Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon!

I came across this challenge on Goodreads, and since I have a massive To-Be-Read pile, I really appreciated the sentiment behind it!

My challenge is to take a photo of your favorite books from when you were growing up and tag me on Instagram, (@katie_hamstead) If you don't have Instagram, share it on my Facebook page and mention the Read-a-thon.

Also, I have a reading challenge that you can find on Goodreads, and I have joined in with myself. And, since my books fit the profile, I highly encourage you to use them to join in with the fun. (Find my books HERE) Australian Women Writers Challenge.


I also have a giveaway for you! So click below and enter to win some books!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Talking with Teens About Reading

***Originally posted on Aussie Owned and Read***

I know some great teenage girls who are smart, funny, bright, and generally pretty amazing. I contacted these teens, one who just completed her HSC last year, and the other who is in year eleven, and asked them to talk to their friends about books.

I brought them the below questions:

Why don't teens read very much, and what is preventing them from reading?

Miss 16: There's not enough time anymore to fit it in with homework, extracurricular activities etc. Books are expensive, they're big and they're bulky. It's difficult to find anything that is interesting, and everything feels the same and cliche.

I'm very rapidly getting sick of the good girl falls in love with the bad boy story, and all the modern dystopian love stories. I will always and forever love period dramas and fractured fairytales.

Miss 18: Senior school English. Enough said. Prescribed text. The groans of agony as every single beautiful detail is examined and analysed like a specimen in a jar. Year 11 and year 12 English taught me to dread reading- not because of reading itself, but the critical analysis and evaluation that I knew would come. I fell out of love with reading. My favourite books grew dusty, as I went through copious others that I'd never dare to pick up again. Reading lost its spark, it's beautiful release. It became a chore.

Then I finished the HSC. It didn't happen immediately, but when I saw a book from my favourite series on the shelves at the book shop, I knew I had to get it for my fellow Ruby Redfort lover and feaster, [my younger sister], for Christmas. It then dawned on me, that during the lapse in my love of reading, I'd missed the 4th book. What. How. Did. That. Happen? I picked it up, and read the 500+ page volume over two days. The flame was reignited. I tore through the entire series in 2 weeks (I didn't read for 5 days while at [a church] convention, so 9 days for 5 books). I re-established my relationships with my favourite characters. I fell in love with the way that details fitting in, no loose threads hanging at the end of the book. And I couldn't believe I'd let myself fall out of love with one of the most amazing joys in life!

But yes, agreed with [Miss 16] We don't need anymore chick flicks recycled. Nope. I love fantasy without too many dystopian aspects-it's just not original anymore. I hate that one gender has to triumph over the other, like weak girl vs. strong boy, or smart girl vs. dumb guy. Give me some equality, but don't make characters identical.

Seriously...is it that hard to take a cliché and turn it on its head? Bet the girl that she can't get the cool guy to go out with her. Make the pretty sweet best friend's favourite subjects art and chemistry, because she loves to watch things burn and explode. Why can't the "cool" guy teach ballet to little kids? Can we have normal characters who are just average at everything? Can we break away from the woe is me cancer story, where the main character dies and breaks our hearts? I wanna see people get to their feet and fight through their problems. I want to see characters that break the mold and are vulnerable, but aren't afraid to fight for what they want, what is right, and what they believe in. I want it to be complicated, for self doubt to creep in, for grey areas that leave us questioning. I need a book that keeps on the edge of my seat, that makes me think, that I can't predict the ending to (did not pick the end of Diverging Cadence at all. It was perfect). And I looooove fractured fairytales and historic fiction and time slip stories.

What can you suggest to overcome these obstacles?

Miss 16: For bulky books we suggested ebooks. Reading classics as opposed to newer things can help break cliches. And to find time, reading during car/train/bus trips to various places can be worked into busy schedules.

