The Alternate Nobel Prize in Literature

If you've been following the news the past few months, you've likely learned that the Nobel Prize in Literature has been cancelled for 2018. 

Oddly, however, an Alternate Nobel Prize in Literature has been created and is going to be awarded on October 12, 2018.

Here's the thing, ever since I read about the 'sex scandal' surrounding the Nobel committee earlier this year, I thought the Nobel Prize for Literature was going to be cancelled for this year and (possibly) next year until things were straightened out.

In lieu of this information, I've been having a difficult time wrapping my brain around the entire idea of an 'Alternate Nobel Prize for Literature' being awarded on October 12th. 

If a Nobel Prize in Literature isn't going to be awarded this year, due to a scandal, that's fine. Just don't come up with an alternate prize for the Nobel Prize in Literature and then refer to it as the 'Alternate Nobel Prize for Literature' as that sounds lame. 

Either it is the real Nobel Prize in Literature or it is not... Coming up with some woo woo term/alternate name for the Nobel Prize in Literature feels/sounds disrespectful to the idea of winning/awarding a Nobel Prize. Simply don't award a prize this year and move the heck on.

Does anyone else feel the same way?? Or are you fine with the idea of an 'Alternate Nobel Prize for Literature' being awarded??

Heat by Jade C. Jamison

Heat by Jade C. Jamison is a very hot and steamy erotica short story approximately 35 pages in length. I was able to download this short story for FREE to my Kindle from Amazon. Below is my honest, unbiased review of Heat by Jade C. Jamison.

I thought Jade C. Jamison's writing was good and engaging. I liked the storyline, plot development, and characters in this short story. The only downsides for me were the predictable ending of the story and also the dreaded cliffhanger ending... Heat is the start of a series... You must read the rest of the series (four stories total in the 'Heat' series) to see where Spike and Rachel's relationship leads. 

I liked this first short story well enough, but I doubt I'll continue with the rest of the 'Heat' series by Jade C. Jamison.

Below is the plot summary for Heat by Jade C. Jamison from Amazon:

Rachel Donahue’s dream job as a financial advisor makes her all work and no play. In fact, her only luxury is her weekly visit to the spa. But her regular masseuse is on leave due to a skiing accident and his stand in, a guy who goes by the moniker “Spike,” is off-the-charts hot, exuding the most irresistibly sexy vibes Rachel’s ever been drawn to—reminding her that she’s a woman with needs. How the hell can she relax like she’s supposed to when he’ll be touching her bare flesh?

She can’t…and he knows it.

One thing leads to another and she experiences her first “happy ending” massage. She’s horrified and embarrassed, and her only salvation is that he’s not her usual masseuse. She decides she won’t go back to the spa until her regular guy returns. Except the next day at work, Rachel’s last appointment of the morning is a new client, Sergio Romano…a guy whose career name happens to be Spike Steel.

And the temperature has only just begun to rise…

I am giving Heat by Jade C. Jamison a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

A Little Big Rock by Lauren Blakely

A Little Big Rock by Lauren Blakely is a romance short story approximately 32 pages in length. I was able to download this short story for FREE to my Kindle from Amazon. Below is my honest, unbiased review for A Little Big Rock by Lauren Blakely.

This isn't my first experience reading anything written by Lauren Blakely. I read and reviewed another one of her short stories in June 2015 titled, First Night, which I loved at the time! So with that in mind, I decided to give another one of her short stories, A Little Big Rock, a go last month.

Well, let's just say that I wasn't wowed with A Little Big Rock!! The writing is decent and engaging enough for a short story, but I felt like the story was rushed, the characters weren't as developed as I would have liked, and the ending was not the best... I am already forgetting the plot details and it has been a week since I've read A Little Big Rock. I say pass on this short story!

