2020 Romance Bingo Challenge

I don't do too many challenges these days as my blog is slowly poking along as I get back to it...

BUT I will be taking part in the 2020 Romance Bingo Challenge hosted by Blodeuedd & Carole at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell.

If you're interested in joining this challenge, you can check out their post to sign up and see the rules.

Personal Update: I Got Engaged!

Hey y'all.

I'm just writing a small little life update.

I don't write any of these much, because, well, I don't have that interesting of a life most of the time.

Well, that's changed mildly.

I got engaged on Halloween!

My fiancee (sounds so weird, by the way) proposed to me at the Field Museum in downtown Chicago. Specifically, in the Egypt exhibit, in the temple of Bastet. Complete with a natural gem ring, and a coffin shaped box.

We are the weirdos, mister.

After our day at the museum we went to go see a concert, the always talented American Murder Song. We told the artists about the engagement, and they were kind enough to sign our ring box.

It was a fantastic day. My partner- sorry, fiancee- even bought me a little glass jar of candy from Dylan's that said "#1 Wife's Candy" on it. And a Halloween cat Build-a-Bear to go with the theme.

Ring tax is included down below. <3 Love, Jillyn

The Start of Holiday Countdown

Hey there guys and dolls.

In an effort to get myself back into the habit of blogging again, I'll be celebrating the months of November and December by counting down to the holidays, namely Thanksgiving and Christmas.

How will I be doing that? By reading and reviewing holiday season themed books!

What exactly does that mean? Well... That's a bit loose and open. I have a very lazy definition of what "holiday themed" means. Some books will be set in the fall or winter time. Some books will explicitly be about a specific holiday, like Christmas or New Years. There will also be a lot of cookbook recipes because, well, I cook like crazy during the November-January rush, and I know I can't be the only one. So I hope they help you out this season!

So pull a chair up by the fire, pour yourself a cup of chai or cocoa, and let's fall into winter together.

Love, Jillyn

The Start of Halloween Countdown

Hey guys.

In an effort to get myself back into the habit of blogging again, I'll be celebrating the month of October by counting down the days until it's Halloween. I have a bunch of reviews planned. My goal is to have one per day (at least), and the theme among the books will be, you guessed it:

Halloween!

The books I will be reviewing will be somehow Halloween related or spooky adjacent. They may have to deal with witchcraft, murder, ghosts, or the autumn season in general.

Thanks for sticking around if you're reading this, and I'm so happy to finally be back in action.

Let's have a great October, and cause amok amok amok!

Love, Jillyn

Newvember (I'm Back, Baby!)

Alright, lovely readers.

It's a new month. A new beginning.

And what does that beginning mean for Bitches n Prose?

It means.....

Let the blogging begin once more!

And oh does it feel good to be back.

Let's get bookish, shall we?

XO
Jillyn

A Humble Apology (and a plan!)

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I have posted anything substantial on this site. And I'd like to apologize for that, and though I know I don't owe any of you an explanation, I'd like to give one anyway. Even if it's just for my own peace of mind :)

So, I did write a post here (link) that explained my mental health issues. I'll recap it here in a TLDR version- I had a really bad "bout" of depression and anxiety. It got to the point where I was failing classes, where I couldn't get out of bed to even shower or eat, and I was afraid to leave my dorm room.

Thankfully, it got better.

It got so much better, in fact, that I was able to turn all my grades around! After busting my ass for the last semester with a whopping total of 21 credit hours, I got on the Dean's List for the first time ever in my academic career.

And, even better than that, I graduated from uni! I also moved back home from college, which is a whole different can of worms.

AND On top of that still (my time away is like a trifle- full of complex but delicious layers), I got my first "big girl" job! And no, it has nothing to do with my major :P I interviewed a few different days during finals week and was offered a position on graduation day. I can't ask for much better timing than that!

Plus, I volunteer on another website as a moderator, which has taken up quite a chunk of time too.

And.... I went on a mini vacation x.x

As I write this memo, I'm still in the training process for this job. Which, is another layer on the trifle of a busy life.

In short: life got in the way of reading (and blogging!)

I'd like to apologize to any blog tour organizers, authors, bloggers, and publishers if this has caused any issues.

