April Plans

So, as many of you well know, I will be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this April (I hope you will be joining me?), which, naturally, means I will be writing my face off in order to reach 50k in the course of one Month, which, again naturally, means I will not have as much time for Blogging as I would like.

I planned out this April on my Calender, trying to see if I couldn't fit a normal schedule in there on some days, but there's simply no way to write really great, quality posts that you need while my brain is drowning in so many words and late night and Coffee and Chocolate.

So, I WILL be posting--I am pre-writing some Reviews I've gotten behind on, and will post those throughout the Month, along with some Updates and Top Three Thursdays so, all in all, a pretty full Month ahead, but I just wanted to give you guys a little insight on what to expect.

To be honest, I'm a bit panicked at the moment--I have one day left until April 1st and I haven't even decided which Novel I will be working on!

I currently have three--YES, THREE--ideas that could be potential Novels, but I can't pick between them! I'm sure most of it has to do with this little problem I mentioned here, so I'm just all over the place.

One Novel I've over-thought way too much to the point that I've rather boxed myself in (I've tried re-planning this idea at least four times now.), the second Novel I haven't thought out enough (And this is fine with me, but usually I like to had at least a Point A to Point B.), and the Third Novel is just merely a flicker of an idea.

So each one I could probably salvage, but each is COMPLETELY different from the last, and I'm not sure what I'm in the mood to write next.

So, all dramatics aside, I'll decide and I will overcome and I will write this April, whether I hit 50k or not!

Also, I'm sure I'll be posting regularly over on all the places Defying Impossible is TAKING OVER THE INTERNETZ, so make sure to hit Like, Follow, Subscribe, ect, at THESE places!

My Facebook

My Twitter

My Tumblr

My GoodReads

My Pinterest

My DeviantArt

Thanks for Reading, and happy NaNo-ing!

Unravel Me Review!

I read Unravel Me, guys. 

I read it.

I finished it.

And I. And I.

Okay so now that I spammed you with my emotions in SHERLOCK GIF form, I'm going to attempt to put one letter in front of the next to create a thing called words that you will actually understand.

Unravel Me is written by Tahereh Mafi, and is the second book in the Shatter Me series.

Don't know anything about it? Here, have a bit about book number one, Shatter Me:

"Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

(Blurb taken from Goodreads.)

And check out my review of Shatter Me over at my GoodReads!

Yes, it IS as good as it sounds. Actually--correction--it's even BETTER than it sounds.

This little bit doesn't nearly touch on the beauty of this book. Literally every page is like reading poetry with descriptions and words that are daring and loud and get stuck inside your head and weave their way into your heart. It's stunning, Tahereh's writing is.

My Updates while reading it:

03/18	page 106		22.0%	"I'm not okay with this. at all"
03/18	page 149		32.0%	"HOLY FREAKING CRAP WARNER AND A PUPPY. I REPEAT WARNER AND A PUPPY. I'M IN LOVE. MELTY HEART. Be with him please. My ship shall sail."
03/19	page 261		56.0%	"Oh my goodness."

And characters. As you well know, that's what does it for me--if a book doesn't have good, quality characters, I'll dislike it instantly. Sure, a book may have a super awesome plot. Sure, it make be written perfectly. But if the characters are boring, flat, and unrealistic?

NOPITTY NOPE.

But these books hold within its pages some of my all-time favorite characters. 

Juliette, our leading lady, is a hard one to figure out. She has so many mysteries and uncertainties tied to her, but her character development and progression though out the story is absolutely incredible and very well done. I have to admit, in Unravel Me especially, there were some times when I just wanted to shake her and tell her to get a grip.

Which is one of the many reasons I absolutely adore Kenji, who does just exactly that. He's introduced in the first book, and I really loved him from the start even though he was a total jerk. I still knew there was more to him, and indeed there was! He's hilarious and quirky and has so many sides to his characters, as all of them do, that I'm still shaking my head, trying to figure out how our Miss Tahereh Mafi managed to create characters so real and understandable and breath-taking.