Miss 18: I think kids need to be taught to read and to love reading when they're young, and be free to read what they want as long as it's appropriate. English teachers should give kids a de-stress lesson every once in a while to just read for enjoyment. One of the things that I loved hearing at uni the other day is the idea that you always, always, ALWAYS read a book for the first time just for enjoyment. You don't force them to learn, or think, you just read it for fun. Fortunately, reading is also becoming a bit more of a "cool thing", so younger people are being encouraged to read more, which is fantastic. And to those kids that can't find the book they want to read, write it yourself! Readers are writers, and writers are readers, they go hand in hand.

We discussed the issue of expense and how that can be overcome. Many teens don't have ereaders, except on their phones, and even then that's limited according to data usage. Many teens, due to school and social expectations, don't have time for jobs, and when they do, their priority is paying for other things. An ebook that is $2 or $3 is more appealing that one that's $8 or $9, because that extra $5 can be used on that gear they need for that extracurricular activity, but they'd be happy to spend a couple of dollars for something enjoyable to read on that bus trip, because as Miss 18 said, reading is becoming "cool". It just needs to be affordable too.

What I gleaned from these teens is that they face the same issues I did as a teenager. I wanted to read, but I could never find anything that felt unique or interesting enough for me to spend my limited time or money reading, especially went I was forced to read and analyse the crap out of something I hated. Honestly, the only books I purchased as a teenager were the Harry Potter books. Even my scouring of the school or local library rarely came up with much. I also had to factor in the size of the book, because I had to carry the thing home along with textbooks and what-not. A hardback book was always set aside for a paperback, and nowadays, an ebook is even lighter.

I think, with our tech-savvy rising generation, access and affordability for ereaders will make a huge difference in how many teens spend their time reading.

So, although there are more and more books aimed at teens, the ratio of teen readers doesn't match up. The market and industry may have changed, but the lifestyles of teens, and their accessibility to books, hasn't. Even if it is becoming cool, other factors prevent reading, like time and cost. They've also lost interest in what's "trending" in the market. They want stories that are fun, fresh and exciting, not necessarily issue driven because issues are their daily lives, and with characters who are like them; just normal, everyday kids. If we want to encourage readers among teenagers, the gap needs to be closed.

My Favorite Reads of 2015

At the year's end, I felt it appropriate to mention my five star reads from this year. It doesn't matter if they released this year, or whenever, I just had to read them this year. I'm surprised by how many books I read this year, considering I had three book releases, which also includes edits and promotion, and having a baby, but, that aside, along with a few beta reads, I read a total of 24 books according to Goodreads. Yeah, not bad, eh?
So, here are my top reads for this year. (You can find their reviews under the review tab above.)

Review: Hopper House (Jenkins Cycle #3) by John L. Monk

From Goodreads:
Dan meets a mysterious woman named Rose who says he’s not alone. Like him, she’s dead and possesses the bodies of awful people. Unlike him, she doesn’t care what they’ve done, and she hides a secret shame.

Through Rose, Dan learns there are others like them, living in the shadows, hopping blissfully from ride to ride chasing excitement and chemical highs. For them, morality doesn’t matter, virtue is negotiable, and consequence has a three week expiration date.

They call themselves “hoppers.”







My Thoughts:
If you've been following my for a while, you'll know that I loved books 1 and 2 of this series. Like seriously LOVED from page one. This book is no different.

Dan Jenkins is one of those characters who you can't help but love. He's quirky, hopelessly flawed, has a wicked sense of humor, and a strong moral code. I think that's what made me love him the most in the first two books; that he always wanted to do the right thing, even when he was dealing with seriously evil bad guys that he pretty much had to kill or they'd go on being evil.
Hopper House takes a new turn for Dan's afterlife experience when he discovers he's not the only person like him jumping from body to body. And Rose wants him to stay that way. Despite her efforts, he finds himself cornered by a new nemesis, one who knows all about his "condition" and how to blackmail him. But in typical Dan style, he's not going to give in without doing his best to make the bad guy pay.

I could rant and rave about this book until the cows come home. It's one of those books I couldn't put down, even when I really needed to. The character of Dan really does make this story. He makes these ugly situation amusing and light, and these horrible so confused and thrown of guard by his quirky unpredictability. But he has a big heart, and I'm so glad that's what comes through in the end, even when the minister is a nut job, and the other hoppers are also kind of crazy.