So where do we go from here?
-I'm going to start catching up on posts I had meant to do in my absence
-I'm going to start posting reviews for books I have read awhile ago already and never got a chance to blog about
-I will also crosspost these to Amazon and Goodreads
-I will update my Goodreads information so that I am not so far off base/behind
-I will start participating again in memes such as STS
-I will start lovingly stalking the blogs I once adored via bloglovin'
-I will deal with the hot mess that is currently my Netgalley page
-I will reply to emails in a timely fashion
-I will plan out a giveaway or two to make up for it
-I will start being more active on sites such as tumblr and twitter and instagram and Pinterest
-I will organize my bookshelves, both online and physical
-I will start posting some unboxings, since I've become a mail whore.

I'm sure this is not a complete list, but for now, that is what I need to do.

Thank you to all of you who have kept following me despite the silence. Every one of you means something to me, and without the support of all of you, I would not have the motivation, the fun, or the desire to get back to doing this.

Please comment below and tell me what I've missed! What good books should I be reading? Who has graduated? Who is pregnant? Deets, people! ;D

Bookishly yours,

Jillyn

Depression & Stress: Good Riddance, 2015!

Good evening, my lovely followers.

It has been too long since I've posted here. I believe my last post was in November. I am embarrassed of how far behind I am with this blog, and the promises and dates that I was unable to keep. I'd first like to apologize for that. To any author, blog tour service, blogger, or anyone else that I scheduled on my blog the past few months and was unable to deliver: I am sorry. It is unprofessional, and I hope to move forward into 2016 on good terms with all of you.

Why have I been gone?

In short? Depression is a bitch. It is something that I have been battling for over a decade. I have good days, I have bad days. This fall semester I fell into the worst "funk" I have ever been in in my entire life. I did not want to leave my bed. I did not want to leave my room. I didn't want to shower or eat or do anything. I was like a zombie; sleeping and playing Farmville. It's laughable a bit, now that I'm on a mood upswing, but it was terrible for me.

People have a misconception that depression is simply being sad. Or that it's not debilitating. That it's easy to tell someone "just shower and go to class" or "just cheer up and be happy" or the worst of them all "but you have nothing to be sad about". That is not how disorders work. I know, logically, that I am not supposed to feel this way. But depression can be crippling. The thought of doing something as little as getting out of bed to make a cup of tea seems Herculean. Which then made me feel worse, like worse a failure. Because oh my god, how useless are you, you can't even get out of bed. Which then made me more depressed. It is a vicious cycle. And it is one that I didn't get shaken out of me until the beginning of December. It started in September. That is three months of drowning in my own hatred and self-loathing. It wasn't until I saw my girlfriend, at Thanksgiving, that I started to pull out of it.

I'd like to segue off-topic for a moment to express my appreciation for the aforementioned girlfriend. I do not know what I would do without Emily. This is not just me being romantic, this is not a hypothetical "oh heavens where would I be without love!?". I honestly do not know that I would be alive. When my mind is a violent hurricane trying to tear me apart piece by piece from the inside out, she is the anchor that keeps me grounded from the storm. She is so patient, caring, and understanding of me and my disorders. I don't know how she puts up with me, or why, but I know that on more than one occasion, she has saved my life. How she sets aside her own demons in order to play with mine, I am not sure I will ever really know. I don't think I tell her enough, but I will do so here: Thank you. For dealing with my depression, my anxiety, the panic attacks, the misophonia, the compulsive acts. I'm so embarrassed by all of it, but you act like nothing is wrong with me. You make me feel like there's nothing wrong with me. And words will never be enough to thank you. But I can promise you, like you promised me with garnets and onyx, that I will live every day trying to be what you deserve. I don't know what I did in a past life to deserve you, but Christ am I glad I did it, whatever it was.

Anyway, once Thanksgiving rolled around, I started to waken. It was not unlike how you picture a bear coming out of its hibernation in the spring. It started with baby steps, and eventually I was back in the swing of things. And then came round two of panic: making sure my grades and work were okay. This involved lots of stress, a few panic attacks, and lots of lost sleep, mixed with constant meetings with professors and advisers.

I'm happy to say, my grades were great and I'm still perfectly on course to graduate. That huge stress-causer is finally lifted.