Adam honestly is the one I rooted for at the beginning. He's your standard YA male love interest--steady headed and brave and kind and caring, but though he was a fantastic character, I can't help but think he pales in comparison.

In comparison to who, you ask?

Why, Warner, of course!

I'm in love. I'm love with ANOTHER freaking fictional character and I am NOT EVEN ASHAMED.

I fell all over myself for Warner from the very beginning, which made it hard to even appreciate any moments between Juliette and Adam. The whole time I'm just thinking "You are with the wrong guy, you idiot."

And can I just say. Warner. And a Puppy.

Oh. My. Gods.

I don't think I've ever laughed and cried and died over a book so hard. I don't know why, but that was it for me--that was the moment that I realized I was taking this wonderful book way too seriously, and that I loved this particular character WAY too much, but...

That just made it all the better. This book could sneak it's way inside of me and made me gasp and laugh and, yes, cry. It's a powerful, unique book that screams with it's own voice and it's own words.

The descriptions paint realistic pictures in your head and many times I was just stunned silent, sitting there staring at the pages.

These books are inspiring to me, as a writer, and teach me to be brave with my words. And, as a reader, these books will set on my shelf of pride forever and ever. (I don't ACTUALLY have a self of pride, sadly--I imagine it more of a mental shelf, you know?)

So I plan on buying the third and final book, Ignite Me, as soon as humanly possible! I'm dying here!

Have you ever read Unravel Me? How about Shatter Me? What's your opinion?

Thanks for reading, and I hope you all go out and purchase these books right away!

Top Three Thursday: Writing Blogs!

I have a new Top Three Thursday for you today, this week featuring my Top Three favorite Blogs recommended for Writers!

There are many, MANY wonderful Writing Blogs out there, and all of the have some good content that is worth reading and worth learning from, and then you have those unique little Blogs that explode priceless information like rainbows and just are so good the you must hold them close and dear and basically stalk them any chance you get.

I shall now list my Top Three favorite Blogs-To-Stalk:

           1. Blog Number One: Writers Helping Writers

               I've been a proud follower of this particular Blog for a very long time, and I absolutely adore it! 

The wonderful Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi run this Blog, also the same people who wrote the Emotion Thesaurus, as well as the Negative Trait Thesaurus and the Positive Trait Thesaurus! (I have yet to purchase the last two, but I'm sure they're epic!)

            2. Blog Number Two: Go Teen Writers

                This Blog is run by the lovely Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson. They have some awesome books written by themselves, but they've also together written the Go Teen Writers book. I, again very sadly, have not read this one but I'm dying to get my hands on it. 

I love this Blog very much. It's really great for Teen Writers in all stages of the Writing process.

            3. Blog Number Three: Creative Writing with the Crimson League

               I adore this Blog a ton! It has so many tips and tricks and advice that I could spend hours over there and just lose myself!

And those have to be my Top Three favorites! 

To see my other favorite Blogs, scroll on down to the bottom right on my Blog and I have a whole nifty little list for you!

Go! Stalk away!

What are your favorite Blogs? Are you a stalker of any of the three listed above?

Thanks for reading!

Unforgotten Book Review!

Helloooo, my lovely followers!

Got something either Super-Awesome or Super-Lame for you lot today. Super-Awesome because it involves the new release of UNFORGOTTEN, by the brilliant Jessica Brody, but perhaps Super-Lame because it also involves a BOOK REVIEW which, personally, I think I'm pretty crappy at. But we'll see, won't we?

I've done some reviews over at my GoodReads after I finish a book, but half of them are full of:

ASDFGHJKL

and

I CAN'T's

and

Yes. Lots of SHERLOCK GIF's to express my undying love for all things of words that I obsess over.

Not to say that OMG's and BRB DYING doesn't perfectly capture the language of a fangirl, but I really wanted to try my hand at a more... coherent review, without spilling my thoughts all over the place like an explosion of death.

What better why to start than with Unforgotten, right?

So, if you've never heard of Jessica Brody, or UNFORGOTTEN, or the first book in the trilogy, UNREMEMBERED, you really should promptly go bury yourself in a hole.