I'm pretty sad the series is over... at least it definitely feels like it wrapped up nicely. If there are more books, this little bit of sadness I get when finishing a really good book series will go away. Seriously, it's like I turned that last page and felt like I'd lost a friend.

While I would never call The Jenkins Cycle books clean reads, they definitely are riveting page turners I'd recommend to anyone who's not overly sensitive and loves a great, exciting, and unique adventure with an unforgettable hero.

Review: Link by Summer Weir

From Goodreads:
For seventeen-year-old Kira, there’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than being surrounded by friends and huddled beside a campfire deep in the woods. And with a birthday in the peak of summer, that includes late night swims under the stars.

Or at least, it used to.

Kira’s relaxing contemplation of the universe is interrupted when a piece of it falls, colliding with her and starting a chain of events that could unexpectedly lead to the one thing in her life that's missing—her father.

Tossed into a pieced-together world of carnivals and gypsies, an old-fashioned farmhouse, and the alluring presence of a boy from another planet, Kira discovers she’s been transported to the center of a black hole, and there’s more to the story than science can explain. She’s now linked by starlight to the world inside the darkness. And her star is dying.

If she doesn’t return home before the star’s light disappears and her link breaks, she’ll be trapped forever. But she’s not the only one ensnared, and with time running out, she’ll have to find a way to save a part of her past and a part of her future, or risk losing everything she loves.

Dreamy, fluid, and beautiful, Link pairs the mystery of science fiction with the minor-key melody of a dark fantasy, creating a tale that is as human as it is out of this world. 

My Thoughts:
I just want to say that I read this in it's early stages and loved it! When I heard Summer had signed, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a finished copy. More than that, I want the second book! Hahaha!
That said, I love that a year and a half has passed since I read this. I remembered enough to still feel connected, but at the same time, it felt so new. There were scenes I'd forgotten or I'm sure are new since I read it before.
I love this book. The premise is so unique and well thought out. Traveling to another world through a dying star that's being sucked into a black hole? That's pretty neat. And the best part is that it's well executed. The characters are believable and likable, and leave you wondering what's happening below the surface.
I'm all about love interests, but this one I'm really torn about who I want to see Kira end up with. For most of the book I was all about Zane, I love a good lifelong friend turned lover story, but at the end, Evan really made me waver. I just don't know, which is why I need book 2!
How Kira is all connected into everything shows how well plotted out this series is going to be. This is a must read, and a clean read for an added bonus.

New Summer Reading List!

So I've totally finished my summer reading list already! Crazy! I guess making goals motivates me pretty well. As a result, I'm making a new reading list. But first, my books I chose earlier. Click on my Reviews tab above to see my thoughts on the books.
They were:

Souls Entwined

Altar of Reality

Fight For Me

Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend

Broken Forest (coming soon)

Now onto my new list. These books I've selected because... well, they are pdf's, and I don't like pdfs on my kindle! Ha ha! My logic is strange, I know. I also have one that's part of a series I already started. So with no further ado, my new summer reads.

Evade (The Ever Trilogy) by Jessa Russo

I read book 1, Ever, ages ago, so I need to read this to continue the story.

Link by Summer Wier

Summer is all kinds of awesome, and I read an early version of this. So when the ARC came up, I grabbed to to see what it's improved version.

Five: Out of the Dark by Holli Anderson

Holli sent this to me when I was planning on meeting her at UtopYA, before I found out I was pregnant. I think I still need to read this YA adventure.

Rescued by Larynn Ford

Larynn sent this to me after I helped with some promo on my blog. It's been sitting on my kindle forever!

Dangerous Works by Caroline Warfield

Like Larynn, Caroline sent me a copy after we helped each other with some blog promotion. Needs to be read!

Review: Souls Entwined by Ann B. Cole

From Goodreads:

When a cursed family heirloom sends Gretta Dobbs back in time, a hunky construction worker, Sam Daggett, suddenly finds himself love struck and joins her adventure. Their souls entwine within the bodies of young lovers on a Greek island in 1829, where they begin to unravel the mysteries behind Gretta’s ring all while avoiding a bloodthirsty pirate who is determined to seek revenge. Gretta and Sam must find the secrets needed to save her and her relatives from an afterlife in purgatory and return to their own lives—or risk becoming prisoners of the past, continuing the evil cycle of the ring’s curse. 