I came home to the Chicagoland, and to my family. And that was the last burst of fresh air I needed to clear away the fog. I stepped away from the computer to enjoy my family. We had relatives come in from New Jersey and, further still, from Colombia. We celebrated Christmas Eve with a nice party as we do every year. We ate tons of ham and cookies, I drank probably a bit too much Jack. We exchanged gifts on Christmas morning, where I was spoiled and blessed with much more than I anticipated. Today is New Year's Eve, and I have declined partying with friends to stay with this family that has supported me through so much. Tomorrow, my sister and I will be spending some much needed girl time exploring Chicago, seeing a play, and trying a new wine bar for dinner. And I can't wait. This Christmas has felt like the best of my life, probably because of the darkness I had been in before. The drinks seem sweeter. The lights seem brighter. The tree seems sparklier. This has been a very happy holiday indeed.

Now what does this mean for Bitches n Prose?

I will be back to my cheery old self, I hope. I am not going to jump back in all at once, but once more you will be seeing blog tours, reviews, and giveaways posted to this blog, at least once a week. That much I can promise you.

I have reviews to write in the coming days for books such as Splintered by AG Howard, Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler, and Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. Some good, some bad.

And now, my readers, I want to thank you. Thank you for putting up with my staggered emails. Thank you for dealing with my moody DMs on Twitter or Instagram. Thank you for staying my followers when it would have been so easy to unfollow. Thank you for checking in on me, those of you who did, to make sure that I'm still alive and kicking.

I hope you all have a very fun and safe New Year. I hope 2016 is your best year yet. May your books be free of love triangles, may your movies be like the books, may your cocoa be rich, and your household be healthy.

Bunches of love,
Jillyn <3

What I Really, Really Want in My Throwback Man Crate (Zigazig AH!)

Hello my lovely followers. I have a different sort of post for you today! When I was contacted by Man Crates, I was asked a seemingly easy question: what would I put in my nostalgic time capsule? The more I thought about it, the more my mind raced. I'm 23 years old, which really just means that I'm not quite stuck in the 90s, but not a true millennial either. I had a great time thinking about what would go in my perfect crate, and I'm happy to share that list with you today!

But first, what is Man Crates? It's a website that specializes in kick ass gift crates for the man (or whoever) in your life! They're all themed, which is my favorite part. Some are for your favorite sports teams. Some are for video game enthusiasts. Others are for people who love a good drink. They're all pretty awesome. Here's Man Crates in their own words:

About Man Crates:

We say 'no' to ugly neckties, cologne samplers and executive trinkets. We don't save wrapping paper, we don't do ribbons.

We ship bragworthy gifts for guys. Gifts that you can't wait to arrive because you know the recipient will love opening them.

Gifts that people gather round at the office, people following the sounds of wood being torn from wood by the included, laser-engraved crowbar.

We are Man Crates, and we deliver awesome gifts for men.

So what would be in my perfect crate after I tear into it with my crowbar? Let's find out! I've got a list of a dirty dozen.

1] Chupa Chups Spice Girl Lollipops:


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These suckers were the best thing ever. Why? Because if you had these, you were the coolest girl in the class room. I remember I could only ever find them at Limited Too. Not only did the actual lollies taste delicious, but printed on them were the FACES of the Spice Girls. Plus, each one came with a sticker. At my school, every girl's notebook was littered with these. I still love the Spice Girls, and I miss these whenever I have to buy suckers that are not adorned with Victoria Beckham's face.

2] Orbitz:


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This one I miss purely for aesthetics. I have absolutely no memory of what these taste like. Apparently they came in a bunch of colors, but I only remember getting red and orange. These were the perfect drink for the easily amused kid, and I'm no exception. I remember getting excited passing them on the grocery shelves and begging my mom for it. It was like drinking a lava lamp and for whatever reason, that makes it appealing to me.

3] Pokemon Cards:


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Time for me to put on my bifocals and get my walker. But back in my day, there were only 150 Pokemon, do you hear me? And you memorized them ALL. What type did what damage, who evolved at what level. How do you do math? No idea. But how do you evolve Pikachu? With a thunderstone. I clearly took away important things from elementary school. These cards were addictive, and if you had the hologram cards? You owned the playground and could name your price. I still have some of mine, but I miss my sleeves full of them.

4] Gel Pens:


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Okay, so gel pens (or milky pens) were the nine year old equivalency of having cigarettes in a jail. You traded them for things. Sometimes you traded for other pens, if they were prettier or swirled or something. Sometimes you stacked six gel pens in order to get something better than a pen, like pudding or a homework pass. The bigger your pen case, the bigger a stud you were in the class room. And if they had glitter in the ink and had the corresponding black paper? Fugettabout it. You were the queen, and Beyonce would have NOTHING on you, girl.