No just kidding I'm really joking.

A bit.

But really I love these books so much. Jessica Brody is also the Author of many other YA Novels that I, sadly, have not been able to get my hands on quite yet, but they are most certainly on my To-Read list.

There's just something about her writing that is beautiful and cryptic and just lovely all at the same time. It has voice and it's full of bravery, especially in the Unremembered Trilogy, from Sera's POV. 

Dunno who Sera is? Fine then:

"When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author Jessica Brody comes a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten."

(Blurb taken from GoodReads.)

So there's a bit about the story for book one, but really if you haven't read the first one you probably won't understand much of this review seeing as it's for the SECOND one, but I'm going to try and keep it Spoiler-Free, so if you're curious anyway, maybe this review will get you interested about the story and perhaps buy it and read them for yourself! (Which would be a seriously great idea.)

Anyway, first thing's first, is that I literally just discovered like a week ago the wonders of the Status Update option on GoodReads, where you can update your page number for whatever book you're currently reading, and add a little note to it as well. This was incredibly helpful to keep track of my thoughts as things were happening in the book, but I may have had a LITTLE too much fun with it. Do you think so?:

03/13	page 162		38.0%	"I ship it I shouldn't but I do. 'Nuff said."
03/13	page 210		50.0%	"OH MY GOODNESS WASN'T EXPECTING THAT YAY WHOA"
03/15	page 240		57.0%	"Oh my gods okay Reese and Ella and my precious precious little Cody. I'm certain I'm about to cry this is beautiful."

...Yes. All of that was very necessary. 

Characters, man! It's all about the characters for me! And Miss Jessica Brody didn't only reach my incredibly high standards for 'great characters', but even surpassed it! And that's a very hard thing to do. Because I'm picky. And negative. But whatever.

First we have the complicated Sera, who is the leading lady for our story, and I think she is the epitome of well-written YA female heroines. 

There's a huge, constant war of how our girls should act and think in novels. Some say "They should be soft-spoken and pretty and happy!", while other's say "She should have two guns and should scowl a lot and not take no crap from anybody!"

Now I think that these both are fair suggestions, along with all of the other arguments that are going on for female characters, but, honestly, there shouldn't be a debate on what YA girls SHOULD or SHOULDN'T be. Each characters is different, as each person is, and who they are is who they are, whether they have big daggers or a fluffy stuffed bunny.

But Sera is like this magical combination of all of them. She's kind and caring but strong and stubborn, but it's never annoying. I hate the characters that act all big and bad, like "Don't even look at me the wrong way or this bullets going in your face!", because, honestly, where's the character in that? Women can be whoever they want to be, but there is a line that crosses that--even if it was a male character, I guarantee I would still roll my eyes.

Sera has so many good qualities, and it's thoroughly interesting just to see what she's thinking and find out more and more of who she is. I love Sera. Obviously.

Then we have the wonderful Zen who, honestly, is one of the best written male love interests I've ever read. He's not just there to make this book a romance--he's there as a character who is loyal and funny and just all around perfect. And I shipped he and Sera with all of my giant, feelsy heart, until...

Until Kaelen. 

Yes the size IS necessary. Deal with it. 

Even when I shouldn't have, I loved this character. I fell for him at the very beginning and now he has to be my absolute favorite out of them all.









He's just so freakin' adorable and--Nope. I can't say anything else without spoiling something. literally his entire existence is a huge spoiler. Just know that I have an undying love for him. Just know. Ah.

The plot in this one is probably even quicker and more shocking then the first one, and THAT'S saying something. I was gasping and staring at the pages, and I finished the entire second half in one sitting because I literally couldn't stop.

THAT ENDING THO! 

We see some awesome, familiar characters, and get introduced to some epic new one's, and the threats are higher and the danger is for real intense. It's full of romance and beautifully woven words and action-packed excitement. It's full of great, unique characters and realistic, rough lives that jump out of the page and slap you upside the head with the book. Like I still have a bruise. Seriously.

