Synopsis
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be plunged into a dangerous fantasy world?
The Blackwood brothers from New Orleans are about to find out. Youngest brother Will dreams of escaping his mundane life as an apprentice contractor. Caleb is a bartender whose charm and good looks see him through life. Val, the eldest, is a high-powered attorney who hides the fact that he can perform parlor tricks with his mind. The brothers’ lives are changed forever when they receive a belated inheritance from their father: a staff with a mysterious stone on top, a pair of rogue’s bracers, and a sword that Will can barely lift. Searching for an explanation, it is not until a strange key whisks the brothers across time and space, into a terrifying version of New Orleans ruled by wizards, that the brothers accept the truth and undergo a perilous journey home. With the help of an alluring but deadly adventuress, they must break into the keep of a sorcerer known for his love of diabolical games, find a trio of enchanted talismans, and somehow defeat an evil wizard who can raise legions of the undead to do his bidding. It seems the brothers have found their adventure. But will they live to tell the tale? My Thoughts
The Brothers Three is a novel by Layton Green. Green has been writing for years, winning the 2015 International Thriller Writers Award. While Green writes in many genres, he is perhaps most famous for his thrillers. The Brothers Three is published by Cloaked Traveler Press. As of right now there are two books in The Blackwood Saga, The Brothers Three being the first. I found this book to be a particularly interesting take on the fantasy genre.
I was pleasantly surprised by the way this story opened. The beginning was very descriptive and immersive. This was a very unique take on this genre. The storyline itself was quite original. The world that Green builds within the story is quite interesting. With monsters, sorcery and enchanted weaponry all making an appearance. The idea behind the story was nothing short of genius. However, the lack of character arcs and slow story worked against my interest in the novel. Consider this revision: The characters were colorful, but would have benefited from a more detailed story arc. While The Brothers Three is a teen/young adult novel it is very easy to read and I could see it being picked up by younger teens in the future. I would also recommend the book for young men who enjoy the RPG and Dungeons and Dragons type fantasy gaming or literature. I can’t wait to see where this series goes in the future. About The Author
As a bestselling author, Green writes in many genres. Perhaps most widely known for the Dominic Grey series, Greens novels seem to soar to the top the genre lists. Green is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. To this day he has traveled and lived in more than sixty countries. Green has stated that he would like to travel even more.
Don't miss book two in the Blackwood Saga coming September 15, 2017!Whether you know her as the author of the best selling A Court Of Thorns and Roses Series or best selling YA series Throne Of Glass, it is widely agreed among readers of the genre that Maas is an excellent writer. So it is no wonder that when word got out about Maas's tour we the readers fought like dogs for tickets. Unfortunately tickets for these events seem to disappear rather quickly. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a golden ticket and will be doing a full day of sharing on my social media so you guys don't miss a thing! I have had multiple people ask me how I will go about posting during this event so I decided to create a schedule for your convenience. There is a slight chance that I will be able to meet with and talk with Maas so if you are unable to attend and would like to ask her anything please let me know before 6:30 pm September 6th! You can send me questions via the comments section below, Instagram, Twitter or the comments on one of my Youtube videos. I will be checking ALL OF THESE PLATFORMS leading up to the event so get your questions in!
For more information on the tour see http://worldofsarahjmaas.com/events FOR MORE INFO ON POSTS AND LIVESTREAMS SEE BELOW!
Everyone who takes photos dreams of that one picture that will change their account forever. That one picture with just the right lighting and an engaging color scheme. The reality of Instagram, however is a bit more... frustrating. Here are ten tips to get you closer to your dream bookstagram account!
Tip #1
First and foremost set up an Instagram account. Don't forget to set your account to public or else brands and other bookstagramers will not be able to see your photos.
Bookish usernames will make your Instagram more relevant especially if your audience consists mostly of bookworms.
Tip #2
Choose a theme! A theme can be a certain color scheme or a certain filter that you use for all or most of your photos. Here are some examples of consistent themes. Once you find a theme that you like, stick to it!
To help you choose a theme, I created a short quiz for you guys.
Which theme goes with your personality? Tip #3
Post regularly, this way you will develop a regular audience. If you connect your Instagram to Facebook you will gain access to statistics for each photo you post. You will be able to see which days and at what time of day you get the most engagement.