5] Beanie Babies:


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I collected them. Like everyone else on the globe. Hell, I still buy them now and again. We all thought we would pay for our college tuitions with them, though my Sallie Mae account balances determines that that is a lie. I was obsessed with the bears, like The Beginning and The End. Charge $5 and nobody panics. Give them away for free with a Happy Meal and everyone loses their minds! I remember driving to Mickey D's in other states to find them all. They were also great tools of bribery. If my mom bribed me to go shopping with a Beanie Baby, my ass was in that car SO FAST.

6] Mini Poptarts:


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I don't mean these 100 calorie pack of Poptart crisps nonsense where you have to eat a whole box to feel like you ate a snack. I mean the mini, full fat, full frosting Poptarts, just smaller. Breakfast, snack, lunch. It did not and does not matter. They were bite size and frosted and delicious and honestly not a grocery trip goes by where I am not really, really bitter that they're discontinued. Poptart, if you see this, please bring them back, in Wild Berry.

7] 3D Doritos:


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Same boat as the Poptarts listed above. These snacks were heavily flavored, inflated, and hollowed Doritos and they were glorious. You could even get them in these neat little plastic Thermos-like containers that protected the delicate crisps on road trips or when you were out camping. We used to get these at gas stations when we went on vacation, and the only acceptable way to eat them was to gently "pop" them against the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Doritos, please, bring these back in a flavor that isn't spicy. Xoxo.

8] Wonderballs:


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These were the best things ever, until stupid children started choking and ruined the fun for everyone. I am envious that Europe is able to have Kindereggs. These were hollow milk chocolate orbs that were filled with a toy or small candies. They usually had a Nickelodeon or a Disney prize in them, and if I'm not mistaken they came with a sticker too. (God, we really did love stickers...) I still have a tiny little plastic Pegasus from Disney's Hercules on my desk from one of these babies. We can have guns, but not plastic ponies. Priorities, y'all.

9] Nano Baby:


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I didn't have a Tomagatchi. I had the slightly bootleg equivalent, the Nano Baby- a digital pet you had to keep alive. They cried. They pooped. They begged. They died, and it played really, really depressing funeral music when they did so. These taught us responsibility and showed my generation just how not ready for parenthood we will ever be because life is fragile and I am a monster, because I killed so many pixels. These were the in-class distraction before cell phones and texting, and if you didn't cry the first time you killed your pet, you're lying.

10] Game Boy Color:


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Yessssss Game Boy Color. I had a pink one and it was awesome. Whether you played Super Mario Brothers, Conker, or Pokemon Red or Blue, these were the best things ever. I regret giving mine away and as an adult of 23, I STILL have this (and a N64) on my Christmas list. Some things never change, eh? The worst was trying to play it at night in the car on the way home from a trip or a holiday by the light of passing streetlamps. These babies weren't back lit, and if you were in the middle of nowhere? No digital battles for you.

11] Lisa Frank:


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NEON ALL OF THE THINGS. Pencils, notebooks, folders, birthday parties, erasers, posters, stuffies, backpacks. I STILL have an obsession. No, seriously. I have Lisa Frank spirals, folders, erasers, and nail polishes in my room as we speak. By the way lovely readers, they still sell merchandise and now even offer them in ADULT SIZES so you never have to grow up again. They're in the process of making adult size bed sheets and stuff, but their flip flops are available now in your size. The cutest picture? Casey and Candy sharing an ice cream sundae. Obviously.

12] Hit Clips:


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The original mp3 player. These were little chips that played about a minute of song. You had to buy them all separate, and they didn't play full songs, so you got to learn ONE verse really, really well. You couldn't control the volume, it blasted in your ear hole at only one level: apocalypse loud. Eventually they came out with the boombox, so you could play them out loud and not just through the earbud attached to the player. This was one of those "what a time to be alive!" type moments. How did a tiny chip play MUSIC? NSYNC, Britney Spears, and Sugar Ray all blessed my collection. Humblebrag- I had the best collection of these in my class.

Runners up: Harry Potter books, Warheads, plastic choker necklaces, green ketchup, press on earring stickers and crispy M&M's (they're back, bitches!)

So that's what would be in my nostalgic crate. What about you? Are you a 90s ish kid like me who misses the glory days of Oreo O's cereal? And 80s kid who misses Razzles and Popples? Comment below.

