Weekend Ramblings #9

Are you ready for another Weekend Ramblings a la KJ?!

Well then... let's get ready to raaaaammmmmbbbbbllllleeeee!!!!!

This week's rambling topic is...

*Pricing for ebooks*

A few of my fellow bookworms and I were discussing this the other day and I thought it would be the perfect topic for this weeks Weekend Ramblings post. :)

We all hear about this on a regular basis. How much do you spend on ebooks? How much is too much? Do you ever exceed your max limit for a certain author? What are your thoughts when you hear people comparing the price of an ebook to the price of a fast food value meal? The questions can be endless on this topic.

For me, I don't like spending more than $5.99 on a full length novel and $2.99 on a novella. Am I a cheapskate? Probably. But there have been a few times that I have spent $10.99 on ebooks and they were very disappointing. I know that not all authors have a choice in what their ebooks are priced at and that their publishers price them. But if you have a publisher who is going to price your books that high, then I expect the books I pay $10.99 for to be edited and pretty much perfect. This has not been the case for me. It's pretty sad when you read Indie authors who have better edits done to their books.

I don't really have a problem when authors make the comparison between an ebook that can be read over and over again to a fast food value meal. But just like a value meal, I want to be satisfied. If I am not satisfied, I will voice my opinion letting you know it was not worth the price. When I come across a 96 page novella for $7.95? Ummm... I can tell you right now... I will not be satisfied with that book. And I know this for a fact because I will wait for said book to go on sale for $.99 - $2.99, read it and still think, "Why did I spend my money on this?! I really should have gone with my gut instinct!" Haha. You would think I would learn my lesson after the first or second or even third time this happened to me but nope! I guess in the back of my mind I'm hoping a particular author will return to their roots and start writing amazing books again! Only time will tell! Hehe.

So what about you guys? What are your thoughts on ebook pricing? Inquiring minds want to know! ;)

The Whispered Kiss by Marcia Lynn McClure

Synopsis:

With the sea at its side, the beautiful township of Bostchelan was home to many—including the lovely Coquette de Bellamont, her three sisters, and beloved father. In Bostchelan, Coquette knew happiness, and as much contentment as a young woman whose heart had been broken years before could know. Thus, Coquette dwelt in gladness until the day her father returned from his travels with an astonishing tale to tell.

Antoine de Bellamont returned from his travels by way of Roanan bearing a tale of such great adventure to hardly be believed. Further, at the center of Antoine’s story loomed a man—the dark Lord of Roanan. Known for his cruel nature, heartlessness, and tendency to violence, the Lord of Roanan had accused Antoine de Bellamont of wrong doing and demanded recompense. Antoine had promised recompense would be paid—with the hand of his youngest daughter in marriage.

Thus, Coquette found herself lost—thrust onto a dark journey of her own. This journey would find her carried away to Roanan Manor—delivered into the hands of the dark and mysterious Lord of Roanan who dominated it.

My Review: 4 Stars

Coquette is the youngest daughter of Antoine de Bellamont. She is also the most beautiful, loving, caring and selfless one. When her father refuses her hand in marriage to her one true love, Valor, she is heartbroken and doesn' t know what to do. When she finally chooses him over her father, she goes to Valor's house only to be told that he has vanished without a trace. Instead of allowing the bitter and negative feelings to overtake her, she decides that she needs to do whatever it takes to be happy. She will always love her Valor and will always hold him close to her heart. 

Valor has always loved Coquette. He was her protector, true love and best friend. He would be anything and everything for her. But when Antoine refused to give permission for him to marry Coquette, he was devistated. He begged her to disobey her father and come with him but Coquette stood before him in shock and disbelief. He took her silence to mean that she didn't love him enough to disobey her father. Angry and bitter, he storms off and allows all the negative feelings to consume him and turn him into a horrible beast who lives to seek revenge against those who have wronged him. 

