeds benefit them in this much-needed labor of love.

It’s not about the war. It’s about the warrior.

100% of the proceeds benefit Warrior Foundation~Freedom Station.

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A Writer’s Update: Concerts, Book Reviews, New Stories & Birthdays! Oh, My!

Hiya,

Did the post title grab your attention?? Good. ^__^ So this is just a quick update post. There will be a massive amount of reviews going live in the next few weeks, due to a backlog of notes that took a while to type up. Also because of a few book promos scheduled for this month on top of a few things that will keep me away from my computer for a little while.

Like the Penny & Sparrow concert I’m going to this Friday at World Café!! 🙂 I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS SHOW, GUYS. Just a few words aren’t enough to convey how ecstatic I am about this show. I absolutely love them <3. I’ll be sure to post pictures on me instagram for everyone to see, so if you aren’t following me yet, I suggest you hop to it 😀

Back to the topic at hand, since my birthday is at the beginning of May, I will try to have my Reading Challenge update post up as soon as possible, but since I’m not sure if I will be surprised with anything by the fam, I can’t say that anything is set in stone.

I also wanted to mention that a few days ago, inspiration struck for a new mini-flash fiction series (YAY!) and I’ve been inspired to write new material for my Protector series as well (DOUBLE YAY!).

Unlike the Protector series, this new one is a five-part serial drama titled, Balloons with a handful (4-5) main characters who will be between the ages of 7-13 years old. I plan on using Medium for this series as well but I might switch it up and have parts of them posted here as well. At the moment, I’m still just working on the story structure.

Balloons will have bits of a few different genres, paranormal, thriller, comedy and drama, so stay tuned guys and stay classy. ^__^

P.S. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out my latest review post for That Thing Between Eli & Gwen. It was such a great book :-).

Thanks so much for reading!

Until next time,

Gia.

 

Dragon Scale Lute (Legends of Tivara, Princess of Cathay #1) By: J.C. Kang Book Review (+Giveaway)

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April 11th Blog Tour Date

Dragon Scale Lute Book Tour hosted by: CBB Book Promotions, so be sure to check out the rest of the tour stops 🙂  Also, For a limited time The Dragon Scale Lute is on sale for only .99 cents for Kindle!

Dragon Scale Lute (Legends of Tivara, Princess of Cathay #1)

By: J.C. Kang

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic, Epic Fantasy

Release date: March 2, 2016

Format: eBook

Rating: 3.95/4 stars

Goodreads | Amazon

Synopsis:

Kaiya’s voice could charm a dragon.

Had she lived when the power of music could still summon typhoons and rout armies, perhaps Cathay’s imperial court would see the awkward, gangly princess as more than a singing fool. With alliances to build and ambitious lords to placate, they care more about her marriage prospects than her unique abilities.

Only the handsome Prince Hardeep, a foreign martial mystic, recognizes her potential. Convinced Kaiya will rediscover the legendary but perilous art of invoking magic through music, he suggests her voice, not her marriage, might better serve the realm.

When members of the emperor’s elite spy clan– Kaiya’s childhood friend and his half-elf sidekick (or maybe he’s her sidekick?)– discover mere discontent boiling over into full-scale rebellion, Kaiya must choose. Obediently wedding the depraved ringleader means giving up her music. Confronting him with the growing power of her voice could kill her.

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