The following is a plot summary for A Little Big Rock by Lauren Blakely from Amazon:

My best friend is freaking awesome.But don't just take my word for it. Consider all his attributes.First, let's start with the obvious one.Size.He has this one fantastic bone in his body. It's bigger than other guys'. It's thicker, longer, more powerful.C'mon. I'm talking about his funny bone.Spencer Holiday makes me laugh like no one ever has. Sarcastic, self-deprecating, and always at attention with a joke--that's him.Except, it's no joke when he asks me to be his fake fianceé for a week.The trouble is I'm already falling for him before we even start.Oops.
**A Big Rock short story told from Charlotte's POV...this is an optional prequel to Big Rock!**

I am giving A Little Big Rock by Lauren Blakely a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

50/50 Friday - Best/Worst Book Read in September 2018

50/50 Friday is a meme hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reads and Laura @ Blue Eye Books. This fun themed meme focuses on the opposite sides of books (best/worst, differing opinions, etc). Every week a new topic will give bloggers the chance to showcase their answers.

This week's theme is your Best/Worst Book Read in September 2018.

Best Reads in September 2018

Drama by Raina Telgemeier
(Click on above link to read my review.)

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
(Click on above link to read my review.)

Worst Read in September 2018

The Mating Chase by Bonnie Vanak
(Click on above link to read my review.)


Which books were your best/worst reads
during the month of September 2018?

Cold Backed by Candace Carrabus

Cold Backed by Candace Carrabus is a mystery short story with a horse theme and is approximately 38 pages in length.

I was able to download this novel for FREE to my Kindle from Amazon. Below is my honest, unbiased review.

If you love horses, then maybe this is the short story for you... I love mysteries and animals in general, but I found Cold Backed by Candace Carrabus didn't do it for me. It wasn't a horrible read... Just meh. The plot details and characters will soon be forgotten.

The following is a plot summary for Cold Backed by Candace Carrabus from Amazon:

Viola Parker can’t land a job since the famous jumper, Wastrel, crashed to his death with her aboard. She can barely afford her whipped-cream-in-a-can addiction.

When she finds her mentor unconscious, she suspects foul play and wonders if her old friend, Harry, has answers. But Harry disappears with the truth, leaving behind a mysterious delivery and cryptic confession.

A short story prequel/prologue to the Dream Horse Mysteries with a preview of On the Buckle: Dream Horse Mystery #1.

I am giving Cold Backed by Candace Carrabus a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Ghost Coach by Amanda Linehan

Ghost Coach by Amanda Linehan is a paranormal short story and is 15 pages in length. I was able to download this short story for free from Amazon to my Kindle. 

Below is my honest, unbiased opinion of Ghost Coach by Amanda Linehan.

I read this short story last month. It sounded like a cute, fast, fun read... Plus, it had four, 5-star reviews on Amazon, so I decided to give it a go.

Well, I was disappointed by the end of Ghost Coach and was left wondering why it had four, 5-star reviews on Amazon. I loved the concept of this short story, but I thought it had been poorly executed. I found myself wanting to rewrite this short story and either make it more of a horror short story or a paranormal romance short story. 

Essentially, this story is about a ghost who isn't very scary. He's trying to scare Sarah, but isn't successful in scaring her at all. So why does this ghost want to scare someone so badly?? By scaring someone, the ghost will finally become visible, which he wants to have happen very badly. The ghost finally solicits Sarah for help. He wants her to teach him how to scare someone. She tries to help him out repeatedly without success. However, they do become friends over time. The ghost finally gives up and says he's going to cross over to the other side, but doesn't end up doing so... He returns to see Sarah and accidentally scares her in the process, which leads him into becoming visible. How Sarah ends up getting scared was odd. Plus, I thought once the ghost became visible, Sarah and the ghost would start a romance, but that didn't happen. Ghost Coach simply had a flat ending.

I am giving Ghost Coach by Amanda Linehan a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ~ The Movie on Netflix

Last weekend, my husband and I watched the Netflix Original movie based on the best-selling novel, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrow and Mary Ann Shaffer.

Starting solely with the movie (for those of you that have not yet read the novel), I found the movie to be very charming overall. The acting was well done and the cinematography was lush. I loved the scenes of Guernsey's countryside itself, which leaves me wondering if the movie was really filmed on Guernsey??? Something to look into I suppose! Anyway, I highly recommend watching the movie version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. 

