YzhaBella's BookShelf: September 2011

9/30/11

Review & Giveaway: Monarch by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Please see GIVEAWAY details below. But first! Thanks for stopping by to take a boo at my review ;)

For those of you who've read this Contemporary Thriller, what did you think? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts?

For those of you who haven't, what are you waiting for? Grab your self a copy and let's get chatting!

Here we go!...

Monarch is a somewhat intense, romantic and suspenseful thriller that may keep you guessing and slightly intrigued, but fails to address some pretty prominent parts of the whole. While easy flowing with plenty of potential, readers my find themselves left feeling rather hallow at the conclusion of their reading experience. Too many questions are left unanswered in spite of an implied importance to the overall.

What is the significance of the repeated mention of the Monarch Butterfly? Sure, Lilian loves them and cares for their fate, but what purpose do they serve in the grand scheme of things? Perhaps I just don’t get it, but I certainly did not discover enough of a significance to warrant a book title.

Lilian Love, while fairly well written, is a weak and indecisive character who is ultimately stuck in the past. A middle-aged divorcee with a B&B business she can be proud of, one would think that Lilian would rise above and realize the potential for her future. Here’s this gorgeous man who’s suddenly reappeared in her life and all she can do is mope and pine for him while he’s gone? Oh! And let's not forget that she’s still stuck on her ex-husband and hung-up on the failure of their marriage.

Why do Nick and Clara blame Violet for her mother’s murder? Sure, Violet was there when it happened, but it is never full explained as to why Nick and Clara hold her accountable. Throughout the novel there is an intense animosity between Clara and her sister and the lack of love that Nick displays for Violet, his own daughter, is really quite sad. Sure, at the conclusion of Monarch, Nick ultimately realizes his folly makes amends with Violet, but seriously! What could this poor girl have done that was so horrible? There must have been something; unfortunately Mrs. Davidson Argyle failed to share this with her audience.

All this aside, Michelle is a technically fantastic writer. The story flows well, descriptions are clear and concise, and for the most part, foundation is solid.

Please don’t discount Monarch simply because I’ve failed to be fully satisfied. I am the first to admit that I feel like I have “missed” something and perhaps Monarch and I are just not a great fit. Plenty of room for discussion here readers!

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Monarch
by Michelle Davidson Argyle
September 15, 2011
Rhemalda Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-936850-19-8
ePUB ISBN: 978-1-936850-00-6
ePDF ISBN: 978-1-936850-01-3

Back cover Blurb
Nick's life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness, a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the United States has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he'll have the chance to start his life over again. Just when he's on the brink of catching Ferreira, he's framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia, where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He's safe, but not for long.

Find Michelle on the Web

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GIVEAWAY!!!

Courtesy of Rhemalda Publishing,
there is one PRINT copy of Monarch up for grabs!

Contest Ends October 8, 2011 11:59pm est

Winner will be announced via blog post and via email

within 7 days of event closure.

A reply will be required within 72 hours of said announcement/email

Reviews are written on a volunteer basis and are only the opinions of the individual review author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or views of the author, publisher, or public readers in general
Copyright © YzhaBella's BookShelf 2010-11

9/14/11

3rd annual TD National Reading Summit

(Press Release originally distributed by S&S Canada, via email distribution)

TD National Reading Summit III
Vancouver, British Columbia
May 2-5 2012

Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Kick-off Event at the Wong Theatre, Goldcorp Centre for the Performing Arts (evening public event)

Thursday, May 3, 2012
Simon Fraser University, Segal Graduate School of Business (all day for summit registrants only)

Friday, May 4, 2012
Simon Fraser University, Segal Graduate School of Business (all day for summit registrants only)

Saturday, May 5, 2012
Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch (daytime public event)

For more information about the summit and further details about the National Reading Campaign and its goals, please click here to visit the website.

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The main goal of the National Reading Campaign and Reading Coalitions purpose is to encourage and promote reading among all Canadians, "reflecting the value of reading as a tool for democracy and civic engagement, a means to equalize the playing field for all Canadians, a way for Canadians to learn about themselves, and a vehicle for joy".

(Ref: Official website of The National Reading Campaign http://nationalreadingcampaign.ca/)

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As an avid reader and a mother to a tween who's following in my footsteps (Yeah! *clap, clap, clap*) I fervently applaud the efforts of the National Reading Campaign and all that the Reading Coalition has set out to achieve.