Tip #4
Get inspired. Follow other bookstagramers and take part in challenges and tags. Challenge yourself and realize that it takes time to get better. Use the props around you. You don't need to go out and buy fancy props and brand new books for every photo. Use what you have. There are hundreds of challenges out there to give you an idea of what you want to do. In fact I am actually co-hosting a July challenge. I would love it if you would join myself and others in this creative challenge.
Tip #5
Always use hashtags in your photos. You are guaranteed to get more engagement if you just use hashtags. Notice that I used 26 hashtags, and got 175 likes.
Tip #6
Develop your own style. Personally I like to take my photos outside, usually in the grass. I like to project a very upbeat vibe on my Instagram so I stick to vibrant colors and props that remind my audience of the outdoors.
Tip #7
Be creative and don't be afraid to stand out. I tried for the longest time to take indoor photos but it just never worked. However I've seen hundreds of Instagramers take gorgeous photos on their coffee table or using a bed sheet. Indoor photos have never been my forte, however when I started taking photos outside the difference was startling.
WARNING, awful photos ahead!
These are all from my early days on bookstagram and while I may not be the most amazing photographer out there I do think that I have improved.
These are some of my first photos when I began experimenting with the outdoors and natural lighting.
Tip #8
Don't be a negative nelly. People react to positivity and will return to your page if they feel like you are being genuine and nice.
Tip #9
Tell a story, more specifically tell your story. Integrate your other hobbies. Do you have a lot of pets? Do you play tennis? Do you like video games? Are you on the swim team?
Tip #10
This is a two in one. First off always use natural lighting. This will make your editing allot easier. Second when it comes to editing less is more. Invest in a nice editing app (I use Enlight, but there hundreds out there) and fine tune your photo as little as possible.
Let me know what you thought. Did this help? Let me know on Instagram at @livsbookshelf
Synopsis
Companies and the leaders within them struggle to achieve results. With the advances in technology companies are either running successfully into this new world, or failing to keep up. Is your company beached? Stranded on the sands of past success? Slow and steady no longer wins the race. Beached Whale will equip you to evaluate if your company has become beached. Do you have a coordinated enterprise company, or do you have a company mired down in bureaucracy? You could be a Beached Whale company. There is only one way to find out.
My Thoughts
Beached Whale is one of five books by the author Daren Martin PhD, otherwise known as the culture architect. Martin is no stranger to self-improvement novels as he has been writing novels of the genre since 2013. He is also no stranger to the way businesses work, having begun his own business while earning his master’s degree. Beached Whale is published by Clovercroft Publishing and is 189 pages. The book is a non-fiction, self-improvement book that teaches businesses new techniques in order to expand.
The book carries a very strong and clear message of how to achieve success. While the book targets entrepreneurs and business owners, it also teaches tips that the average person can learn from. The main focus of the novel is how to recognize and save a drowning business. While the book is Self- Help, it also falls into the Philosophy and Business genres. Careful readers will easily glean insight into critical business perspectives and advice. Beached Whale is an eye-opening book that both small and large business owners should read. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who is thinking of starting their own business or anyone who is currently working within corperate America. Finally, the novel is creative and original. Martin gives helpful advice in a simple, easy to digest format. Interview with Daren Martin PhD
