Out of the Box Blogs

The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones

Les

This is an amazing series! Kar and I love it. She introduced me to this series and I can’t get enough of it. I get so excited when we get a new novella or new book. I actually met Darynda Jones at the Romantic Times Convention 2015. She was really sweet and probably thought I was a weirdo, since I was holding my own autographed copy of Eighth Grave After Dark to my chest like someone would try to steal it. I got it at the convention before it was released, so I was reluctant to read it because I knew I would have to wait so long for my next fix of Charley and Reyes.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting Charley yet, allow me to give you a little taste of what this series is about.

Charley Davidson is the grim reaper, and she is a crazy, caffeine addicted, witty, crazily bold girl. Her job is to help people cross over into the other side, Unfortunately sometimes they aren’t ready to go, or don’t believe they are dead. She is also a Private investigator, because she is in contact with the dead she can solve cases easier than by typical means. She has sidekicks that are funny and witty as well, as they have to be because Charley keeps everyone on their toes.

Enter big black, who is  probably the only incorporeal being Charley is afraid of even though he has saved her life before.I can’t reveal who it is, well because you know me I have to leave you hanging. Enter crazy stepmoms, sisters, uncles, and dead perverts and you have a well rounded story that will have you laughing and wanting more.

For those who have read this series, how excited are you for the new novella Brighter than the Sun?

So if you want to check out this series I will list the first three for you.

First Grave on the Right

Second Grave on the Left

Third Grave Dead Ahead

Go ahead pick it up, I don’t know how anyone could be disappointed in this series.

Peace out,

Les

Books, Reviews

Eidolon by Grace Draven

Karen

grace4

I’ve been holding any Grace Draven reviews very near and dear to my heart. You see she represents what every indie author wants, success. She writes great books independent of any publishing houses influence and she does it well. Plus I had the opportunity to actually meet Grace and she is genuinely a nice person (I find most authors are) which only added to my love of her, plus her books are for lack of a better word, awesome. She writes fantasy with a romantic element but it’s never quite traditional. Anyone who read Radiance would know that putting a gray, ugly alien with a human doesn’t scream success and love normally but Grace, she made it fantastic. So it’s with great anticipation that I look forward to the second book in the Wraith Kings series, Eidolon. Grace has been releasing pieces of the cover on her Facebook but since she’s revealed the whole I feel comfortable putting it on my blog, with this snippet:

In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne.

Three enemy kingdoms must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king must raise an army of the dead to defeat an army of the damned.

A tale of alliance and sacrifice.

It’s set to release sometime at the end of this year or early next year but until then pick up another Grace Draven book you won’t be disappointed.

Books, Out of the Box Blogs, Reviews

What’s too far in fantasy books?

Karen

I follow a few different fantasy and urban fantasy series and in the last year I’ve noticed an unfortunate trend, authors going too big with they’re characters and story lines. You see the beautiful thing to me about fantasy is that it can be anywhere and be about anything. So how does an author go too big? These are the things that have been series killers for me:

  1. Over complicated story lines. There is nothing quite like finding out that a great book you read is going to become a series. But when you get into books 3 and 4 and suddenly they completely change the story line or make the plot so complicated it’s ridiculous that’s frustrating to me as a reader. Listen if you, as an author, don’t want to write it anymore or just creativity can’t, then don’t. I know, I know, your saying but if it’s in the series you get guaranteed 5 stars from fans or maybe even you’re under contract. Think about this though what if I have someone read book four first then try to go back and read book one? Would they be confused with the stories even connecting? Sometimes you don’t even have the same characters. If you find that to be true then I’m probably going to stop reading your series.
  2. Unbelievable characters. Again this is fantasy, keep in mind readers do accept unbelievable things in fantasy. Want wings to suddenly pop out of your characters back? A-okay! But when the same character also breathes fires, is invincible and can be chopped in half by a sword and come back to life, come on. The worst is when they are horrible people treating everyone around them terribly why they themselves cry about being forgiven for every minor infraction. The result? Everyone loves them or wants to be them. I just threw up a little in my mouth. Honestly I’ve never wished for so many characters to die at the end of they’re books! But how, they’re invincible!
  3. Long, drawn out books. They’re are books I read that I never want to end, and in fantasy world building takes time so I get that some books will be a bit longer than others. But if the first book was 300 pages, with all the character intros and world building, and the new book is 800 pages some editing maybe required. There is an art in being able to tell a story in 300-400 pages and I appreciate those who do.
  4. Character addition. Stories will grow and with that characters are going to be added, I get that and support it. But when each book adds 5-10 characters and very few are being taken away, I’m starting to lose track. The main character is constantly talking to all these people I can’t remember and honestly it makes me start to lose focus on the story. When that happens I start to lose interest in the series.

I’m not an author so I can’t imagine how hard it is to keep a story line alive but I am a reader and I just can’t take it! Something different make you crazy? Comment. Don’t like my list, make your own…

Books, Out of the Box Blogs, Reviews

Just a little update

Les

I am currently reading two books, which I won’t name right now. And there is one in my list I really want to get to, but in order to get to it I have to finish some others. I had to put one of the books down or as Kar would say “I have put this one in a time out”. I just feel like right now this book is becoming predictable and too similar to the first one. I had to take a break from it. Hopefully I’ll finish it by tomorrow anyway. The second book is interesting so far and I am enjoying it. 

Anyway, hope you guys have a good night. 

Peace

Les