My Thoughts:
I've had this sitting on my Kindle for a long time, but it kept getting pushed back. Anne was a contestant in Aussie Owned and Read's Pitcharama a few years back, which is where she got this book deal. I've been intrigued to read it ever since.
In the beginning, we see several women in the PIT, a limbo state as they wait to be freed by their descendants. A curse has been placed on their family, and they are determined to have it broken.
Enter Sam, a smart young man who has lost his way since his mother's death. He dropped out of college to care for his father, and lives each day missing his mother. Until Gretta literally stumbles into his life. She's part of the cursed family, and together, they are sent back to observe the events leading to the curse in hopes of finding a way to break it.
I don't know if anyone out there has played Assassin's Creed, or at least knows the concept. To me, this has a similar feel. The main character are sent back in time to figure out the answers for current day problems. I love the set of the Grecian Islands, along with the action of pirates blended with romance.
My complaint would be the perspectives sometimes feel jumpy, and there were times I had to go back to figure out who said what.
I have a feeling with this open ending this is the first book in a series. If not, I'm pretty bummed. I want to see what happens with Sam and Gretta.
This book has a steady flow, slow in some places, but in general I enjoyed the pace and the action, and the characters captured my heart.

My Summer Reads!

I've seen a few of these floating around, so I thought I might pull one together. I've already read a few, like Sachael Dreams and Night of Pan (You can find my reviews by clicking the tab above) but here are the ones at the top of my list to read. Hopefully I'll get time to read them between my three releases and having a baby! I have every intention of cramming while in the hospital.

Here we go!

Souls Entwined
I've had this sitting on my Kindle for a long time, but it keeps getting pushed back. Not any more! Anne was a contestant in Aussie Owned and Read's Pitcharama a few years back, which is where she got this book deal.
Anne is a doll, and I'm eager to see where this time travel romance goes.

Altar of Reality
This is written by a good friend of mine, Mara. I helped her prepare the first few chapters for Curiosity Quills, and have been dying to finish it ever since. It's like a dystopian, but not. I'm intrigued to see what this story does.

Fight for Me (The Tate Chronicles #2)
I started this series a few months back with book 1, Fall For Me, then read the two novellas. You can find my reviews for them under my reviews tab above. So, since I have started it, I want to continue the story.
Plus, it's set in Australia. Can't beat that.

Reasons I Fell For The Funny Fat Friend
Cassie Mae (aka Becca Ann) is always a treat to read. Her characters are witty, quirky, and have voices that pop off the pages. I have no doubt this novel will be the same.
And bonus, they're pretty clean too. I feel safe reading and sharing Cassie's books.

Broken Forest
This is another one of those books I've had sitting on my kindle forever that keeps getting pushed back. Again, I'm making this one a priority. Eliza has been a wonderful support and is a great person, so I really need to get on this one. We were actually signed about the same time by the same person! Crazy, huh? I don't read much fantasy, but this doesn't seem too heavy, and has strong family elements that I enjoy.

Review: Night of Pan by Gail Strickland

From Goodreads:
The slaughter of the Spartan Three Hundred at Thermopylae, Greece 480 BCE—when King Leonidas tried to stop the Persian army with only his elite guard—is well known. But just what did King Xerxes do after he defeated the Greeks?

Fifteen-year-old Thaleia is haunted by visions: roofs dripping blood, Athens burning. She tries to convince her best friend and all the villagers that she’s not crazy. The gods do speak to her.

And the gods have plans for this girl.

When Xerxes’ army of a million Persians marches straight to the mountain village Delphi to claim the Temple of Apollo’s treasures and sacred power, Thaleia’s gift may be her people’s last line of defense.

Her destiny may be to save Greece...
...but is one girl strong enough to stop an entire army?