1. How long were you a part time writer before you became a full-time one?
I have been writing for the last 20 years. I finally decided books on my computer were not doing me any good and it was time to put books out. Consequently, I have published 4 books in the last year with many more to come. I am a part time writer and a part time speaker. I do keynotes for companies. The two in combination are a perfect complement. 2. How many hours a day do you write? Some days zero some days 2-4. It depends on my schedule. I get a lot of writing done when I fly. My sister is a NYT bestselling Historical Romance Writer - Sabrina Jeffries. She is full time and goes for 5 pages a day. I tend to write more in spurts. 3. Do you read book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones? Absolutely. I repost the good ones and ignore the bad ones. haha. Actually, I have only had a few "bad ones". All feedback can be helpful so I try to take their feedback seriously. 4. Have you ever Googled yourself? Yes. It's important for managing your brand. Fortunately my parents spelled Daren in an unconventional manner so I tend to own the first few pages. 5. What are common traps for aspiring writers? Waiting until it is perfect. Production before perfection is a key concept for every author. There is a character in Camus' The Plague that works on the first sentence of his book for months. You will never write a book that way. Also, the early part of writing is the easy part. The clean up and finalization is always the more tedious part. You have to persevere vs. getting sucked into the appeal of starting something new. About the Author
Synopsis
Ever met a stranger who changed your view of life forever? Could one sentence change the way you look at relationships? Work? Maybe even your world? There are many day to day interactions that we brush off as unimportant. What if we saw more? What if we left the world better, in each moment, than it was when we arrived? Even if that meant doing hard things. What would that look like? What would that mean for your job, for your family, for your life? Consider what could happen if we took responsibility for not just our mess, but cleaned up found messes, even if it isn t ours. What could this mean for a company? What if you taught your employees to take initiative to leave the world and the things around them better than they found them? The Sink is the story of the small moments that make the biggest impact in our lives and our business, if only we pay attention. All it takes is one moment to transform and shift our perspective. Like the book Who Moved My Cheese, The Sink will ignite individuals, employees, leaders, and CEOs in organizations across the world to give more, pay attention to the details, and achieve results by leaving everything better than the way they found it.
My Thoughts
The Sink is published by Clovercroft Publishing House. The book was written by Daren Martin, PhD and Walter Nusbaum. Nusbaum spent over a decade doing training and development with executives, business people, athletes, and non-profit organizations. Daren Martin PhD is a thought leader and organizational change agent who transforms companies. He has a PhD in psychology and years of experience leading corporate change initiatives, architecting company cultures, and reinventing teams. It is a 95-page philosophy book that discusses a very important life lesson and how it can be applied to business. While the book falls into the general Non-Fiction genre; I would also classify it as self-improvement.
When I received The Sink, I thought it was going to be a bit boring. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book is very relatable. Not only that, it also introduced me to a new perspective on life. The book is centered around selflessness. This relatable novel delves into selflessness Constant improvement in the book takes the phrase “make the world a better place” to a new and different level. The book teaches its audience to be kind, selfless and to constantly strive to improve the lives of those around you as well as your own. It is eye opening and interesting. Anyone looking to start a business should most definitely give this one a look. From elementary school age children to senior adults, this novels lessons can be applied to people no matter where they are in life. The uniqueness in The Sink lies in how simple the message is and how there is no area in our lives that this philosophy cannot be considered incredibly helpful and quite genius. I would easily give The Sink a 5/5. Readers will come away with a fresh view of the world around them. About The Authors
Daren Martin is a thought leader and organizational change agent who transforms companies. He has a PhD in psychology and years of experience leading corporate change initiatives, architecting company cultures, and reinventing teams. As a keynote speaker, Dr. Martin engages audiences across the world. His travels have taken him to over forty countries as a speaker and teacher for small, mid-sized, and Fortune 500 companies. He is an inspirational resource for business managers and collaborative teams. Daren resides in Dallas, Texas.
Walter Nusbaum is President of The Nusbaum Group and the author of "Do You Have What It Takes?" He has spent over a decade doing training and development with executives, business people, athletes, and non-profit organizations. The combination of Walter's academic background in strategic management, leadership, and philosophy along with his ability to "see the problem" and provide "proven solutions" has made him a highly sought after speaker and coach.
Synopsis
The legacy of Mari and Alain blazes ahead in this brand-new sequel to the hit Audible original series The Pillars of Reality.
