Post First Draft Depression

I want to start off with a little editing series going on on this blog. Since, I did do nanowrimo and won-yeah, I'm awesome-I want to blog about the process of how things are going. At the moment I can't give you a synopsis of the novel, because there is a lot of plot being moved around, and maybe the main problem the main character faces is only a side problem. You know?

Anyways, the first thing that happened when I finished nanowrimo about two weeks ago was that I just wanted to chuck the story out the window and feed it to the coyotes. I suppose many authors feel this way, because we have been so close to this piece of work, that it's too much. I was about to scrap the entire document at one point. Terrible of me for not believing in my own writing, but sometimes you want to kill someone, but instead of someone, many people in your mind.

The other day I got out of this 'depression' stage. Something just clicked in my mind, and I guess with me going back into the community of writers I've found, it motivates me to do something with the story. I have not started actually editing the novel, but I am in the process of reestablishing my characters, and where I want the story to go, and where it should be going. There's a difference. I'm happy with half of the characters I had made up on the spot while writing nanowrimo, but in there are the ugly ducklings. The ones that don't have a personality easy to spot out, or a background that's bland and contains no meat.

So if you are in the post first draft depression state, I beg you to not chuck out your story. You are going to hate yourself if you do, because you will look back at it and think I should not have done that. Especially, if you did nanowrimo and got far ahead. Do not change your mind and free up space on your computer. There is a reason why you started to write the story. Whether you knew what you wanted to come across in your writing or not, it will come across, and you need to edit and think about it to do so.

Great chat with yall today, have an amazing time writing this week. If you have trouble thinking of things to write-which you should be doing everyday-I'm going to start making daily writing prompts on twitter. @Clarareads

Love and hugs
Clara

App Review: Flipboard

Most of you that read my blog, are also bloggers, and that is amazing, but also a lot of work to stay connected with everything. I personally only have a twitter, and that's enough for me. (@Clarareads)

I found this app called Flipboard a week or two ago, and have fallen in love with it. I love the style it creates and the easy navigation of the app. Flipboard, is basically where you can read all your news, and social networks in one place. I find that because I use Flipboard now, that I don't need the twitter app. Of course, there are other programs/applications like this, for example Tweetdeck. Which I haven't used, but that's because I use my social networks more mobily, than on my computer, and stationary. If you're like me and you have a mobile device that can support apps, like Android or iPhone/iPad then I think this will definitely replace whatever your using now.

There are so many social networks that are optimized in this app. So many I can't name them all, but I'll try to name all of the ones that are most popular.

Here's The Deal

Since school started the struggle to keep up with the blog has been inconsistent. So, this is an official notice that states that my posts will not be consistent now until probably the holiday times. I honestly don't know what to do with the blog, because my ideas have gone into other projects outside of the blog. Anyways, I will still continue in my blog tours, and any author requesting reviews, but they will take a while.

I have gone into a reading runt. It's not pretty. I'd rather watch youtube videos all day than read, and that really bothers me, because I've stopped reading fanfiction, which I adore reading every night. Also my book reviews for authors have been nowhere recently, and it's no one's fault except mine. I'm not sure when I'll be out of this reading runt, but hopefully when I make myself not do things, I do things. I know, it's weird.

So I'm inviting anyone that doesn't have a blog, or doesn't want a blog, but still wants to share their thoughts to email me at Clarareads@gmail.com . There you can ask me if you'd like to be a guest blogger, and it can be anonymous if you'd like. Any book you'd like to have your thoughts be read about is okay with me, but keep everything PG-13.

Another thing, I am always having these ideas about stories to write about, and need an outlet for them. I'm thinking about putting them on wattpad, and the blog, but if you have any tips or ideas  please notify me also.

