Lauryn April's Blog: April Books

Are you participating in Indie Book Goal 2019?

Over 50 books were submitted to the Indie Book List in 2018! See last year's list. I personally read X of them and met my goal of reading at least 10 Indie Books for the year.

So, this year I want to continue to support Indie authors with the Indie Book Goal 2019! Once again my New Years Resolution will be to READ MORE INDIE BOOKS and I hope you will all join me in doing so.


How to Participate:There are two ways to participate in the #IndieBookGoal2019 challenge. You can do one, the other, or both.
1. Pledge to read a certain number of Indie or Self-published books in 2019. Then read that many books and write reviews. You can find Indie and Self-published titles by looking at the Indie Book List, or on your own. Pretty simple, right? 
2. Submit an Indie or Self-published book to the list to recommend to other readers. Please see below for rules.
The 2019 List Rules:The rules for submitting books to the list have changed a little since last year, so please read! 
1.Books must have been published in 2018 or 2019 
2.Books must be self-published or published by an independent publisher
3.Books from last year's list CANNOT go on this year's list *NEW*
3.You CAN submit your own book if you are the author
4.Books submitted must have been professionally edited 
5.Books MUST be submitted with a link to your review either for the book you are submitting or to a book from the previous year's list *NEW*

Why Rule #5?There were A LOT of books submitted by the author last year (which is still allowed). But, the purpose of this list is not only for indie authors to get more reviews. It is for book lovers to have an easier time finding great indie books to read.
What this rule will do is only allow authors to submit their own books if they are an active participant in the Indie Book Goal Challenge, meaning they have read and reviewed a book from the previous year's list. (Note: Reviews do not have to have been posted in 2018. So, if in 2019 you are just now posting a review to a book you read last year, that counts.)
If you are not an author and just a reader, then this rule doesn’t affect you much at all. You just include a link to your book review with your submission. Book reviews can be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, or your personal blog.
Also, this rule is a BONUS FOR BOOK BLOGGERS as I will then post the links to those reviews on the list page.
This Year's Categories:
In addition to these rules, I am making another change. Last year ALL genres of books were accepted. I am limiting that some. Most notably, I'm not posting anything non-fiction or children's books. Erotica is also not accepted. Again, in order to participate in the Indie Book Goal Challenge, you can choose books from the list OR ANYWHERE you want. You don't have to follow my list rules to meet your goal. Heck, if you don't like my list, make your own (and share it with me!). But, I want this list to be tailored to my readers and viewers.
This Year's Categories are:
-Supernatural (Includes: Paranormal, Magical Realism & Urban Fantasy) - Set in our world-Fantasy (Includes: High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy & Epic Fantasy) - Set in Fantasy Realm-Science Fiction -Dystopian-Contemporary -Mystery (Includes: Crime, Thriller, Suspense)-Historical 
This Year Books will also be marked with the following tags:

-Romance --

This made-up word of the month needs little explanation.

Bookoarding
[boo k-hawr-ding]
noun

1. the act of accumulating books for future use.

“There aren’t any empty surfaces in my house due to my extensive bookoarding problem.”


This is a word all bookworms will be familiar with, especially those who prefer a physical copy over an e-book. If your bookshelf is full, if you have stacks of books piling up on every surface in your home, then you might have a bookoarding problem.



If you liked this word, you might like:AnticipafictionReadreamStourismImaginattraction
Charalamentation
Disreadspect
FantastorizePrebookupied

Fall is finally here and for once I'm managing to get this post out on time! The last few weeks have been busy as far as my personal life is concerned. Work has kept me busy, but I managed to get a little reading and writing done last month.




READING:

Books Reviewed in September:

I was really close to finishing Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton, but I have a few more chapters to go. So, you will see that review this month.

Books Read in September:

I nearly finished Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton. I like this book but it does edge into that erotica territory for me. It doesn't seem to be specifically labeled as such, and the plot and characters are solid, but there's a little more crude language than I'm used to and some seriously spicy scenes. 
Books to read in October:

I've yet to pick my next book. And while I'm super behind on my #IndieBookGoal2018 pledge I'm considering reading something mainstream. I have a few books on my shelf I've been waiting to get to including Moonlight Sins by Jennifer Armentrout.



WRITING:

Betaing for Unraveling in the Night (Book 2 in the Cereus Vampire Chronicles) has slowed a little, but I'm still moving forward with that. Other than some betaing I didn't really do much writing last month.


BLOGGING:

I've been slacking in the blogging department. Sorry about that. The  #IndieBookGoal2018 pledge page did get updated last month. So, if you're looking for an indie read this fall, check it out. I'm already making plans for #IndieBookGoal2019 and I think there will be some changes to the rules for next year. I'm hoping to get more bloggers involved. So, stay tuned for that.

PERSONAL:

I've been super busy the last few weeks with work and spending time with family, but overall things have been good.

What are you planning to read this fall?

Out of all the words I've made up for this series this is one of my favorites. In the pre-e-book days this word would have been in my vocabulary all the time, now I'd use it less often as buying my next book is just a click away. But, there's always that anticipation you feel waiting for the sequel in your current favorite series to hit the market that provides a necessity for this word to exist.

Anticipafiction

[an-tis-uh-p-fik-shuh n]
noun. 

1. the act of anticipating the acquisition of a new book. 

2. expectation or hope for a new book to be released. 


“In anticipafiction of the release of the third book in my favorite series, I’m re-reading all the previous books.”

This is that feeling you get when you're anxiously waiting for a new book by your favorite author to be released. Or, when your most recent Amazon order hasn't come in. Anticipafiction is how you feel staring out the window waiting for the Mailman to show up with your next book haul.



If you liked this word, you might like:ReadreamStourismImaginattraction
Charalamentation
Disreadspect
FantastorizePrebookupied

Once again my monthly wrap-up post is late. But, I'm glad to say that I'm reading a little more consistently, writing more, and have even gotten through some beta critiques on Unraveling in the Night. It's still been a little slow going, but I'm working to revise some of the ways I used to do things to be more efficient.

Whether you're a writer or just a reader you know that there are times when you have to make time for the things you love, aka: books, and I think I've been doing a little better at that lately.



READING:

Books Reviewed in August:

I finished Spark of Fire by Grace Anthony. This was definitely a worthwhile read. It was fun and fast-paced and it's a YA book that I think would appeal to younger readers. This book was a part of my #IndieBookGoal2018 pledge.

Books Read in August:

I started Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton, and I'm definitely sucked in. Definitely, an adult read, but it hasn't delved into erotica territory so I'm happy with it so far. A little more crude language than I'm used to, especially after just finishing a YA read, but the plot is solid and I'm in love with the characters.
Books to read in September:

I will be finishing Lost Wages of Sin, and despite being crazy busy I should be able to start one more before the end of the month. Not sure what I'll pick yet. Since I'm super behind on my #IndieBookGoal2018 pledge it should probably be another Indie Pledge Book.



WRITING:

Unraveling in the Night (Book 2 in the Cereus Vampire Chronicles) is finally on Scribophile and I've been getting feedback from betas!


BLOGGING:

Bah, when did blogging become so hard!? I know my posts have been fewer, farther between and less consistent. I've been considering revamping what I post about and when to get into a new routine. So, stay tuned for that.
I do have an update on the  #IndieBookGoal2018 pledge. I haven't updated the list in a few months, but will be doing so today! If any of you have pledged to read Indie Books this year, I'd love to hear about what books you've read and where you are in achieving your goal (whether you've pulled books from my list or not!). Please comment below.


PERSONAL:

I have been busting my butt in my yard trying to get some plants in the ground before summer turns into winter -- because inevitably fall will somehow end up getting skipped over. The weather here has still consistently been in the 80's and I have a feeling it will stay like that until it snows. Can't I just get a nice 70 degree day, please!

How was the end of your summer?

After barely blogging last month, and skipping July's Made-Up Word of the Month, I'm back and I'm blogging about those feelings and experiences that only book lovers can understand, by making up words to describe them. Each month, on the last Monday of the month, I'll post a new word.
1.     Readream
[ree-dreem]
noun.
1. a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions related to a book passing through the mind during sleep.

“I had the weirdest readream last night where I imagined that I was attending Hogworts.”


Sometimes when you love a book you find yourself thinking about it all the time, even in your sleep. I know I've definitely dreamed about a few of my favorite stories.

When was the last time one of your favorite books made it into your dreams? Have you ever been pulled into a fantasy world, living the story as the main character? Or maybe you've met a fictional character in your dreams? Share below! 


If you liked this word, you might like:StourismImaginattraction
Charalamentation
Disreadspect
FantastorizePrebookupied

3.5 Stars. A Fast-Paced YA Paranormal Novel with a Solid Plot. Spark of Fire by Grace Anthony is a fun YA read about reapers and shifters. Anthony has created a mythology that is familiar and brand new at the same time. Her main characters, Ember and Liam are teenage reapers on a mission to protect fellow high school student, Billie, who has her own set of mysterious superpowers. As reapers, they are highly trained to battle against rogue shifters putting people in harm's way.

Anthony does a good job keeping the stakes high and the pace quick. I did enjoy reading this book and especially liked Anthony's well-written plot and focus on her characters who were complex and believable. This had a different perspective than I normally find in Young Adult Paranormal Romance books. There was a heavy emphasis on the relationship between Ember and her brother. Strong family relationships and the romance was more hinted at and was possibly being set up for the second book instead of being pivotal to the plot like it is in many YA PNR books.

Where this book lost a few stars for me was that it would have benefitted from a little more editing. There was a lot of passive tense and some awkward word choice. I also felt like some scenes could have been fleshed out a bit more. While there were some nice descriptions in some places, I wanted more description in others. And, the third person, multiple POV made it hard to know which character this story would focus on.

Overall, this was an interesting and suspenseful YA paranormal story with a solid plot and complex characters, but the writing itself would have benefitted from one more draft after a run through with a good beta.




Was the writing/editing solid?

3/5 - The writing was good but with a little more telling than showing and a good amount of passive tense it had room for improvement. There were some typos, though they were not a major distraction.

Did the book have a well-formed plot/subplots?

4/5 - This book really did have a solid plot and it took me on a journey.

Could you relate to the characters?

4/5 - I liked the characters and felt they were all believable and complex.

Did the story make you feel?

3/5 - This book is written in the third person and is told through multiple POV's. Because of that it took me a little while to get into and I didn't get as invested in the characters as I have with other books.

Was the book unputdownable?

4/5 - I would read large chunks at a time, but did put the book down on occasion.



Indie Book Goal 2018 Notes

This is the fourth book I've finished for #IndieBookGoal2018 where I've pledged to read at least 10 Indie books before the end of the year. 

So, if you follow my blog on a regular basis, I'm sure you noticed that I was MIA all of July. I kind of just fell off the map for the month. No blog posts, no activity on Twitter or any of my social media accounts. I just disappeared. No, I'm not dead. I'm perfectly fine.

I just needed a break.

Any blogger or writer out there will tell you that keeping up with making content to put out to the world can wear on you after a while -- especially if on top of your writing career you also work full-time.

So, I took a break in July, and I'll be honest. I needed it. I feel like I've been working so hard just to try and keep up this year that I've stressed myself out to the point where I'm barely reading and writing has felt forced. So, instead, I spent some time working on my house. My husband and I bought a motorcycle, and I spent a few nights vegging out to some Netflix-binging.


I'm gonna keep this post short this month. I barely read in July, though I do plan to finish  Spark of Fire by Grace Anthony soon, and I'm only now getting back into the writing groove.
I'm going to try and focus all my energy toward getting Unraveling in the Night ready to go as I'd like to publish it this fall, and that's about it for now.
You may see my blogging and social media presence continue to be a little more spaced out than it was, but I promise. I'm not going anywhere.

How was your July?

Once again I'm blogging about those feelings and experiences that only book lovers can understand, by making up words to describe them. Each month, on the last Monday of the month, I'll post a new word.


Stourism
[stoo r-iz-uh m]
noun.

1. the activity or practice of visiting places that served as settings in books.

“Forks, Washington is a huge stourist attraction for Twilight fans.”


This is a word that combines two of my favorite things, reading and traveling. Places can sometimes be like characters themselves in books and visiting a place special to a particular novel can remind a reader of all the reasons why they loved that book. 
Have you visited any book related places? Whether you've been to Forks, Washington or Harry Potter World, leave a comment below. Or, share about the places you'd like to visit!



If you liked this word, you might like:Imaginattraction
Charalamentation
Disreadspect
FantastorizePrebookupied

So, I'm really excited to share this cover with everyone. I actually like it better than the cover of the first book, Unearthed After Sunset. I also have some goodies to share. Along with the cover, there's an excerpt below, summary and download link to get Unearthed After Sunset for free so you can read it before Unraveling in the Night comes out this fall.

If you haven’t read Unearthed After Sunset (Cereus Vampire Chronicles #1) Get it here for FREE.

Summary:

It’s been over a year since Archibald Gregory Erickson died. He’s shed his human life and gone on a journey of self-discovery, now Archer is back in Phoenix and finds himself quickly falling back into old habits. When danger strikes, putting Caroline in harm's way Archer decides to stick around town a little longer, especially when it looks like Santo may be planning something. But things aren’t always as they appear. Archer and Caroline work together to uncover the cause behind a mass of vampire disappearances.
Add to Goodreads:

Unedited Excerpt:
Rusty mattress springs squeaked as I rolled onto my side. I lay on the floor in an abandoned building. I’d slept in. I liked getting a full eight hours rest as a human, but as a vampire, it wasn’t uncommon for me to sleep ten or even fourteen hours during the summer months. My body wanted to be awake at night, the rest of the time it seemed fine snoozing.
I headed out into the night. A few hours remained until midnight when Caroline asked me to meet her, so I decided to wander around town. Not much had changed in Phoenix since last year. It was the same eclectic metropolitan, a bustling and yet boring city filled with college students but also retirees and homeless.
I passed people of all kinds as I walked down the street. Through the window of a bar, I saw businessmen out for a drink before their ride back to the suburbs. A group of kids loitered at the street corner listening to loud music, and across the street, an old man carried a bag of groceries up his apartment stairs.
Then I saw something unusual. A block ahead, an old black van sat parked on the side of the road with the side door slid open. It waited right outside the butcher shop, and a moment later a tall man with a long face and black hair stepped outside. Dressed in a long sleeve shirt and jeans, with a complexion that hasn’t seen the sun in years, he had all the tell-tale signs of being new to town.
I slowed my pace to watch. I’d spent a lot of time as a vampire watching people, and I’d learned to notice people who were out of place. At first, I thought he was a vampire, but when he turned his head he lacked the tell-tale glow to his eyes, which also meant he wasn’t a hunter. He was human.
A bell tinkled out into the night, as the butcher shop door opened again. An unappealing meat smell drifted on the breeze. A young man in a white apron pushed a five-gallon, sealed, white bucket out on a rolling cart. He was a scrawny kid, still in his teens.
“Right in here?” The kid asked.
The man nodded. “Yeah, right in the van.”
Whatever was in that bucket must have been heavy. The young man strained to lift it. He set it in the van and the man slammed the door shut.
“Hey mister, what do you do with all this cows blood anyway?” the kid asked.
The man turned to him with a cold glare and said, “I make blood pudding.”
He was going to make blood pudding with five gallons of blood?
A moment later he drove away and I jogged up to where the kid still stood outside. He grabbed the rolling cart and pulled it back toward the door.
“Hey, what’d that guy order?” I asked before he slipped back inside. I wondered if maybe I’d heard the kid wrong. Maybe the five-gallon bucket had been filled with something else and he’d only bought a pint of cows’ blood?
“What?” His eyes were wide. “Oh, um, that guy?” He laughed. “He got five gallons of cow’s blood. Don’t ask me what he does with it, but he was here last week with the same order.”
The kid went back inside the butcher shop and I was left pondering what I’d seen. The man in the van wasn’t a vampire. I was sure of that, and even if he had been, a vampire can’t live on the blood of animals. My maker, Lila, had told me that the first night I’d turned. She’d said the blood of animals would make me sick. Then again, I’d never tested the theory myself.
I shook my thoughts free. For all I knew this had nothing to do with vampires. All sorts of people lived in Phoenix. That guy could be into weird ritual sacrifices or hell, really like the movie Carrie. One weirdo didn’t equal trouble.