The world of Dematr had been locked unchanging for centuries by the Great Guilds, most people living in a world of oil lamps, crossbows, and horse cavalry, the Mechanics reserving to themselves the technology for steam locomotives, rifles, and far-talkers while the Mages treated all others as if they were nothing - until Master Mechanic Mari, dragon slayer and pirate queen, and Master of Mages Alain raised the army of the new day to free their world. Kira of Pacta Servanda, the daughter of the two greatest heroes of her world, was six years old the day she stood on a battlement in Dorcastle, staring up at a statue of her mother while surrounded by bodyguards who fenced Kira off from the nearby crowds. As the morning sun cast the shadow of Mari's statue over Kira, she realized that she would spend the rest of her life in that shade. Then the world of Dematr learned that a new kind of ship had left the far-distant world of Urth. The ship would take only 10 years to cover the immense distances between stars. Of all the colony worlds, the ship was coming to Dematr. But for what purpose? Kira was 16 when the ship from Urth arrived, and she discovered that her world still needed heroes. My Thoughts
Daughter of Dragons is the first book in Jack Campbells newest trilogy The Legacy of Dragons. The novel is published by Audible Studios and was released today! I found the way in which the main protagonists were introduced as sidekicks and incredibly average, very unique. In this follow up series to the hit The Pillars of Reality series, the reader gets an in depth look at the futuristic technology from Urth. Daughter of Dragons follows Kira, Mari and Alains daughter as she goes on a grand adventure with her strange new companion. Both Dematr and Urth hang in the balance, one wrong move from Kira could spell disaster for both worlds. Situations only become worse when Mari and Alain learn that the people from Urth are keeping a very dangerous secret.
The characters in this novel are very interesting. I am both surprised and delighted at how original the conflict in this novel is. While the story centers around Kira and Jason as they attempt to stop the people from Urth; Mari and Alain also make appearances throughout the novel on a similar mission. The first book in The Legacy of Dragons series presents both a person vs person conflict as well as a person vs society conflict. The Science Fiction novel combines elements of Fantasy with a bit of Steampunk to create a creative interesting story. Kira and Mari teach the reader that you should respect and listen to your parents, even if you don’t get along with them. Likewise, Jason and his mother show that not every parent makes good decisions. I found the character chemistry throughout this novel a bit slow and mild though I don’t feel like it hindered the story in any way. New characters meet old ones as the reader ventures back to the world of Dematr. The novel gives characters that any reader to, can relate young or old. While the novel is written for a teen audience, it is worth noting that this novel excellently switches between the perspectives of parent and child. I would recommend this book for families and teens. The novel deals with all sorts of issues from human rights to how to treat those who do you wrong. My favorite scene in this novel is Jason telling the story of Odysseus to the sailors. An interesting plot and fun characters draw the reader in and keep them listening until the last second About the Author
John Hemry known more commonly by his fans via the pen name Jack Campbell, is an American Sci-Fi Author. With twenty-eight novels, twenty-nine short fiction works and 6 non-fiction works published as of late early 2017 he is also quite well known. Campbells first novel Stark’s War was published in April of 2000 however his earliest short-fiction, One Small Spin was published in 1997. Campbell’s Non-Fiction Interstellar Navigation, published 2000, was his first venture into the genre. A retired U.S. navy officer Campbell even speaks some Russian.
Synopsis
The Great Guilds, fearing the loss of their control of the world of Dematr, have gathered their power and joined it with the relentless legions of the Empire.
The full might of that host will fall upon the fortress city of Dorcastle. If Dorcastle falls, the revolt led by Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain will fail, and their world will soon descend into chaos. Only Mari, believed to be the daughter of an ancient prophecy, can inspire the people and lead the defense of Dorcastle. The prophecy says she has a chance to win, but it doesn't say she will survive. Alain will stand by her, both willing to die for the other, but neither one knows if their sacrifices will mean victory. As they battle the Imperial legions and see friends fall, Mari and Alain face their greatest challenges. And if they somehow win in the face of impossible odds, neither one can be certain what sort of world that victory will produce. My Thoughts
The final installment to The Pillars of Reality, The Wrath of the Great Guilds was originally published for Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio. Since being published, however it has become available in paperback and e-book formats as well. The novel is written by Jack Campbell and is the epic finale to the six-part book series of which it belongs to. It is unique in that it tells a “Romeo and Juliet” like love story with both a Fantasy and a Science Fiction twist. As the six-part series concludes, Mari and Alain have gathered an army to challenge the Great Guilds. All their work, however will come to nothing if the city of Dorcastle falls. With the Mage and Mechanic Guilds teaming up with the Empire to defeat Mari; the odds of her surviving the encounter grow ever slimmer.