Love and hugs,
Clara

Blog Tour: Determinant by A.M. Hargrove Review + Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago I read the first novel of The Guardians of Vesturon series. Survival was okay, the characters really stood out to me, but I didn't love the whole idea of the Guardians. Determinant is the third installment of the series, and I'd still say the same thing if I was telling someone about this series. I love all the detail and the weirdness of all the characters, but the whole E.T. like people just didn't make sense, for me anyways.

The beginning of the novel, like the first novel in the series starts out in a world where we see everything the main character has ever experiences and continues on to their college life. Then something drastic occurs, which turns the whole miserable story into a charming one, in my opinion.

I admire A.M. Hargrove for her creativity and gumption to have something in a novel  that is a pressing topic, which most would like to get rid of but don't want to talk about. If that made sense. I love how A.M. Hargrove makes her characters realistic and their own, one of a kind. The way she moves a story along really is something that I wish I could do. Then there are times when I'd think I should be crying, when I'm not in reality. It's just the reader in my head is bawling her eyes out and giving my heart out to these characters, especially January. Ugh! I can't start to believe how A.M. Hargrove wrote such a broken main character without breaking down from all of her hardships. I also love how she pushes the boundaries of the "aliens" in this novel. It's quite interesting how this is the third installment of a series, but can be read independently.

Review: The Twenty by Claudia Carozza

Novel: Amazon Goodreads
Author: Website Twitter Goodreads


The Twenty is an interesting book that I decided to read because it takes place in a dystopian world where there had an epidemic that wiped out all the humans. Then comes along a new government where you are ranked by which ward you reside in. The farthest ward you are from First City the less and less power the government has control of you and if they even care at all. The Twenty is about a group of twenty women who are pregnant during a time where it's very rare, and crying babies would stir a whole ward. So then comes along Hazel DeSales and she finds a job working for the government which she knows is corrupt, but when her drunken father's paychecks are coming in smaller and longer amounts of time she has to give somethings up to live. Hazel becomes a nurse for one of the Twenty and hears things she shouldn't when Hazel is in the shadows. 

I really liked this idea when I first read the summary because it was different from all the other dystopian books that are out there. Claudia Carozza's writing was very simple, but what I really loved about the novel is because she keeps a good pace and makes me be on the edge of my seat, constantly. I also love how she built up the world. Having certain things that seem mundane to us, feel like an alien to the people in this world. I think, unlike most dystopian novels there isn't much technology advancement in The Twenty. In my mind when I think of the wards that people live in other than 8, I think of a ghost town, or a very unkempt town. I still what to know what First City and ward 8 really look like. 

Hazel DeSales is the female protagonist and she has some boy problems amongst many others. I could just feel the love triangle as soon as Shane came into the novel. Btw I'm on team Shane, if there is a team. I personally don't like Luka. My first impression of him was, "He's going to betray them." That was a very harsh thing to assume, but honestly I haven't warmed up to him and from the looks of where things going I feel like he's going to be the one. There were some characters that I have a lot of faith in. For example, Elisa Montgomery one of the Twenty whom Hazel nurses throughout her pregnancy. Elisa to me is a very strong character and I think if she wasn't pregnant and she had another role in the novel she'd kick butt. The "bad guys" didn't scare me honestly. They didn't make me think, "Well, this is going to be very very bad," or something along those lines. Yes, there are somethings that are kind of spoilers that are sins, but I don't see why they are doing the things that they are. The government is very secretive and I really want to know what they are going to do with the babies of the Twenty because it seems like something big is going to occur.

The Twenty for me, was a very quick summer read and if I had time probably could finish in a day or some hours. The novel has a very fast pace, and the scenery isn't too advance that I'm constantly wondering and daydreaming about the wards and the buildings.

I feel like this sort of story could happen in some way. I don't know how and why, but there seems to be a truth in it. I really love how Claudia Carozza didn't particularly shy away from unpleasing things because that's how the world that Hazel lives in is. Where the police don't care, and the crack heads are everywhere.