9/9/11

The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen

I love a reading adventure that stretches the limits of my imagination and The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen did just that. Unfortunately, the overall reading experience was somewhat tainted due to lack of proper spelling, poor grammar and excess information. While there is most definitely a significant amount of room for improvement, I think many readers will be rather intrigued with the story itself.

The Good
The Fallen Star is a very unusual tale, expressing Sorensen’s extremely creative imagination and presenting a plot that quickly pulls the reader in. It’s truly nothing I’ Within the first 2 chapters, foundations and characters are quickly established and as the developing plot begins to unfold, Sorensen conveys an interesting sense of mystery and intensity thereby making the reader want to learn more and to figure out all the mysterious pieces of this unusual puzzle.

The Bad
In short, (and with all due respect to Jessica), “TMFI”. There is way too much extra information bulking up the pages of The Fallen Star. Some readers may find it hard to filter the excessive “fluffage” and get to the meat of the story. However, I would also like to point out that while I detest wading through pointless meanderings, I was pleasantly surprised that it really didn’t bother me too much. I could have done with less, but found myself able to squeeze through the bulk and stay interested with relatively little effort.

The Ugly
Rife with spelling and grammatical errors, The Fallen Star seems more of a second or third draft rather that a final edition ready for the general public. Perhaps further proofing, a more thorough attention to detail and a beta reader (or three) would have helped ensure a more professional edition worthy of public release,

Sorensen has presented The Fallen Star from the point of view of Gemma, a 16 year old introvert and self proclaimed loner who until very recently has never felt any sort of emotion. Gemma tells her tale as if she is having a one on one conversation with the reader. While in many cases such a presentation can be extremely effective, (making the reader feel as if he or she is part of the story), in this particular case the dialect used is extremely immature, rife with slang, improper sentences, and sounds forced making it obvious that the author is a adult who has attempted to disguise her voice as that of a very young girl. Additionally, this dialect makes Gemma seem a weak and indecisive character.

The last of “The Ugly” is what I have perceived as a poor choice in supporting characters. Alex is introduced as the hot, new guy in town with an abrasive “don’t mess with me” attitude that at once appalls and appeals to Gemma. As it turns out, Alex is supposed to protect Gemma from those who would do her harm and as such, one would think his character would be supportive and trustworthy. Unfortunately, Sorensen has written Alex as compulsive liar bent on keeping secrets from Gemma and completely lacking in the support department. With the first installment of the Fallen Star Series, I would think that Alex should have been Gemma’s “Knight in shinning armor”. Unfortunately, in addition to his propensity for lying and secrecy, Alex is shallow, egotistical and entirely without substance.

All negativity aside, Jessica Sorensen most definitely has a great imagination and I think it’s a shame that she hasn’t been snatched up by one of the many publishing houses. All those previously noted blunders would be easily and effectively corrected with the assistance of a proper editor and a circle of beta readers. While I am certain many readers will be turned off by the technical, I truly feel there are just as many who will be able crawl through to the meat of the story to become intrigued, entertained and eager to hear the rest of the adventure.

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Find Jessica on the Web

Shelfari

The Fallen Star
by Jessica Sorensen
April 2011
Self-Published via CreateSpace
ISBN-10: 1461052149
ISBN-13: 978-1461052142

GoodReads Description
For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she's around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life. But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma's life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn't be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.

9/1/11

Wanna See My R.A.K.? - September

Hosted by the loverly ladies over at Book Soulmates, R.A.K (Random Acts of Kindness) is a wonderful way for book lovers to connect and share in their love of the written word!

What could be more fun for a Book Lover than to unexpectedly receive a bookish treat in the mail? You never know! You might just be the lucky ducky who gets that book you've been "dying" to have!

RAK Rules :

Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.
Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
Create a wish-list and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month. Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.
NEW Once you receive a RAK, email or tweet {Vanessa} so that she can update the Google doc. There are a lot of requests for this!
If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish-list and contact that blogger for their address.
At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K! Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

R.A.K. Sign Up for September

View who is participating

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So c'mon and join the fun!

Click the RAK button and get yourself signed up!

Here's my "RAK"!

Lol, wanna show me yours? Share the link below!