The Wrath of the Great Guilds is an epic and explosive ending to a fantastic series. Mari and Alain have both come far since their introductions in The Dragons of Dorcastle. Both characters are once again being hunted by assassins, dark mechanics, dark mages, the Great Guilds and the Empire. Similar to its prequels, The Wrath of the Great Guilds presents a person vs society conflict as Mari and Alain struggle against the very people who control their world. Science Fiction merges with Fantasy and Romance for this New Adult novel. The character chemistry is as intense as the world building, which is to say, very. The final, most epic installment to The Pillars of Reality is dramatic, exciting and filled with heart wrenching emotion. The novel is perfectly paced. Each battle scene is well suited to the new adult audience. The battle scenes, while dark is not gory or disgusting. The dialogue in the final book, unlike the other books in the series is very serious and a bit sad. I really enjoyed reading the battle at Dorcastle sequence. The raw emotion from both Mari and Alain is something I didn’t expect from this book, but I’m very glad was included. About the Author
John Hemry known more commonly by his fans via the pen name Jack Campbell, is an American Sci-Fi Author. With twenty-eight novels, twenty-nine short fiction works and 6 non-fiction works published as of late early 2017 he is also quite well known. Campbells first novel Stark’s War was published in April of 2000 however his earliest short-fiction, One Small Spin was published in 1997. Campbell’s Non-Fiction Interstellar Navigation, published 2000, was his first venture into the genre. A retired U.S. navy officer Campbell even speaks some Russian.
Synopsis
A Storm that will wreck a world threatens Dematr. Only Mari, one of the Mechanics who control all technology through their Guild, has a chance to stop it.
She and Mage Alain have survived numerous attempts to kill them and have gained many more followers, but the Storm of chaos, born of centuries of enslavement, grows ever closer. Mari leads an army now. She and Alain must fight together to bind back the Broken Kingdom and build a force strong enough to defeat the might of the Great Guilds. But the Storm has many Servants who seek to preserve or gain personal power or wealth, or fear the New Day that Mari seeks to bring to the world. And Mari knows that victory will mean nothing if the precious knowledge brought long ago to their world is destroyed. In order to save it, Alain and Mari will have to pierce through the heart of their enemies' power and confront once more a place of ancient nightmare. My Thoughts
The Servants of the Storm by Jack Campbell is the fifth book in The Pillars of Reality series. The novel was originally published by Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio but has since become available in e-book and paperback formats as well. Its use of magic and interesting sci-fi twists make it unique to its genres. In this particular installment tensions are rising among commons as the Storm approaches. Amongst the chaos and battles Alain must struggle to protect Mari against an unknown foe that threatens to take her life. Meanwhile Mari must attempt to fix her relationship with her father and raise an army that is capable of challenging the great guilds.
This novel takes on a darker tone than the previous books in the series which I enjoyed. The shift in tone led to an enormous but steady buildup of tension throughout the novel. Mari and Alain once again find themselves pitted aganst the Great Guilds, the Imperials, assassins, dark mages and of course dark mechanics. The fifth installment also continues the person vs society conflict theme seen throughout its prequels. The Servants of the Storm incorporates elements of Fantasy and Romance while balancing it out with a nice dose of Science Fiction. The novel teaches the reader many things, the most important perhaps being that you should never give up on your family. Mari and Alains chemistry both with each other and other characters becomes very strong as each character struggles in his or her own way. Written for a New Adult audience, the fifth installment to The Pillars of Reality builds tension and pulls at the readers emotions. Even the most sinister of characters does not act without reason, this creates a thought provoking scene and probably a startled reader. I would recommend this book to teens and adults especially readers who are fans of the Fantasy or Sci-Fi genres. As the second to last book in the series, this novel does a wonderful job of keeping the reader on the edge of his or her seat, all the while setting up for an epic end game. About the Author
John Hemry known more commonly by his fans via the pen name Jack Campbell, is an American Sci-Fi Author. With twenty-eight novels, twenty-nine short fiction works and 6 non-fiction works published as of late early 2017 he is also quite well known. Campbells first novel Stark’s War was published in April of 2000 however his earliest short-fiction, One Small Spin was published in 1997. Campbell’s Non-Fiction Interstellar Navigation, published 2000, was his first venture into the genre. A retired U.S. navy officer Campbell even speaks some Russian.
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Welcome to my bookblog!I am an American book blogger who loves to write. I love story's that have the power to change a person. What I'm ReadingArchives
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