I am defo going to read the second book in the trilogy when it comes out and I want to check out Claudia Carozza's upcoming new series coming later this year. I'm very excited about the next The Twenty novel because this one leaves off with a huge cliff hanger, which I really wanted to be resolved in this novel because we all saw it coming. So, in conclusion I give Claudia Carozza's debut dystopian novel a head nods, thumbs up. (4 out of 5)

Review: Dragon Fire by Pedro L. Alvarez

I was very interested in a new world to explore the past week and I found this in an ARR program. Pedro L. Alvarez is a debut author that I think we should all keep an eye on. The story he lays out for the reader is amazingly detailed and well thought out. Dragon Fire is a mixture to me of a coming of age/romance/dystopian like world. 

If there is not enough reason that you should get a bow and arrow well here's another book. Lately that's been the trend I've found. For example, Faelorehn by Jenna Elizabeth Jonhson, The Hunger Games Trilogy, and a few weeks ago I saw Brave form Pixar. Not that I don't have anything against bows and arrows but I wanted something different. Maybe something new and unheard of.

Pedro L. Alvarez has the most beautiful way of telling a story that amazed me while I was reading. Though his writing isn't filled with complications making me re-read constantly, it had an old timey feel. I felt very sucked into this world he created and the characters that joined in. I don't know how to say this because this is a very tricky review for me to write. I love his writing, but the story didn't make me want to read more. I really wanted to like this but I couldn't. It's not bad or anything, but I just could not go into another coming of age story. The genre is incredibly gigantic and I did not feel like anything was special.

Books I've Started and Haven't Finished, Yet

So I've been swamped with reading lately and all the books that I've bought in the past few months have been on the shelf and waiting to be picked up again:(. I just wanted to share with y'all the books and hopefully you can encourage me into reading them again or reminding me. Tweet me on twitter @Clarareads, email me Clarareads@gmail.com, or comment below!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
pg. 58 out of 387 (15%)

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
pg. 11 out of 310 (4%)

Matched by Ally Condie
pg. 76 out of 366 (21%)

Liebster Blog Award Continued?

Well I have been tagged numerous times for the Liebster Award and I haven't answered the eleven questions back for a while. To check out the first time I was tagged click here.


Tagged from Captivated Reading Questions:

1. What do you keep reading and going back to over and over again?
Embarassingly the whole Twilight series.
2. In school were/are you a Cliffnotes person, or did you ALWAYS read the required reading?
Sometimes cliffnotes if I don't have time.
3. What else do you love, besides books?
Music
4. What's your favorite book COVER?
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
5. What book would you love, more than anything, to be seen turned into a movie?
Nevermore by Kelly Creagh, if they stay true to it.
6. How long have you been blogging?
A little more than half a year.:)
7. Do you like to write, as well as, read?
I love to write, anything, and everything.
8. What's the first novel that you can remember reading?

Review: Traveling for the Hell of it by Nick Gerrard

As I read this I kind of knew what I was getting into. I thought I knew what this was all about. Just some random person writing about his travels and his witty and hilarious commentary in between. I got what I thought. I wouldn't say there was anything that really surprised me. I love to travel and sometimes you can't and you live through someone else. That was nice, but I think all travel books are like that. Then again, I shouldn't say that because this is the first of I hope many books about traveling.
I love how Nick Gerrard didn't just say his experiences and made that the main goal. It felt more like an old friend was telling you about his travels and conversing with you. It was easy going and nothing too serious and I think this book came just in time for me, when I was reading a lot of long and well thought out intricate plot twists and I just needed a quick summer read.

I can't say much without giving away a story that should be read from him and not badly explained from me. Though, I did love how he explained the people he met. It was refreshing. This is quite a short review because I don't know what else to say, but if you are looking for an easy read for the summer and you want to experience many places in a hilariously witty way then I think you should read Traveling for the Hell of it. That's why I give Nick Gerrard's travel book though not a guide book a head nods, thumbs up. (4 out of 5)

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Novel: Website Goodreads
Author: Website Goodreads Twitter

Ah, this was the book that made me unable to post every week day in June. This is the book that kept me up later than midnight reading and imagining. This is the story that's breaking my heart because I'm unable to know what happens next. This is the novel that made me understand Edgar Allan Poe. This is the novel that made me believe that anything Kelly Creagh writes is magical. This is the novel that made me think "Why can't I write something this complex and extravagant?" This is a review that might take decades for me to perfect it.