Have you read Unforgotten? How about anything else written by Jessica Brody?  (Was this Review terribly terrible or is there still hope for me yet?!)

So long folks and thanks for reading!

Top Three Thursday!.. Almost...

Hello, Love's! 

I'm here for your latest Top Three Thursday! ...Er, I'm a bit late, but it's been a super busy day, and you all have big imaginations, don't you? Good, so let's just pretend it's still Thursday... Hemhem.

This week I'll tell you my Top Three favorite books on writing!

These are books that I find most helpful on all things Writerly, and I'll leave the Links to them all as well so you can check them out yourself!

        1. A Novel Idea; Best Advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction. There are many epic authors featured int his book, so it's not solely written by ONE person, and that's one of the things I absolutely love about this book. You can see so many different opinions and advice by so many wonderful writers!



This book is my first and favorite Go-To book for all things Writerly--it touches on literally everything, from the basics of plot, characters, dialogue, pacing, ect, to grammar, publishing and marketing. It's full of easy-to-read chapters and so much priceless information and inspiration. I've learned so much from this book, and have re-read it multiple times over!


   



         2.  The Emotion Thesaurus, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. 

This book is exactly what it sounds like--a big book containing physical, emotional, mental responses and actions and thoughts to literally every single emotion you can possibly think of. Each page goes over a different emotion--such as Anger, Grief, Love, ect-- in such a quick and easy way. It's almost a cheat sheet, of sorts, for authors, and I look to this book for all of my quick needs, whether it be a description or a feeling, ect.



          3. The Creative Writer's Phrase-Finder, by Edward Prestwood.

This book is, in a small way, a bit like the Emotional Thesaurus, except instead of emotions, this book focuses more on physical elements. It's packed with pages full of descriptions and phrases--legit, it covers every single topic. It has phrases on faces and eyes and perfumes, and also landscapes, houses, thinking, voice, behavior, names, and a ton more categories, each with multiple prompts/descriptions on that topic.

It's a really handy book to get you going on something you can't quite describe, and gets your imagination flowing effortlessly.



So there you have it! There's my Top Three favorite books on writing!

What's your favorite Writing books? Have you ever heard of any of these?

Thank you for reading, and make sure to check back in a few days for something special!

Camp NaNoWriMo?

So, as most of you very well know:

Camp NaNoWrimo begins in April!

*Celebrations! Excitement! Buy Lots of Caffeine!*

What is NaNoWriMo, you may ask?:

"National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel."

(Description taken from the Website HERE.)

So CAMP NaNoWriMo is just exactly the same as that, except it starts April 1st rather than in November!

Want to know more? Of course!:

"Welcome to the fourth year of Camp NaNoWriMo!

We first imagined Camp simply as an off-season alternative to National Novel Writing Month, but it’s evolved into much more than that: writers choose their own projects—from novel sequels to scripts to pop-up books—and find cabin communities (and often new friends) to support them.

We call it a retreat because you can write anything here, plus see what you’re capable of when you have the time and space to create.

Last year, we introduced flexible word-count goals (10,000 to 999,999) and the ability to add your own project genre. Our 2014 features are designed to make Camp even more open-ended:

Remodeled, ultra-hyphy cabins. Share your triumphs with more fellow writers: cabins now accommodate 12 campers. Worried that’ll be too much conversation to keep track of? We’ve also added @replies to the cabin message board. Set your preferences before March 25 to claim your bunk.

Full project-defining power. Now, you can select your genre and category. Working on a collection of swashbuckling tales? “Adventure Short Stories” will be shown on your profile. Writing presidential haikus? You can proudly display your choice of “Historical Poetry.” Create and edit your project here.

One-click access to the big world of Camp. Hanging with cabin mates is great, but there are about 20,000 other campers to meet, too. Find quick links to our blog, Facebook, and Twitter in your cabin and on the homepage.

A new T-shirt, a full stock of merchandise, and updated donation levels. The shirt is gorgeously candlelit, plus there’s a twig pen! And as always, we have an array of web and social media graphics to show your Camp spirit.