Yes, I realize I've just given a glowing recommendation to watch The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on Netflix and I stand behind my recommendation. However, as someone who has read the novel twice already, there were somethings in the movie version that were really different from the novel. For instance, Sophie, Sidney Stark's sister is not in the movie version at all! Nor is Remy, the woman that befriends Elizabeth in the labor camp, present in the movie version. Also, Juliet Ashton's character just shows up on Guernsey with no one to meet her when she arrives on Guernsey and the members of the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society have no idea she's coming until after she arrives. Plus, other plot details as well have been changed up a bit.

I know that movies can't always closely follow/replicate the books they are based on. I also fully understand that plot details will be omitted or changed to make the movie more appealing for broader audiences and to also keep a movie from being super long in length. But as an avid reader though, I often find it difficult to fully love a movie based on a novel. Especially, if I've already read the book before watching the movie. I try to keep in mind that movies and books are two different art forms and that does help to keep things in perspective.

As a side note, there have only been two exceptions that I can recall where the movie version is better than the book, in my opinion. I actually loved the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love much more than the book. I also enjoyed the movie version of Red Dragon as much as the novel itself and felt that the movie version was pretty faithful to the novel's plot.

Have you read and/or seen the movie version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society? How to you feel about movie adaptations of the books you've read?

Now for something a bit fun. I discovered a recipe online for Potato Peel Pie!! I don't think I'll be making it, but thought sharing a recipe for potato peel pie would be fitting for this post, don't you?

Top Ten Tuesday - Authors I’d Love to Meet

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This topic has been done before on Top Ten Tuesday, but I'd love to do it again. I've had the opportunity to meet many authors at book signings and book festivals, especially since moving to the San Francisco Bay area. Below is an updated list of the top 10 authors I'd love to met in person!

1. Jerry Spinelli - I've read many of his novels. Most of them I've loved. So, he's be an author I'd love to met in real life.

2. Diana Gabaldon - I love her Outlander series and first began reading her novels back in 1997 when my maternal grandmother (of all people) introduced me to her novels.

3. Margaret Atwood - I became acquainted with Margaret Atwood's writing back in college for a Women In Literature course. I've loved reading her novels, short stories, and poems ever since then.

4. Geraldine Brooks - I've read four of her novels to date! People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks is one of my favorite novels of all time.

5. Robin LaFevers - I loved reading her 'His Fair Assassin' trilogy. I'd love to see this trilogy made in a television series or three separate movies.

6. Tamar Myers - I've read her entire 'Den of Antiquity Mystery' series. Although, I didn't love every cozy mystery novel in the series, I am glad I read the entire 'Den of Antiquity Mystery' series. I think it would be fun to meet Tamar Myers in person since I've read so many of her novels.

7. Gloria Steinem - I'd love to meet Gloria Steinem!! She is such a feminist icon and all around interesting person. I read her memoir, My Life on the Road, which was very enjoyable.

8. Marjane Satrapi - I've enjoyed reading her graphic novels, 
Persepolis & Persepolis 2, plus Embroideries. 

9. John Green - I've enjoyed reading both of his young adult novels, The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All The Way Down. So, would enjoy meeting him in person too.

10. Susan Rivers - I read her novel, The Second Mrs. Hockaday, last year and loved it!! I was really blown away with how fabulous this historical novel is. I look forward to seeing what else Susan Rivers publishes in the years to come.

Which authors would you love to meet in real life?

Improve Your Reading Retention With These Tips!!

I came across an article on Bustle's website titled, Improve Your Reading Retention With These 7 Tips And Tricks by Sadie Trombetta. In the article, Sadie Trombetta wrote the following: 

While there are some who can retain the details of entire books, stories, and poems, most people have a hard time remembering everything they read. The exact amount each person forgets varies, but studies show that the forgetting curve, as researchers call it, is the most extreme within the first 24 hours. That means, unless you actively work to remember what you’ve read, chances are you’ll forget many of the plot points, characters, and quotes within a single day, after which you’ll forget more and more as more time passes. 

Whether you’re a student who wants to improve your ability to recall book details for examines or essays, or a reader who hopes to improve for the benefit of book club discussions or yourself, here are seven tips and tricks you can follow to improve your memory and reading retention.

Most of the tips seemed like obvious ones... But there were a couple of surprising tips in the article. 

Do you use any of the tips or tricks mentioned in the above article to help retain what you've read?