This review may contain SPOILERS!!


Kelly Creagh is now on my top favorite author list because of this book. I don't know how long she spent writing this novel, but all the detail and connections that she made through the book astounded me to no end.   I had the rush of feeling unsure constantly and my heart was pumping fast, close to the speed when I first read Divergent. Kelly Creagh wrote just enough romance, just enough mystery, just enough paranormalcy, just enough everything, but the fact that she had to end it and continue the story to the second installment.

Characters I loved: almost all. I loved Reynold, Danny, Gwen, even Brad believe it or not, and absolutely fell in love with Varen. Isobel, the female protagonist in the novel, though confused me, cause laughter in my heart, and scared everything out of me is not my favorite because I'm afraid to say which one is. Reynold is close to being my favorite character because the way he holds him and the way he plans everything out just... leaves me speechless at times. I loved how I followed along with Isobel and didn't feel like I knew what was happening because I felt what she felt. It was a magical experience.

Then there are the side characters I guess you can say, Gwen being the comedic relief in my mind should be given a bigger applause for her role. Then there's Pinfeather who is not the main antagonist but can be the most scary and wonderfully charming "evil" character I've ever read. As the cheerleaders may annoy me at the beginning I decided that they will hopefully play a bigger part in the future and I really hope that Isobel will somehow use her cheer leading flips and such to help progress herself in the other world in future sequels. I even found the owner of the Nobit Nook an interesting character that I cross my fingers will have some back story told in the sequel.

Something very stereotypical caught me off guard on how much Kelly Creagh was going to dial up the goth and cheerleader stereotype. I was glad that Isobel discovered the social status and broke away from it in the novel and slowly showing her strength building up from not much to this heroic superhero.The goths and the "popular" were a very strange concept that Isobel and Varen would get together in my point of view. To me they just come from totally different backgrounds and interests that I don't fully understand their relationship to each other. I was hoping for a meaning for this nearing the end.

Even though I have more thoughts on this novel I want to keep it as short and only needed info as possible. I give Kelly Creagh's Edgar Allan Poe inspired young adult novel, Nevermore a head nod, thumbs up, and smiling like there's no tomorrow. (5 out of 5)

Metric Synthetica

I know this is an extremely late post, but I wanted to post something up today. This post does not count as part of the posting every week day in June. ;(

Since I didn't get to write a post last night or the night before I wanted to explain why and a part of it that influenced my decisions. Over the weekend I was reading Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (will have a review up tomorrow) I got sucked in and I expect this a lot when I start a new book over the weekend. So, I've decided that there is no guarantee that I will post on a Monday, but maybe posts like this will happen.

This post is about music I play while I read. That might sound off and strange, but I do. I always listen to music. That's how I find new songs for the Friday playlists and that's how I go on living because I'm one of those people who would die if they didn't hear a tune a day. While I was reading Nevermore I was listening to Metric's new album Synthetica. That has to be one of my favorite albums at the moment, probably because the songs are drilled into my mind because I've been having it on repeat the last two days.

Liebster Blog Award Tag!

Hi guys, so yesterday I was tagged for the Liebster Blog Award Tag and I was so excited I did the whole tag last night!! Here is the link where I was directed to to do this tag!
So without further adieu here is the tag I was tagged with! :)


11 Facts about ME:
1. I can play the piano, guitar, and ukulele.
2. I love fashion and going shopping!
3. I read because I love to, not because I have to.
4. I'm a night owl that reads during ungodly hours.
5. I suck at riding a bike.
6. I am a nerdfighter.
7. I am a grandmother of seven baby fish.
8. I can't say the alphebet backwards.
9. My favorite book is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
10. I've balled my eyes out because of a book.
11. I have a rude amount of to be read books.