The writing starts on April 1, and we’ll have plenty more to share before then. For now, start thinking about what you’d like to work on. Remember: this is your creative retreat. Make it count!

Chris Angotti
Director of Programs"

(Description taken from HERE.)

Sounds epic, right? Trust me, it is.

I did Camp NaNoWriMo in July last year, and I had the most fun ever! I also did the original NaNoWriMo in November, and had such a good time.

I look forward to NaNoWriMo anytime I'm not doing it--it's the perfect motivator to get those words on the page, plus you get to meet and interact with so many awesome people while you're writing a book? Now, WHAT is better than that?

So hurry! Go sign up and get to celebrating!

Stock up on the caffeine--you're going to need it!

(Feel free to add me as a Writing-Buddy if you already have your account set up! You can find my page HERE.)

Are you thinking about participating this April? Have you ever done NaNoWriMo before?

Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll be joining me this Month!

Novel Finishing and Lots of Caffeine

So I need to tell you guys about my night.

At twelve at night, some people are asleep, some people are peacefully reading a good book, some people are out partying with friends.

I, on the other hand, was blaring music through my headphones last night, pounding away at the keys of my laptop, nearing the end of my Novel.

Now this is the third and final installment of the Dragon Master Trilogy, titled FORSAKEN. This is the book that I talk about HERE, in the context of not wanting to finish it in fear of not having anything to write after I type THE END.

So, anyway, moving on with my night. This was just the beginning.

What do you suppose people are doing at three in the morning? Probably sleeping or, if you're more like my kind of person, still having a marathon your favorite TV Series on Netflix or wasting time on Tumblr.

This is all great, but at this time, I was STILL numbing my ears with my Writerly music, making myself vibrate by the words that were flowing from my fingers.

Now--What do normal people do at SEVEN in the morning? Sleeping still? Out and about their day?

I kept glanced at my window, watching the sun rise into the sky, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.

I couldn't. Stop. Writing.

And so, at long last when the clock struck exactly 9:48, I typed THE END on my Novel, thus ending the epic story of my Soulyer and Bair.

It was heartbreaking and exciting and overwhelming and I got up and danced around the house a little before getting a few hours of sleep before the rest of the day.

It ended with:

127,433 words

346 pages

100,000,000,000 tears

(No, I'm not kidding about the tears.)

I cried and I laughed and I ran in circles a bit, and I'm still vibrating.

And, the best part:

I'm not afraid anymore.

I always knew once I got it over with I wouldn't be afraid of what happened after I finished it. I now have a semi-thought out story for Camp NaNoWriMo this April, and I'm excited to write about it! (More on this in a later post!)

So I'm very sad to say goodbye to my lovely little characters, but I know that this won't be the last time I see them. There are at least three other short stories/spin-off Novels I'm planning on writing set in their world, and I can rest peacefully knowing that I will see them again!

Have you ever finished a novel? Can you relate to this feeling?

So now I'm terribly sleepy and smiling like mad, and I'm going to go dance a little more.

Thanks for reading!

Top Three Thursday: Words!

This week on Top Three Thursday, I'm going to tell you my top three favorite words!

This is based solely off of the meaning of the word, not necessarily how it sounds, how it looks, ect. Words are my favorite thing ever (Obviously.), so this is quite hard narrowing it down to just three!

         1. Favorite Word Number One: Disheveled.

di·shev·eled

  [dih-shev-uhld] 

adjective

1.

hanging loosely or in disorder; unkempt: disheveled hair.

2.

untidy; disarranged: a disheveled appearance.

(Meaning taken from Dictionary.com.)

So I know what you're thinking--that meaning doesn't sound very... Clean. But anytime I use it, it's in reference to one of my characters (Mostly male.), and frankly I find it the most attractive word in existence.

Use it in the context of clothing style, hair, or all around appearance and, to me, it adds this rough, interesting quality to any character.

I'm weird, but this word is my favorite descriptive word.