And be sure to check out ManCrates.com. They are seriously the best, and there's something there for everyone.

Where is Jillyn?

Hello my lovely readers!

It's going to be quiet the next few days here on Bitches n Prose? Why you may ask?



That's right folks, school's out. Some of you might know that I'm in college and I live in dorm life. That means that I gotta boot scoot it out of the building this weekend and move back home (some six hours north).

But before that, I will be going even further south.

That's right, my darlings. I will be Nashville bound this weekend! My sister has a bunch of really cool sites and adventures planned, like the Johnny Cash Museum and maybe a stop in Metropolis, IL to see Superman (again. I have admittedly already taken a really, really cheesy set of pictures here).

I will of course be taking lots of pictures and eventually when I come back, I will be chronicling my adventures on my new blog.

That's right!

I have a new blog! It's going to be dedicated to the two other things in life I love as much as books: food and sex! There is literally nothing on that blog right now (other than a pretty template), but you can feel free to add me in advance if you are interested. My Twitter will remain the same, just adding this blog to it.

You can follow the new, squeaky clean blog by clicking here. More follow options (bloglovin, linky, all that jazz) will be coming soon as I get settled into the new site.

In other moderately interesting news, I have finally caved in and created an Instagram account in preparation for this Nashville adventure. You can follow me there by clicking here.

If you're done with school- WOO! Relax! Go read a book and swim and have a lot of fun! If you're graduating, congratulations! Good luck with whatever adventures await you next. If you are unfortunate enough to still be in school or doing your finals: you can do the thing! Stop looking at cats on the interwebs and do your work! (I tried).

Have a lovely weekend!

Best,
Jillyn

Apology

Hello lovely readers,

I'm just writing a quick note of apology. My laptop is in for repair, so I will be fairly inactive until I get it back. If you are expecting a post from me, it should go live but please bear with me. Thank you in advance.

Jillyn

Birthday Blogoversary Fangirl Bash Part IV GIVEAWAY & Interview: Upside Down by Lia Riley!

Hello my lovely followers and readers. Do you know what is special about today? It's my birthday!!! I am at the grand old age of twenty-three (-internal sobbing-) and admittedly, that age only makes me think of this:



But... Hopefully you guys still like me when I'm twenty three, right? Well in an attempt to butter you up, I'd like to present to you today a very special post. As some of you know, the Off the Map trilogy by Lia Riley was one of my absolute favorite sets of books in 2014. It is with absolute giddy fangirlish delight that I welcome Lia to Bitches n Prose to help me celebrate my birthday!

Interview

Thank you so much Lia for taking some time to talk with me today and help me celebrate. The setting of the Off the Map trilogy is written in such great detail. Have you spent a lot of time in Australia? Was there any research you needed to do?

My first trip to Australia was, ahem, *cough* fifteen years ago. I hadn’t quite turned twenty-one and certainly never expected in five million years to meet “the one” while on my study abroad trip. However, my now husband, Matey, whittled his way into my heart with bad dance moves and bottles of ginger wine. We lived in Australia (Tasmania mostly) for five years and still go back every year. I’ve made the flight at least a dozen times now. . .it’s long, but hey…in-flight movies and wine? Not so bad.

The settings in the book were all places I’ve visited, right down to the exhibits from the Museum of Old and New Art in Upside Down.

That's so cool. I didn't realize just how realistic all those places were, and now I just want to visit there even more. Continuing on with research, over the course of the books Talia struggles with her OCD. Is this a disorder you knew a lot about before writing?

I’m clinically diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety. While my symptoms manifest differently than Talia on occasion, her experiences absolutely echo my own.

Did you get any input/say on the cover art? Because they are absolutely gorgeous.

My contract with my publisher, Hachette Book Group, guarantees me a say in the cover design. That being said, I had zero to do with the beauty of the Off the Map covers. My editor emailed them to me and I cried with happiness.

Bran is one of my favorite romance leads of all time and Talia is a very relatable character for me. Were any of your characters based off of people you know in real life?

Aw, thank you so much! I have no idea where Bran and Talia came from. A week or two into drafting, Talia’s voice came loud and clear. Bran, surly boy that he is, took longer. I didn’t intend to write his POV at all, then around a month into the book, he piped up his two-cents, before clamming back up. That’s why there’s so little of him in Upside Down. Homeboy was a tough nut to crack. Strangely, once I started Sideswiped, he wouldn’t shut up. I’d literally have to be like STOP HOGGING THE BOOK, BRAN! Same for Inside Out.