Questions I was tagged with:
1. What do you love most about blogging?
I love that I can blog anything, and people can read it or not. I especially love when people comment!:)
2. What is your favorite book cover?
My favorite book cover has to be The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.
3. Dust jacket or no?
No dust jacket
4. Who's your favorite author?
John Green
5. What's a song you find goes perfectly with a book? Which book?
I think Let's Kill Tonight by Panic! at the Disco is the best song I can think of when I read and think of Divergent by Veronica Roth because the book was very fast paced and this song goes perfectly with it.
6. texting/talking/or video chatting?
Texting
7. Do you pre-plan your blog posts?
Yes, most of the time.
8. Favorite color and why?
Orange because I love sunsets and its not many people's favorite color.
9. Do you except ARC's? If so what's your favorite thing about that? ie. reading/reviewing/recieving
I've never recieved an ARC! ;( Though I'd love to, I imagine reading is probably my favorite part.
10. Do you have a Goodreads account? If so what is the best thing about that program in your eyes?
I do have a goodreads account (Clara Naomi) and the groups are my favorite part because I love all the discussions.
11. What's your favorite number? Does it have anything to do with a book?
I'm not sure if this counts as a number, but 0 is my favorite because if you've read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, you'll know what I mean. :)

Questions I've tagged you with:
1. When did you start book blogging?
2. Hardback or Paperback?
3. One book you regret buying/reading?
4. Do you have a reading ritual? If so what?
5. What is the longest book you've ever read?
6. What is the shortest book you've ever read?
7. How often do you read?
8. Physical book or ebook?
9. Favorite dessert?
10. Book you can't live without?
11. What was the last book you read?

People I tag:
1. A Book Without Pages
2. YA Book Season
3. Book Overdose
4. Book Addict
5. Milena's Book Corner
6. A Slice of Amz Life
7. 1600 Words a Day 
8. Reading by Kindle Light 
9. book fever
10. 365 Books A Year 
11. Izzy's Book Blog 

Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Book: Website Goodreads Amazon

Author: Website Blog Twitter Goodreads

So I borrowed this book from my library back in November I think and it was huge back then, and I guess it still is. Hush, Hush is one of those overly hyped up books of last year (2011). It had everything going for it, the cover, the publisher, and some arc readers. Then it came out to the general public and then came the mixed reviews. Some bloggers I read adore the series and the first book, some of them despise it, and some of them just don't know. I think I'm on the fence of despising the book and just don't know because it was just... strange.

Like the bulk of young adult novels these years Hush, Hush is a paranormal romance, and from the cover of it, it's pretty easy to tell the paranormal part are angels. Becca Fitzpatrick didn't have a distinct writing style you could point out and her word choices were just plain ol' simple. Nothing lavish or intricate, just average. The book was quite short, or maybe I just read it quick because of how simple the writing was. Btw I read it in a day. I spent a whole school's day holiday off reading that book. I'm not spiteful of it, but I'm not glad about it either.

Believe by E. Leighanne Grimm-Weever Review

Book: Goodreads
Author: Goodreads

I was very grateful for the fact that the author of this novel gave away free e-book versions of her debut novel on goodreads. This was a first for me and I still hope to receive more of these in the future, though this review is brutal. I first want to start out with saying that writing anything is hard, especially a novel. I give her applause for trying, but in my opinion Believe was the worst novel I've ever read before. It went totally off the charts and not in a good way.

Let's start with the writing. It was difficult to continue to read it because it was so very hard. It felt like a fourth grader wrote it and I'm know way dissing the author. I'm just giving my honest opinion. I have read other reviews on goodreads and was surprised that most people on there loved it. Maybe I was sent a wrong copy? The first draft? I don't know, but the writing was too basic. I don't want to say this, but I could write better than her. I have written way better short stories and am currently working on a long-term project. This novel was... not ideal for me.