When Antoine trespasses on Roanan Manor his life will forever be changed. He has to choose between his hand or Coquette. When he chooses his hand, the dark Lord makes his intentions for Coquette very clear and Antoine's true character shows through. He would have his daughter married off to a rich stranger who will beat her and toss her aside just to save his hand and gain more wealth and social standing. He is a horrible, vile, selfish man that doesn't deserve to breathe!

Whisked away to Roanan Manor to marry a stranger, Coquette will soon learn that her Valor is none other than the dark Lord that has threatened her father. She is having a hard time connecting the story her father told with the man that she knows better than anyone else. There is definitely something amiss. She can see right away that her Valor is hidden deep within the beast's body. She yearns to have him in her life once again and will do anything that she can to bring him out. But when all is said and done, will she be able to tame the beast? Or will she be stuck with him forever? 

This is my second time reading The Whispered Kiss and sadly, this time around, I found myself skimming the overly wordy and repetitive parts. I was also bummed when I remembered there was no epilogue. We all know how much I hate when I book just ends! And this one just ended! :( I would've loved to see some of the repetitive parts removed and an epilogue added. ;) However, even with the parts that bugged me, I still really enjoyed the book. I really love Marcia's older books! They are a great getaway from reality! :) 

And of course I can't forget my casting! ;) 

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Synopsis:

I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

My Review: 4 Stars

Kyle is one of the most popular guys at Tuttle. All the girls love him and all the guys want to be him. Sadly he is also one of the biggest jerks. He thinks that he is better than everyone else and that they were put on this earth to serve him. While he may be gorgeous on the outside, he is definitely ugly on the inside. 

Lindy is just your average girl that no one ever notices. She doesn't have the greatest home life and was told that the only way she will ever escape it was to do good in school. She has worked her butt off and was granted a scholarship to Tuttle. There she just disappears among the crowd. She has no friends, no family that cares about her and she is all alone. While she may be plain on the outside, she is gorgeous on the inside. 

Kendra has had just about enough of Kyle's ways. When he takes his "joke" against her a little to far and does his very best to make her feel like a loser, she decides it's time to take matters into her own hands. She places a curse on him that turns him into a beast. He has 2 years to meet a girl, fall in love with her, have her fall in love with him in return and, to prove her love, she must kiss him. If he can accomplish this within the two years, he will be turned back into a human. If he cannot, then he will stay a beast forever. 

I have to admit I have seen the movie several times and enjoyed it. But the old saying holds true... the book is much better! I am a complete sucker when it comes to beauty and the beast and I really enjoyed this version. I loved that the story was told from the Beast's point of view. I loved being inside his head and seeing the changes through his eyes. He really did transform into a better person. And I loved Lindy! While reading I found myself wondering what Lindy was thinking at times and when exactly she fell in love with the beast. I was a bit on the excited side when I saw that there was novella of Lindy's diary! I purchased it right away and look forward to reading it! :)

All in all this was an enjoyable read! While it was a little slow in the beginning, by about halfway through I really got hooked. This was my first book by Alex Flinn and I have to say it won't be my last! Gotta love when you can add new authors to your list... ;)  

And I do not take any credit for this casting! Even though she doesn't fit the description in the book, I couldn't picture anyone but her. Hehe. 

Beauty and the Beast Month - Reading List

Let the Beauty and the Beast reading binge begin! I have my reading list ready! Not sure if I'll get to all of these books this month but I am definitely going to try! And I might be adding more if I happen to see an amazing book that my fellow bookworms are reading... ;) Hehe.

So... without further adieu... I give you my list...

1. Beastly by Alex Flinn
2. Becoming Beauty by Sarah Boucher
3. The Whispered Kiss by Marcia Lynn McClure
4. The Curse Girl by Kate Avery Ellison
5. Making Faces by Amy Harmon
6. Beastly Charm by Jennifer Youngblood - Did not finish at 37%. It just wasn't a good fit for me.
7. Beauty: An Everland Ever After Tale by Caroline Lee
8. Divine Deception by Marcia Lynn McClure
9. Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
10. The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch
11. Beauty and the Beach by Diane Darcy

So are you ready?! Do you have your list?! Yes?! Well then let's do this! Happy reading my fellow bookworms! :)

KJ's Book Nook Presents.. Fairy Tale Month!