My Thoughts:
Night of Pan is a fascinating tale about the Oracle of Delphi and her rise to her position during a tumultuous and well renowned time of Greek history. It follows Thaleia as she runs from her wedding and meets the god Pan. This meeting changes the course of her life as she soon comes to realize she is the mouthpiece of the gods, and has the ability to potentially save Greece from the Persians.
This is not a YA read, it's definitely more adult with the heavy internal dialogue and overly flowery language. Although it's not as "mature" as an adult book, I think young readers could easily get bored and distracted by the lack of action verses the heavy description and lyrical language. In my opinion, it feels like I've walked into a high school history class, and while some teens might love this, I think the majority won't. This "heavy" writing, although beautiful and poetic, makes the pace slow. The story doesn't get to the actual war until after halfway through the novel. *spoiler*
Being a history nerd, I wasn't surprised by her youthful engagement to a considerably older man. This goes along with supporting the rest of the historical aspects in showing accuracy and establishing how different the setting is to our modern culture. I can't fault the history. But the fact that Thaleia ran away from the arrangement shows how reckless she is, and how she refuses to conform, a potentially dangerous trait in her time. In fact, it made me struggle to place her in that time. She feels too much like a modern day high school girl, whereas culturally the norm would be for her to be ready to marry and be a mother. This, among other examples of Thaleia's behavior, clashes with how historically accurate the rest of the book reads. It's like a contemporary YA character has been placed into a thesis or journal. Separately they are great, but together it's a bit jarring.
As I said, the writing is beautiful, and imagery colorful. It tells a well known tale from history through a new perspective.

Review: Fool's Ride (The Jenkin's Cycle Book 2) by John L. Monk

From Goodreads:
Dan Jenkins is back, body hopping a scumbag at a time in his quest for the perfect ride. He doesn’t need much. Premium cable TV, good books, a well-stocked pantry, and he's set. But the Great Whomever has other plans.

After six months waiting in limbo, Dan catches a ride as a horror novelist whose gruesome stories aren’t just fiction. Later, he hunts a man who’s escaped justice for far too long. Then, in his greatest challenge yet, he strays too deeply into the lives of the people he loves: his most foolish ride of all.

My Thoughts:
So reading this was off my schedule, but I loved book 1 so much I couldn't help myself.
Jut like book 1, Kick, Dan's adventures start from page one as he tries to work out the weird and twisted world of his "rides" This time around he has some doozies, too. It probably doesn't help that I'm pregnant and have small children, and the victims of his rides are those two things. Add in my pregnancy hormones and I was in for an emotional ride!
But this time, Dan's real life past returns, as well as the minister from Kick. It makes me wonder where Dan is headed, and I'm eager for the next installment.
I just don't have words without handing out spoilers. But this book is worth everyone's time. It's something I can't put down, and Dan's conflict while also trying to have some fun makes him the perfect character for his body hopping situation.
Looking forward to the continuation of this series.

Reviews of Curiosity Quills Book Part 2

Two Saturdays ago, I posted several reviews of Curiosity Quills book I've read, so here are some more. To find the full details and review, go to the Review tab above and find the book under the author's sir name.

FYI, although it's a bit stop and start due to lots of distractions, I'm currently reading:

This was a great Halloween read. With witches and past lives all twisting and turning, it kept me thinking.

This is definitely a plot that kept me wondering, trying to work out who was who and what exactly was going on. I even thought about it while at the gym, trying to figure out how it would end.
I'm not one to read creepy things, so although this had moments, I didn't get overwhelmed. It was nicely balanced and didn't feel dark.
The only down side; I didn't connect with the main characters, which is pretty sad considering it's their love story.
But I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants something for Halloween that's not going to give you nightmares, but leaves you happy with the end result.