There were vampires. Well from the synopsis, but when I started reading it it felt like a very horribly written twilight fanfiction with just different characters. I took some notes while I was reading and found that there were so many similarities with Twilight I'd like to share them with you.

(Reading from my ipod touch on ibooks)

1. "Wow Andrea! That was great!" she says "You're a great cook. Mom would give you a job anytime!" Bella, the cook pg 23
2. My uncle had never tried to spare me from the truth, he'd always been very straight forward with me. Andrea's uncle = Bella's Dad Charlie pg 25
3. "Sky blue, very nice," Every surface that has fabric on it is covered in either sky blue or slat blue, very classy." Bella's room was/is sky blue pg 12

I don't mean to sound rude because this is the worst review I have ever given, but from just those quotes I got from the novel it's plain to see that their wasn't much literature used. I found myself yelling at the author in my head for revising and understanding the use of grammar so many times that I just put the book down. It wasn't a good feeling, but I had to. 

I do give anyone props for trying to write a novel and completing it must have been fulfilling, but because this novel has three or four more sequels and I can't go through another grammar mistake I will not be reading this series. I give Believe by E. Leighanne Grimm-Weever a head shakes vigorously, thumb pointing down, mad face for the waste of my time, and disappointed eyes. (1 out of 5)

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor Review

Laini Taylor has to be one of my favorite fantasy authors because she is just amazing like that. Her style of writing is nothing I found queer, but the way she set ups her world is magnificent. I love the way she describes the places where the main character Karou goes and her world is just magical.

I especially loved Brimstone. Brimstone is Karou's "father" you can say and he's nothing what you would imagine going into this novel. He screams like something that would be in Lord of the Rings or Narnia. I found that Taylor writes a blend and equal amount of mundane and fantasy scene through the book. I much enjoyed both, and sometimes even the mundane seemed fantasy because all these experiences that Karou took were all around the world.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth Review

Summary

Tris and the gang head to Amity as expected from the end of the first novel, Divergent. There Amity decides that they don't want to be in the war, but will support both sides as a peace keeping area. With the ghost of her kills haunting her in broad daylight, Tris finds herself told time and time again that she should not get involved in anymore than she has for her mental stabability. When the Erudite charge into Amity headquarters all the Abnegation and Dautless can do is run. As a result they find themselves on a train to the factionless with weapons. Stories unravel and secrets are kept hidden from most and Veronica Roth tells a wonderfully twisted book. 

Short Story… or maybe more

    I created this short little snippet of a story a few months ago and I always loved it for some reason. I have hoarded this for too long and I feel like someone should read it. If anyone does read this please leave a comment and if I should continue.


Run

Introduction

Hello, there world. I'm not the best writer out there and nor are you, just face it. So I'm going to do something about it. No I'm not going to kill myself because I have no self esteem. I'm starting this blog to write reviews on books I read. You ask, why should I read your blog if you're a bad writer? Well, because I'm a bad writer you won't have to look up words you don't know. Also because my thoughts matter and so does yours.

I read very often if not everyday and from other blogs I have read review don't seem so bad. Now I notice you are going to ask what do I like to read to compare thoughts and interest, so I read mostly young adult fiction. That means I read contemporary, historical fiction, supernatural, and any other genre in the young adult section.

With me reading everyday and books are my passion I will mostly likely update every week.
I also have short stories if you would like to read them, but don't worry they're horrible, and the world doesn't have to read them. My writing would not be posted every week like the reviews for obvious reasons.
My mind has some-what agreed to post a review every Tuesday and that might change, so don't take my word for it. The reviews will not have any spoilers in them and will contain a brief summary for those who have not heard of the book. A picture of the book will also be provided and information on physical features, too.

Now, my introduction has not been very fulfilling I might say, but this is not the last you will see of me.

Until Tuesday.