If any of you are like me, you LOVE a good Fairy Tale Retelling! While going through my books trying to decide what to read next I noticed that not only do I have a lot of Fairy Tale books but I have a lot that haven't been read yet. 

And this got me thinking. Why not host a Fairy Tale month on my blog? So guess what party people?! That's exactly what I am going to do! ;) 

I have decided that for the month of June it will be... 

That's right.. I am starting with my all time FAVORITE Fairy Tale... Beauty and the Beast! 

Do you have a blog and want to join in? Sweet! Grab the picture, make a list and start reading with me on June 1st! Post a link to your blog in the comments so that we can see which books you will be reading and reviewing. 

Don't have a blog but still want to join in? Fabulous! You can email me the link to your review and I will do a weekly post sharing all the reviews. :) 

I have to tell you that I am a bit on the excited side for this! I hope there are others out there who will join me! If you have any questions, please let me know! :) 

Flashback Friday #1

Guess what? Guess what? Guess what? I have decided to add a new bookish meme to my blog! I have to say that I am pretty excited for this one! Are you ready?! Yes?! Well then... without any further adieu allow me to introduce you to...

What is Flashback Friday? 

It's a post sharing your most favorite book reviews!

How do you participate? 

If you have your own blog then grab the picture (don't forget to link back to my blog), create your post and then share the link in the comments. Don't have a blog but would still like to share your reviews? No worries! Just share the link to wherever your review is posted in the comments section!

Easy peasy, right?! Right! :)

So which review did I choose for my very first Flashback Friday post? Well... it's...

Rumplestiltskin by Jenni James

My Review: 5 Stars!

Don't think that you would ever love Rumplestiltskin?! Well then... I guess you haven't read Jenni's version of our dear Rumple! Want to love him?! Then you definitely need to read this one!! He quickly became one of my fave characters in the first chapter! *sigh*

At the age of 5, Prince Frederico found himself cursed by a witch. She told him that his grandfather used to rule the land with kindness and was a perfect example to all. But things changed when his father took over as king. She told him that his family was pure evil and they needed to be taught a lesson. That lesson would be taught to them through him. She cursed him with rumpled and stilted skin... crippled him... made him "ugly". When the king and queen saw him they were disgusted and disowned him, telling all the kingdom that he had died. From that day on he was known as Rumplestiltskin.

Aubrynn was a sweet, beautiful young woman who went out of her way to help anyone and everyone that she could. Always putting others needs before her own. She had lost her mother and sister and now it was just her and her father. Aubrynn was always having to get him out of whatever mess he would land himself in. But when he tells king Marcus, Rumple's brother, that his daughter can turn straw into gold, she has no clue how she is going to get him or herself out of that mess.

She is taken to the castle where she ends up meeting our amazing Rumple! She is scared of him for about a minute but after looking into his eyes, feeling a connection with him, she no longer sees him how everyone else sees him. She sees the REAL man... the man he is on the inside. Rumple has a hard time believing that someone as beautiful as Aubrynn would look at him the way she does, touch him without freaking out and admit that she likes kissing him! There has only been one other person who loved him for who he was and that was Tilly, the young maid who took him under her wing and loved him in the way a mother should love their child.

Even though Rumple loves her and she loves him, he has to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her and her father's lives... he commands that his brother, King Marcus, marry her like he said he would if she could spin straw into gold.

Oh how I love Rumple and Aubrynn!! They are loving, selfless, amazing people that would do anything and everything that they can to protect and help the ones they love. I absolutely LOVED when Aubrynn fell asleep on Rumple and he confessed his love for her and just sat there telling her everything that she has done for him! *sigh* It was the sweetest thing ever!! And then when Aubrynn announced to the entire village that she loved Rumple... *sigh* *sigh* LOVE! That is all I can say!!