I’ve had readers view me more as Talia, and that’s a tremendous compliment (in my opinion), as I do love and respect that girl. But in real life, I might be a leeeeettle more cynical and idealistic, a la Bran.

A girl after my own heart, Talia loves her some TimTams. What is the best snack to have nearby when you're writing?

TimTams are such a delight, right? I usually mainline herbal tea, and occasionally popcorn. No one should watch me eat popcorn. Ever. Picture Cookie Monster gone wild.

That is quite possibly the best description I have ever heard. Now... "Lia!" The movie directors cry. "We need your help with casting!" Who would you like to see play these characters?

Oh, I have that dialed. Talia would be played by Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak in Arrow) and Bran by Colton Hayes (Roy Harper in Arrow).

I can totally see both of them fitting as your characters. What is one tip you wish you would have known at the start of your writing adventure?

Actually, nothing. Every mistake I’ve made has taught me a valuable lesson, ones I needed to make to be where I am today.

Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what are some of the songs that helped you to write the Off the Map books?

I mainlined Passenger's All the Little Lights while during that series. Even now if I hear a song from that album, it gives me a visceral Off the Map response.



I've actually never heard of them before, so I'll have to check it out. Do you have any new projects in the works?

Yes, Ma’am. Here’s a list:

All three Off the Map books are being released in stores as a trade paperback starting May 23rd, then June and July! Woo hoo!

On The Side (Off the Map #3.1)--a stand alone companion novella featuring Sunny and Tanner. Out in April.

Last First Kiss (Brightwater #1)--my first book in a contemporary adult romance series, set in a small ranch town that’s recently become lauded as “Best Kept Secret in the West”. Features a hot cowboy sheriff named Sawyer who is skilled in oral pleasure, honey harvesting (not an innuendo) and hot springs booty calls. Out June 23rd.

Right Wrong Guy (Brightwater #2), second book in adult contemporary. Features a bad boy wrangler and a runaway bride. Out August 4th.

Blindside (Off the Map #3.2), a stand alone companion novella featuring two characters from Off the Map universe. Out in September.

Best Worst Mistake (Brightwater #3), this one has a gruff smoke jumper. ‘Nuff said? Out in November.

With Every Breath, a New Adult standalone set in Patagonia and starring a broody Scottish mountaineer. Out in paperback/digital in December.

….whew!

-blinks- Holy Hell Lia do you plan on breathing ever. 1) I AM SO EXCITED FOR PARPERBACKS YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. 2) I kind of hate you because (as my girlfriend will tell you with a sigh and a shake of her head) I have recently come to have an obsession with Scottish characters and cowboys. FIRST AUSSIES NOW THIS LIA GET OUT OF MY HEAD. Don't really, I can't quit you-r books.

What's something you hope that readers take away from your books?

Wow, fantastic question. I guess, my core story, is people conquering their fears. It seems to be a theme I return to again and again. Hopefully, that is something that can resonate with readers?

Bonus Question That is Really a Statement and Fangirlish Request: I can has more Marti please?

You can! Let me just write all that other stuff first <3 Thanks so much for this and happy birthday!

And thank YOU so much for talking with me today <3

Stalk the Books:

You can find my reviews here: Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out.

or

Add them on Goodreads here:



or

Buy them here:

Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out.

Giveaway:

Because Lia is the absolute cat's pajamas, she's generously offered an ebook copy of Upside Down for a giveaway! This is open to anyone age 16+ in CAN or US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Update: A new winner was chosen after 7 days with no response.

My Top 14 Books of 2014!

Hello there my lovelies. It's that time of year where I have to stress over which books to feature as my top picks of the year. Now for this feature, I'm choosing to do books I read in 2014, not necessarily books that were published in 2014. I'm really happy to announce that for me, 2014 was a much better reading year than 2013. I enjoyed a lot more of the books I read, and I'm so excited about that fact. The drawback, however, is that I had a harder job picking a top list. I decided to do 14 for 2014, with a few left over as honorable mentions. These top 14 are IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. I'll link to my reviews and to Goodreads, and I really hope you check them out. Let me know if you have ready of these, or if you're planning to!