Talk about all the feels! When I first met Mike, before he died, I soon decided I didn't WANT him to die. This is really early on, so I'm not giving out spoilers. So when he did, I was so sad! But meeting him, getting to know him a but made his death and the events that follow, believable.
Poor Emma. What a crazy series of events she faces in this book. She starts out reserved, kind of beaten down from her high school days and lacking in confidence. But as the book progresses, she changes and grows with each of the lessons the guys unwittingly teach her... some wittingly teach her too. Although she starts out thinking everyone hates her, she learns it's not true. Yes, Mike's brother blames her for his death, but although again she thinks everyone does, it's really just him.
Chrissy I want to beat over the head. Just saying. And Abby is a doll.
But each of the guys you develop a connection with. Each one has his own unique thoughts, feelings and situation he has to take care of, and Emma's there to assist them all, whether she wants to be or not.
All up, a great all around read. I loved it from start to finish, especially all the guys and how well rounded and believable they were. I'm anxious for the next book!

***I was the Acquiring Editor of this book****

Sixteen year old Lyla, is the daughter of the town mortician, and the family has been morticians for generations. When their cosmetologist quits and leaves her resignation painted in lipstick on a body, Lyla rushes in to fix it before all the guests arrive and see it.
But that night, the body vanishes. Everyone thinks it's stolen, and since Lyla is already a social outcast, the mockery at school intensifies.
She has one friend, Cassie, who stands up for her. She is also close to her older brother, Ben, who she sees as her protector. He, in contrast to her, is a cool, popular, lead singer of a band.
Then, the body reappears... reanimated!
A new band member soon appears in her brother's group. Eric seems disinterested in Lyla at first, but when she finds herself confronted with the walking body again, he saves her, and a friendship starts. Lyla even starts to develop feels for this mysterious new band member.
Talk about a great read! This is a fabulous YA read about a girl struggling with self-identity with everyone tearing her down, and things only getting worse as she discovers new things about herself and Eric. But she struggles on, despite the people she cares most about turning against her.

It's rather gripping, and the descriptions of the walking corpses are creepy and gross. I found myself wanting to keep reading, despite needing to sleep and live.

Voting For My .... Soul Mate Read! #amreading

In the new year, I am starting something new that I'm really excited about. But right now, I need votes on what to read for February. Please share/tweet etc this post so we can get plenty of votes. As a thank you, one of my ebooks will be given to a voter of the winning book.
Check out the reviews for my previous vote winners August (other Tate installments here) and September, and keep an eye out for my review for October's read; Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief... which I am yet to read haha!

So, here we go!

Souls Entwined by Ann

Rescued by Larynn Ford

Cursed be the Wicked by J.R. Richardson

Promises to Keep by Char Chaffin

Mountain Hero by Cheryl Yeko

Forever After by Alexa Night

Dangerous Works by Caroline Warfield

And VOTE!

My Favorite Books of 2014

I've read quite a few books this year, so I've picked my top five to share here with you. It wasn't easy, as there's a few I loved that I didn't include on this list. But anyway, these are books I hope you all get a chance to read, especially since most of them have sequels or the first in a series.

5.

Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

My Review

4.

How to Date a Nerd by Cassie Mae

My Review

3.

The Artful by Wilbert Stanton

My Review

2.

How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser

My Review

1.

Kick by John L. Monk

My Review

There you have it! It's been a fun and eventful year, and I'm looking forward to even more reading and writing opportunities next year.

No November Reads Voting...

Sorry guys! Due to a backlog of submissions and requested review material, along with trips and my own writing, I won't be doing a vote this month. But stay tuned! Once I've caught up, I'll start again.

Vote For My October Read - Paperbacks

It's that time again! Time to vote for my read. If you want to see the review and bonus interview for last month's winner, click here: How to Date Dead Guys.

As well as having a huge pile up of books on my kindle, I have tons of paperbacks sitting in wait for me as well. So, Once every three months, I'll put paperbacks in for your vote. Some of these I've had for quite some time, so they are a little old.

Like always, vote 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in order of preference, and tell me why :-)

Here they are!

Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Jade by Olivia Rigal

The Rose Master by Valentina Cano

After Dark Curiosity Quills Anthology

So vote, share, lobby etc etc. Make me read something you want to see reviewed, and a lucky winner from the people who voted for the winner, will be drawn to receive one of my books as a paperback, signed and everything! (U.S only because I'm not loaded. Non U.S. folk can get an ebook of their choice.)