Allison Young's Blog

part actual writing
part internally panicking
part editor
part marketing expert (attempted)
part accountant
part person rocking in the corner

37 % word recognition
19 % making up your own pronunciation
14 % handling emotional onslaughts
18 % ignoring responsibility
12 % accepting author choices

I wish marketing fairies really did exist.

Being a writer is easy.

it's everything else that is hard!

Am I breaking rules by putting book ratings out into the ether?

I read... a lot. And I have a need to then 'tick' off those books virtually by marking them off my goodreads,bookmory, and other apps.

I give a rating - I think I'm always fair with my ratings:
5⭐ : couldn't put it down, lives in my brain loved the characters, the plot, completely absorbed.- will fight people to read more
4⭐: really enjoyed, struggled to it down, enjoyed the overall story and will read more by the author always
3⭐: enjoyed and finished the book happily. will probably read more but not necessarily leaping lines to get there.
2⭐: it was okay. I didn't necessarily hate it but didn't love it either. probably unlikely to read more.
1⭐: very likely hate read as I can't dnf a book.


My usual ratings are 3-5's... and I always 'rate up' so if I think it's a 3.5 star, I'll give a four. But I was talking with other authors and there seemed to be a split on whether authors should rate other authors. It was pretty much 50/50 to it being a resolute NO and a Yes, but always 4 stars and up.

My personal opinion is telling authors they can't rate others authors is like telling a chef they can't eat another chefs cooking. As long as feedback is constructive, fair and honest surely it's welcome?

Not everyone will like my books and I'm not going to love everyone elses - but that's okay.

Book ratings are hard... Do I give a 5 star because I love something or is it more than that? it's got to be more...right?

I think I've finally decided:

5⭐ : couldn't put it down, lives in my brain loved the characters, the plot, completely absorbed.- will fight people to read more
4⭐: really enjoyed, struggled to it down, enjoyed the overall story and will read more by the author always
3⭐: enjoyed and finished the book happily. might read more but not necessarily leaping lines to get there.
2⭐: it was okay. I didn't necessarily hate it but didn't love it either. probably unlikely to read more.
1⭐: very likely hate read as I can't dnf a book.

So tonight I did something that i usually do when i finish a book. I panic a little.
The reason for the panic is because of the ever growing TBR.

It's odd to be stressed not only about how mnay books I want to read, but which one to read first.

So... I bought a bingo wheel thing. I'm not joking. when a new book gets added to the tbr it's title gets added to the spreadsheet and assigned a number. then spin and choose.

What i need to work on next is not being stressed about spinning the wheel.

I Will Mend You and The Best Men were the winners.

I don’t like virgin tropes - it’s a personal preference for sure, and each to their own.But... I really don’t like them. I like to read fiction to escape reality, but even stretching it where the 19-year-old virgin has multiple orgasms the very first time she has sex is a big ask. I’m sure there are exceptions to the general ‘rule’, but really. I’m a little overstretching it that far.The other thing that annoys me... the whole hymen myth. Sure, some virgins will have one. Some men will feel them. But... using a tampon can break it, jumping on a trampoline can, riding a bike, heck running can, also... having multiple fingers stuck up there and riding them can do it too.. can we stop with the hymen being the mark of virginity mark please.I’ll go back to my pretty book now.

I was told today that I read too fast...like it was a bad thing. It hit me immediately and I felt bad, like I had done something wrong.

It wasn’t until later that I wished I had piped up with a ‘well you watch too much TV’ or ‘You scroll too much social media’ - the second one, in fairness, I’m also guilty of.

I think what resonated with me was how, for a moment, it made me feel bad when the reality is the reason they said it was because they felt bad due to the fact they barely read at all.

I’m not wanting to shame anyone - watch as much TV as you want, scroll for hours if it makes you happy and devour the paper people your eyes are closing with exhaustion - just don’t take someone else’s pleasure and make them feel bad about it.

Thoughts over - I’m getting back to my MM romance and then later the reaper and his crush.

When your biggest problem is choosing between a MM hockey romance, a monster romance, a dark romance or contemporary/hockey romance -- you're living life right.. right?

(fyi currently playing eeny meeny miny moe between:
Bully KingA Lady of Rooksgrave ManorLoving the LiarThe New Guy )