      2. Favorite Word Number Two: Saunter

saun·ter

  [sawn-ter, sahn-] 

verb (used without object)

1.

to walk with a leisurely gait; stroll: sauntering through the woods.

noun

2.

a leisurely walk or ramble; stroll.

3.

a leisurely gait.

(Meaning taken from Dictionary.com.)

So I really don't have any idea as to why I like this word other than the fact that I just do. It gives the idea of confidence and gives character, or even gives off a vibe of arrogance.

It's a very expressive way to show what kind of person your character is if they saunter everywhere!

      3. Favorite Word Number Three: Classy

class·y

  [klas-ee, klah-see] 

adjective, class·i·er, class·i·est. Informal.

of high class, rank, or grade; stylish; admirably smart; elegant.

        (Meaning taken from Dictionary.com.)

Another word I absolutely adore. Anything the can be described as this, chances are I'll love, whether it be characters, clothes, houses, art, people, ect. It gives me an old fashioned feeling, and I think it's a brilliant word.

So there are my Top Three favorite words!

Speaking of words, don't forget to check out my past post of all things wordy!:

The Time I Became Thesaurus.com

What are your Top Three favorite words? WHY are they your favorite?

Also, Defying Impossible has a new Super-Short Review of 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Why did I like it? What should you expect if you haven't read it? Find out my opinions below!:

(Learn more about this book on the GoodReads page HERE.)

"Here I am, late at night, studiously sipping Coffee and contemplating the rating that shall be chosen for this book.

I choose...

Five stars.

Going into this book, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I read the description and had a few bookish friends going crazy about it, so I finally decided to buy it while I was at a bookstore.

I don't regret it one bit.

I've found that many people who've read this beautiful book, and were very disappointed. Not because the plot was slow or boring, or the characters were flat, or the writing was horrible, because I can assure you NONE of those are remotely true--it was, instead, the fact that most people picked up this book expecting a terrifying thriller Novel that they read with the lights on.

Though this book does have some parts that were freakish and 'peculiar', nothing made me shiver and have nightmares all night. (And this is coming from a girl who is scared of basically everything.)

I think that that made it all the better, though--that in the beginning it's all freaky and disturbing, but you slowly begin to question further in that perhaps these things aren't as scary as they originally seemed?

It's a neat concept to me.

Now, the story is told by Jacob's POV, first person, and he is really a wonderful hero to our story. Usually this sort of character I'm not very interested in at all, but somehow I fell in love with Jacob from the very start.

He's by far one of the most realistic, understandable main character I've ever read.

The supporting characters were absolutely brilliant:

Emma is strong and fun and a wonderful leading lady for our story, full of fire (Punny!) and kindness. I really liked her. Bunches.

My other favorite character, besides Emma and Jacob, is most certainly Millard. Seriously, I love the guy.

The theme of the story is haunting and mysterious and wonderful. The plot is thrilling and I flew by the pages in no time. The characters are each very real and unique and I have major respect for that.

All in all, it's a fantastic book, but I won't be telling you anymore because I walked into it blind, so I think you should too! It makes it all the better!"

(Review can be seen on my GoodReads page HERE.)

Have you read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children? What's your opinion?

Thanks for reading!

The Future/Let the Storm Break Awesomeness!

I've been learning a lot recently about how to let the future do it's own thing.

Honestly, I'm still struggling with this, but it's a lesson I am happy to learn.

A lot of questions are clouding around my mind, and they all have one thing in common:

The future.

MY future.

It's all about publishing and writing and smart choices and right choices and basically it's all just a jumbled mess I've been trying to sort through, but I simply can't.

And I've found that, though there are things  I can do to improve my future, and I can try as hard as I can to change my future, but, in the end, it's not up to me. Whatever happens will happen, and I just have to trust it and let go.

And this is a difficult thing for me. I've never been one to be a 'control-freak', but when it comes to my writing, which I am very protective and passionate about, I take things very seriously and honestly, and I'd prefer to be completely in control and calm about things.

But, if I wanted calm, being a writer is the wrong thing to be.