#1 Off the Map:

The entire Off the Map series by Lia Riley. Each book of this trilogy scored a five star rating from me. I loved the romance, I loved the settings, I loved the drama. I read each one in one sitting, and I bugged Lia endlessly on Twitter with my persistent fangirling. I wait impatiently until the set can be on my shelf. You can find my reviews here: Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out.

#2 Alex as Well:

Well, honestly this post is going to be brief because I haven't reviewed it on the blog yet (it'll be up in a week or so- check back!). This book is a phenomenal book that deals with hard topics such as trans*/intersex and LGBT issues in a way that I found completely relatable. It was emotional and heartbreaking and oh, it was wonderful. Read it. Please. I'll be buying a copy for my shelves without question.

#3 Spark of Light:

This is possibly one of the most underrated books of the year. Want to know if it's for you? Here's some key words: Dystopian. Elves. Magic. Romance. Revolution. Does it have your attention now? Good! I fell in love with this blend of dystopian and fantasy and I really, really wish I had a physical copy to adore. You can find my five star review by clicking here.

#4 The Summer I Wasn't Me:

Ah, yes. Another emotionally driven and heart shattering roller coaster of feelings LGBT book. I ended up reading a bunch of LGBT books this year and this is one that will continue to stand out among them. It's well written and well paced and deals with a topic I personally haven't read much about- straight camps. You can read my review by clicking here. Another book I need a physical copy of.

#5 Ask the Passengers:

Speaking of emotional LGBT books that more people should read, Ask the Passengers is a book I read until four in the morning. I had to be careful not to get tear marks in my prized signed copy of this read, and I had to wait days before my feelings made enough sense where I could write a coherent review. If you are a fan of LGBT YA lit, this isn't to be missed. Check it out here.

#6 Jacob, King of Portalia:

In other news however, is the charming and lovely middle grade LGBT book mentioned here. I fell in love with the characters and the world building, and it was a great blend of fantasy, LGBT, and children's literature. It was a fun read that I'd definitely read over again (And is another book I wish I had on my shelf!) You can read my review here.

#7 Clockworkers:

Clockworkers is another example of a much underappreciated book. It's a paranormal/urban fantasy read that will suck you in and keep you in its clutches until you've finished reading it. I hadn't heard of it when the author asked me to read it, but I'm so, so glad I did. I wish more people would give it a go. See my full thoughts on this awesome read by clicking here.

#8 Cover Him with Darkness:

Cover Him with Darkness is the only erotic romance that made it to my top list, and with good reason. The story was unique and well written, and the lead male Azazel? Forgettaboutit. I'd set him free too, because he's absolutely delicious. This fuses together romance, religion, and sex in a way that oddly works. If you're 18+, check out my review here.

#9 Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date:

I think this is the only non-fiction book in my top 14. This is an absolutely hilarious and insightful book that I loved because Katie's sense of humor is a perfect match with mine. As my girlfriend said while I was reading snippets aloud to her, "Are you sure you didn't write this book? She sounds like you." Are you awkward in love? Click here.

#10 The Girl and the Clockwork Cat:

This was hands down the most enjoyable Steampunk book that I read in 2014. It features a diverse cast of characters, an awesome world that I loved reading about, and a plot that moved fast and had me hooked from the very start. You can read my review of this underrated read by clicking here.

#11 Finding Hope:

This one took me completely by surprise. It blew me out of the water and I fell in love with Kailee and Abe. It's dramatic and full of "WHAT?!" moments like a soap opera and I completely loved it. It's another one I think more people should be talking about! Here's a link to my review.

#12 And We Stay:

This book was another one that took me by surprise. It's written so beautifully, and weaves together a story of coming to terms with life, a love of Emily Dickinson, and poetry. I love poetry, Dickinson, and the setting city of Amherst, MA- a place I used to live. This one lingered with me for days, and you can check it out here.

#13 Slow Hand:

This book earned a spot on my top list because it reignited my love of cowboy romances. I don't know how I had forgotten about this love for so long, but the sexy as all hell Wade definitely helped me remember and got me readdicted to the west. Cheers for that, Ms. Vane. Check it out here. It'll be on my cowboy shelf soon!

#14 Firebug:

Last but certainly not least is Firebug. I love love love loved some of the characters and I love love loved the society/world that the author created. It was an intense read that didn't take me very long, and I'm dying to read the next part of the story. From vampires to shifters and everything in between, the creatures in this book are simply awesome. See my thoughts here.

Honorable Mentions: