Michelle’s Comments (group member since Jan 16, 2013)

Michelle’s comments from the S. E. Lund - Author group.

I retired last year, long before the pandemic hit so my schedule had already changed. It was just me and Bella Kitty at home during the day. The hubby has been working from home since March of this year. We feel very fortunate that he can do that but it's been a major change for both of us! Blessed that our family and friends are healthy, just miss seeing them all. I'm looking forward to parties, travel and family gatherings. At least I still have my books!

I hope you all are healthy and happy and making the best of this crazy year! Stay safe and happy reading!

Hello all! During this unusual year (isn't that an understatement!), many readers want a distraction from real life. I think we need to get S. E.'s group active again. I hope you'll check in, let us know how you are doing. How has your life changed this year, what are you looking forward to the rest of this year and next year?

Are you ready for a return to the Dominion world?! S. E. Lund has just released a new book!!! And not just a new book but the beginning of a new series that picks up where Redemption (Dominion #5) left off. Besides Eve, Michel and Julien, we meet several new characters. I've read an ARC and loved it. I think you will, too!

Soon to be released, a new series that begins with If You Fall. Due to a family emergency, the book was delayed but it is now in the final phase of editing and should be available shortly. I hope you'll buy it, read it, rate it and share it with your book friends. Beta readers are welcome to discuss IYF now but please use spoiler tags to keep this a spoiler-free zone for now.

More to follow, including the links to purchase E's latest book.

Happy #IndiePrideDay ! I support indie authors as often as possible. I have several favorites but of course, you all know my favorite. ;) I just finished editing a draft for E. She's about to release the first book in a new series. Woohoo! New book boyfriend on the way to e-readers everywhere! I hope you'll watch for it. I'll put a link up when it's available.

#IfYouFall #Brimstone

Only one more day until Redemption is released!!!

I hope you're ready for the conclusion to the Dominion series. As I posted on the Redemption thread, the ebook will be released on January 29! Here are the links for pre-order. (E. has opted not to do pre-order on Amazon but it should be available on the 29th.)

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rede...

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redem...

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...

My my but it's been quiet around here lately. Well, get ready to ring the bells and do a little happy dance -- Redemption, Dominion #5 (ebook) is ready for the January 29 release! Also, the printed copy will be available very soon.



It's a bittersweet thing, the Dominion series ending. As I told E, I had quite the range of emotions while reading Redemption. I laughed and cried. I was angry and frustrated. In the end -- nope, no spoilers here! You'll have to get a copy and read it for yourselves! :D

So, here's the announcement and some links that E. posted to her author page on Facebook this week. (E. has opted not to do pre-order on Amazon but it should be available on the 29th.):

Just sent my cover designer the details for a print cover for Redemption -- hope to have the print copy ready to go asap! The pre-order deadline has been met and so I expect Redemption to be released on the 29th -- 11 days!
If you haven't pre-ordered, you can do it on iBooks, Nook and Kobo Books!

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rede...

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redem...

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...

It is almost time! After giving some necessary attention to personal issue and writing Unbreakable to finish the Unrestrained series, E. is currently writing Redemption, the fifth and final book of the Dominion series. The book should be released mid or late December 2015! Squee!!!

There will be beta reader and/or ARC opportunities so I'm sure she'll be announcing that via social media and her email list so stay tuned...

Great News!!!


I know this group has been quiet for a while but S.E. has been hard at work on her latest book. It is now available!

Unbreakable, the fourth and final book of the Unrestrained series, was released a few days ago. It's a wonderful addition to the series, written in a dual POV. Hope you get a chance to read it for yourselves and share it with your book buddies. Oh, and an honest review on GR and Amazon. I know S.E. would appreciate it. :)

So, after The Raven and some Highlander goodness of & , it was time for a change. Had on my TBR shelf since it was released last year. So, yeah, I'm a little behind with my other reading, aside from editing. :) Anyway, back to Archer. WOW! Excellent and highly recommended if you've not already discovered this book.

I'll start. Yes, I saw it on opening night. My DH went with me. That was his choice -- I did not drag him there. He's not read the books but has heard the hype. I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone here who hasn't seen the movie yet so WARNING - Movie Spoilers ahead! I think by now, most of us in the group have read FSoG so we know the story but for those who haven't seen the movie, these comments might skew their view of it before they see it. Continue on this topic at your own risk. ;)

So, THE Movie. Well, after the years of hype, the multiple trailers (which I started avoiding so there would be something new to look forward to), BTS pictures, interviews, etc., I was underwhelmed. I think there were many factors.

I've read the book at least 3 times (2 years ago) so I know it pretty well. I opted not to read it recently so it wouldn't be too fresh in my mind but still, you notice when something is "missing" from the movie or even if it's out of sequence or not quite as you remember it. Definitely a negative when trying to watch the movie; almost impossible not to compare it to the book while watching and that is distracting.

Many people in the theater laughed. Too much. Yes, there was humor (mostly from Dakota -- I'll get to that in a minute) but much of it seemed to be more recognition of a line or scene and laughing or giggling was not appropriate much of the time. Also distracting.

Even at 2 hours and 2 minutes, I felt it was really rushed, like they were trying to squeeze too much in and it made my head spin! (Or maybe that was the cocktails I had at happy hour...) I think it had something to do with the editing because it didn't really flow. IMHO. It felt choppy and just not a smooth transition between scenes.

Dakota did a great job as Ana, IMHO. Not a single Holy Crap or mention of her Inner Goddess (or if there was, I missed it). She played the naive but curious, young woman blossoming very well. Some of her lines were meant to be funny and they were taken as such, at least I thought so. We saw a lot of her and she was beautiful. I thought the nude scenes were tasteful and she seemed to adjust well to the nature of each of those scenes. I could see her changing a bit as the movie progressed, discovering herself, which fits with Ana in the book.

Jamie. I really, really like him. He's gorgeous (esp. without that giant beard he has for The Fall), nice build, has big beautiful eyes, and the unruly hair, but just didn't convince me that he was the smoldering but tormented Christian. (I tried to not think of other actors during the movie but it was hard not to -- Ian would have owned that role!) Part of the problem is I've heard interviews of Jamie that made me think maybe he regrets taking the role, or that he's embarrassed of it. Just felt he held back and that is most unfortunate. He's so much better than that but I didn't feel it in this movie. (I will say this -- maybe he held back in Grey so his character has some place to go in Darker. If he had been too intense in Grey, would he be able to noticeably increase the intensity for the next movie?)

Dakota and Jamie together -- I liked to see them together in the movie (heard they got along on set and Jamie was protective of Dakota between takes) but never felt their characters really connect, not like they did in the book. By the end of Book 1, where this movie ends, I was bawling. At the end of the movie, it was like Eh, and here's the cliffy... I am a crier -- I cry at Hallmark commercials and weddings and anything remotely emotional -- and I did not cry at the end of the movie. Sure, I knew how it would end but I didn't feel anything for them as a couple. I felt that in the rush to fit everything into the movie that they could, the relationship between the characters never truly developed. Having read the book, I can fill in the gaps but it shouldn't be that way. I should've been able to appreciate the movie on it's own and I didn't.

Final thought -- this was a mainstream, R movie for the masses. I felt it was made to appease the fans of the book without making it too intense. Or dark. If there is ever a director's cut, that might be a little better but I think it is what it is. And it could have been so much more. Having said all of that, I would like to see it again, and I would hope it sits better with me the next time. I was probably giddy about the opening night myself, I might have even giggled about a line or scene, too (although I hope I was more subtle about it.)

After the years of hype for FSoG The Movie and all that went with it, and the less than stellar end result, I am so glad Outlander is a TV series! Any book/series with good character/relationship building, complicated characters and back stories, and important details that need to be addressed, and such a huge fan base, deserves the time and attention allowed in a series. Too bad Fifty ended up as a mainstream movie and not a dark, emotional series.

So, let me know your thoughts, now and/or after you've seen it.

ETA: Initially I posted my comments with spoiler tags but I changed my mind. This should be an open discussion, without worry of tagging spoilers, so feel free to write without spoiler tags!

So, have you seen The Movie?! What did you think? Would love to have a serious discussion of what you liked or didn't like about the movie.

Happy with TVD again. It lost its "charm" for a while but it seems like maybe it's getting its groove back, maybe. Last few weeks have been good, fast paced, emotional, etc.

I am still watching The Originals. It's been just good enough to keep me watching but I liked the episode last night (I'm a fan of Kol Mikaelson - sp? - and I liked his scenes with Klaus) and I think next week will be good, too. I'm not a werewolf fan and don't care much for Haley, but I kinda like Jackson.

And Sleepy Hollow makes me happy every week! Ready for Katrina (view spoiler)[to go to the dark side with (hide spoiler)] Henry (view spoiler)[so sparks can fly between (hide spoiler)] Abbie and Crane. (view spoiler)[Finally. They would be great together. (hide spoiler)] IMHO. (Spoilers only for those who might not have seen the last couple of episodes...)

Paris (kerbytejas) wrote: "Haven't read the books - but Outlander on Starz has my attention - looking forward to it return in April"

Love the books! They are so good -- very long and detailed -- but constant action and intense a good bit of the time. Taking a break before I dive into Book #4.

Haven't taken time to watch Black Sails. So, it's really good? Guess it's not too late to catch up. A couple of my mainstream shows have ended or are about to end so I'll have a few more hours available for a new show.

No, that actually is helpful, Paris. E is working on a CR that is more suspenseful so she'll be glad to hear your comments. (I've only read the blurb and heard bits of the plot and back-story so far so I don't know exactly how deep into suspense it'll go.) When the book comes out -- in a few months, if all goes well -- I hope you'll give it a go!

Wow, that's some list, Paris. 35 books already?! Impressive!

Thank you, Cherish. :) ETA: And I must admit I do agree with you on some of those points, especially in regards to the heroine and hero.

Anyone else? I know Paris and Katya usually have a few opinions to share... (I mean that in a good way.)

So, I finished ; wow, such an intense series. I was on the edge of my seat until the end. Interesting ending but not a true cliffy as I had feared so I'm taking a short break before diving into the next one. Instead, I read this weekend (LOVE being in Drew's head! and it was good to finish that series) and just started , with waiting to follow it.

Soon enough, I'll have more work from E but until then, I needed to change it up a bit...

Doing well, thank you. Enjoying this mild winter!

E's keeping me busy. Hope you're enjoying the Drake POVs. Watch for a new series this spring. She's posted a teaser. I haven't read it yet but it sounds like one we're going to like. Can't wait!