So this is my first lesson in keeping my head above the water of troubles, and not letting panic or fear or uncertainty influence me.

I'll figure it out in the end, and I still have plenty of time, so for now I'm just letting go and letting God, and trusting him to carry my through this.

Is there anything you're worried about? What makes you feel stress-free?

ALSO:
I have bunches of exciting LET THE STORM BREAK stuff going on!

"A Super-Short Review by Defying Impossible:

Ohhh, wow.

Where oh where to begin?

I've read some reviews saying this book was a total disappointment, highly depressing, anti-climactic, ect. And then I've read OTHER reviews that say this book is everything they wanted to be and more, was exciting and interesting, was swoon-worthy and perfect.

And I most certainly agree with the second reviewers.



In this book we, again, have both Vane and Audra's POV, and for some reason with this book I really noticed how different the characters voices were, and absolutely loved how they were so unique.

We met many new wonderful characters in this book, and some wonderfully evil, but I still loved them all, and I can't wait to learn more, more, more.

Vane is his usual snarky self, but he surprised me many, many times in this book, and, well... I'm so proud of my little Vane! <3

Audra... I have to admit, until, like, halfway through, I was really ticked off at her. I was angry at her for everything that she did, because I saw how much she was causing Vane to hurt, and that was just really not okay with me. BUT, just as I knew she would, she eventually came around and was better than ever.

Their relationship is brilliantly beautiful, and my only complaint was that they didn't get enough time together in this book (Even though they really did, but it's never enough really.).

I really loved Gus. I could relate to him many times, and I think he's a wonderful addition to this quirky little cast of characters.

The plot was... Very different. GOOD different, of course, but there were MANY twists that I WAS NOT expecting. All through the beginning, the middle, the end--it was all shocking and I finished this book not wanting it to end.

We learn much more about the wind (Which is TOTALLY fascinating!), the people, the story, and it all just gets so intense and great.

I can't imagine what wonderfulness we will find in the next book, but I CAN'T WAIT.

I have a deep rooted respect and love for Shannon Messenger and her books, and she most certainly didn't disappoint in LET THE STORM BREAK, but I already knew that.

I am positively DYING for the next book--especially after that ending! OMG. NO. WHOA. OMG."

(originally posted through my GoodReads.)

Let the Storm Break Fanart by me featuring a Vane-Pony with wings made of wind and complete with the Bat Man T-Shirt he wears! (Fanart, My Little Pony Style!):

(Can be seen on my DeviantArt.)

And last but not least, have a super 'mind-blowing' (Wind Pun.) photo of the beautiful Let the Storm Break, finished with some dramatic dust blowing in the breeze!:

(Can also be seen on my DeviantArt.)

See my past Shannon Messenger Appreciation post HERE.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to purchase your very own copy of Let the Storm Break by Shannon Messenger HERE!

Top Three Thursday: Books!

I'm here with another Top Three Thursday!

Today I'm going to list my Top Three favorite Books, so this should be incredibly difficult, but let's see what happens, shall we?

Now, you guys obviously know I read like nobodies business. If I don't constantly have a book in my hand, you know I'm crying on the inside. I love books. I love reading. I just. Words.

Anyway, I read, A LOT, and I've loved every single book I've ever read in one way or another (Except for that ONE book, but I don't like to think about that.).

So I'll begin, book Number One being the absolute favorite, the second being the second, ect. You get the idea.:

1. Favorite Book Number One: The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken.

          Let me explain to a thing about this book.

It's awesome. I honestly love it, but until I found myself writing it above, I had never realized it was my FAVORITE favorite book, but, now that I wrote it, I find that it's true.

I seriously love this book.

(You can read my ridiculously fangirling Review on GoodReads HERE. Add it to your To-Read Shelf while you're at it!)

     2. Favorite Book Number Two: Clockwork Princess, by Cassandra Clare.

         You knew it was coming.

I adore this book in  terribly unhealthy way, but I have no shame over it what-so-ever.

I love the first two with all of my heart, but the third and final one owns a very special place.