I have to admit, at times I feel like Jenni is writing her Faerie Tale Collections just for me. And yes... this is one of those times. She has a way of giving me that little boost I need, just when I need it! After reading Rumplestiltskin I just have one word to say... AMEN!! It does not matter what a person looks like on the outside for that is just our shell. It is what's on the inside that truly matters! We are all beautiful... we are all amazing... and we are all enough! Look past what is on the outside and really see what is on the inside.... for that is where the REAL us will be found! Thank you Jenni for another amazing treasure that I will definitely keep for a long, long time!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After reading my review I really, really want to read Rumplestiltskin again! Guess what I'll probably be reading this weekend?! ;) Hehe. 

Now it's your turn! Let's see some reviews! :) 

Weekend Ramblings #8

Are you ready for another Weekend Ramblings a la KJ?!

Well then... let's get ready to raaaaammmmmbbbbbllllleeeee!!!!!

This week's rambling topic is...

*Top 10 Books You Would Give Away As Gifts*

So I love to surprise my sisters and friends with little bookish treasures every once in awhile. Sometimes it's hard to choose which book to give away though. There are just SO many that I love! But if you were to ask me right now which 10 books I would give away right now they would be:

1. Jessie Belle by Jennifer Peel
2. Taylor Lynne by Jennifer Peel
3. A Season To Love by Nicole Deese
4. Kissing Cousins by Marcia Lynn McClure
5. Undeniably Chosen by Shelly Crane
6. The Independent One by Cami Checketts
7. Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt8. My Sweetheart by Shannon Guymon
9. The Protective Groom by Lucy McConnell
10. Making Faces by Amy Harmon

What about you? Which 10 books would you choose to give away as gifts?

The Wedding Secret by Jennifer Shirk

Synopsis:

Ten years after a high school pregnancy left her abandoned by her family, single mother Brenna March is finally getting her life under control. In possession of her dream job as a florist at the Rose Chalet, one of the premier wedding spots in San Francisco, she’s about to prove her worth and take on her first wedding as head florist. Unfortunately, the best man is none other than Senator Ashton Mirenda—her old high school sweetheart and the father of the daughter he knows nothing about.

Ashton doesn't have time for marriage or a family. He has other aspirations and the first is winning the next senate seat election. Or so he believes until he meets a woman from his past. Seeing Brenna again stirs something inside him he'd thought long dead, and he knows that he wants her beside him all the way to the White House.

But Brenna is holding a ten year old secret, one which could not only hurt his chance for re-election but also their chance to rekindle the love they once shared.

My Review: 3.5 Stars

Brenna and Ashton were high school sweethearts. But neither family agreed with them dating. When Ashton graduates from high school and heads across the country to go to college, they decide a long distance relationship would be too hard for them. Shortly after Ashton leaves, Brenna realizes that she is pregnant. As soon as the news is discovered, her parents disown her and ship her off to live with her aunt.

10 years later things are finally starting to fall into place for Brenna and Abby. She's working in her dream job and life couldn't get any better for them. She never imagined that life would throw Ashton back into her path. Now she has to do her best to keep Abby a secret until Ashton leaves. She'll tell Ashton AFTER the election that he is a dad.

But fate has other things in store for this little family. The truth will be discovered sooner rather than later. Now they both need to decide what is going to be best for everyone involved,

I am a sucker for lost love books and this one was a fun addition to my collection. While I enjoyed this book, I wish that it was just a little bit longer, It seemed like too much time had passed for Brenna and Ashton to just pick up where they left off. I also would have liked to see Ashton find out about Abby sooner. It would've been fun to see them get to know each other and build their relationship. Their relationship kind of felt like an afterthought to me.

I am definitely looking forward to more from this Kindle Worlds series. I have already downloaded a couple more books and can't wait to read them. 

And of course I can't forget my casting!