(This is also the book that I finished reading at five in the morning and cried into my pillow for a few hours and then stared out the window all hollow like watching the sun rise because I had soaked my pillow through and my brain was melting.)

So if you haven't already discovered the world of Shadow Hunters, you really must. MUST I SAY!

     3. Favorite Book Number Three: Cress, by Marissa Meyer.

         Alright, so this was a hard one.

I absolutely love all of the books in this series, but the third and newest one, Cress, takes the prize.

Not only has Cress become one of my favorite characters of all time, but her and Captain Thorne might just be my favorite Fictional pairing like EVER.

I love all of Marissa Meyers books, and am proud to say I'm a total Lunartic! 

So, there are my Top Three favorite Books! 

Just know that this was very hard to choose!

What's YOUR Top Three favorite Books? Have you ever read any of these?

Also, don't forget to check my newest Super-Short Review of Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi on my GoodReads HERE.

Now I'm onto reading Let the Storm Break, by Shannon Messenger, and I'm dying of excitement!

(Read my past Blog Post celebrating Let the Storm Break HERE!)

Thanks for reading!

Shannon Messenger Appreciation Post!

Today I'm writing a quick post in honor of Shannon Messengers 'Let the Storm Break' which comes out TODAY!!!

That's right! Finally the wonderfully wonderful Book Two is being released, and I'm dying to have it in my hands!

But this post isn't JUST about her new release, but also about HER.

Never heard of Shannon Messenger? You can check out her quirky little Blog HERE to get to learn more about her if you're interested (Which you should be.)!

Shannon Messenger is Author of MG (Middle Grade) series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, and her YA (Young Adult) series, Let the Sky Fall.

Both are absolutely fantastic in their own ways. It was really interesting to read Shannon's KEEPER books, which are full of Elves and magic and friendship, then read her LtSF books and see her try her hand at more mature themes. She succeeded in both age levels, and that's a hard thing to do!

Want to know more? Of course!:

"Vane Weston should have died in the category-five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past - except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real.

Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian - Vane's guardian - and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, Audra and Vane start to realize that the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them."

Let the Sky Fall Blurb and Cover taken from GoodReads. Add it to your GoodReads Shelf HERE.)

Doesn't it sound fabulous?! It's a book about a whirlwind romance that will sweep you off your feet! (Wind puns... HEH.)

Are you more into Middle Grade books? More into fun fantasies? KEEPER might be more for you!:

"Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first."

(Keeper of the Lost Cities Blurb and Cover taken from GoodReads. Add it to your GoodReads Shelf HERE.)

They both are brilliant books written by a brilliant person. And, yes friends, Let the Storms Break is coming out today and right now you should go to your local bookstore and buy it. Don't live near a bookstore? No fear, you can buy it HERE, or any of your other favorite Bookstore sites.


And, lastly, you want to read these books not only  because they are beautiful, but also because the person who wrote them is the sweetest, quirkiest, most awesome writer ever.

This is me and Shannon Messenger--Yes, I DID cosplay
as a Keefe Generbend. 

I got to meet Shannon Messenger in person, as you may already know, and she is even cooler in person. She asked me about my books and my art and I demanded that she write a Keefe spin-off series (Come on, I'm not the ONLY one who wants that, am I?), and it was just a really good time. I got all of my books signed and I got to hug her, and though I was really awkward and nervous the whole time, she talked to be easily and made me feel a bit better.

Safe to say, she's amazing, so I decided to make this post full of Shameless-Favorite-Author-Promoting, because it's totally normal, right? 

I can't wait to get my copy of Let the Storms Break! Can you? 

Also, don't forget to check out Shannon's new Giveaway going on over at her blog HERE celebrating the new book release! Yes, that's right, you can enter to win a copy of Let the Storm Break AND Let the Sky Fall, with super extra special artwork drawn by none other than herself on the covers! Don't believe me? Follow the link to see the pictures!

Who is YOUR favorite author? Have you ever read Keeper of the Lost Cities or Let the Sky Fall?

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to purchase your very own copy of Let the Storms Break!