What's a bestseller to you?

How an author becomes a best seller. Now a days every author is.

For some reason, for as long as I can remember, I've always thought that being a best seller meant something. I had imagined being a bestseller meant your book was phenomenal and was knock your socks off amazing. That it was prestigious. That it was something that not everyone could get.

But now....

I've started to see that a lot of authors can claim that they are best selling authors. And really good for them! I mean it! But it seems (to me anyways) that being a bestseller has lost the impact. 

Recently I've even seen some authors who wrote a book that was really badly received by the blogging community saying that they were a bestseller. And seriously good for them. But the fact that not many people seemed to like the book and yet they were still bestsellers made me a bit curious. 

Wikipedia defines a best seller as "a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling or frequently borrowed titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and library circulation statistics and then published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains."

Hmmmm.... So does this mean I could write a book and hen have huge promotional sales selling off billions of copies (because it sounded so good) from a place such as Amazon. Then even after people figured out that it was complete crap and they all hated it, I would then blackmail a few people into including them on lists... Score! I am officially a best selling author!!! Even though I wrote a very bad book!!! (Clarification: I don't think that authors who are bestsellers really do that nor do I think that they have bad books. This is just an example of how I could be evil and manipulative to gain a title that should be reserved for the greatest!) 

But say I wrote a book that had "academic value" and/or "literary quality" then according to Wiki my chances of becoming a best seller are extremely low... Unless of course I bought billions of copies and made a house of them.... Then I might have a chance!

For several reasons this just bugs me! Why aren't the authors I that I think deserve credit getting on bestseller lists? Why are people who's books aren't that good best sellers?! 

I feel maybe standards have lowered or maybe something else.

Basically what I'm saying is, why is it there are so many bestselling authors? Authors that I've never heard of. Am I the only one that feels this way? 

THOUGHTS, COMMENTS?

Mutilate My Heart: Review

Title: Mutilate My Heart
Author: Emily Godwin
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Series: Mutilated #1
Rating: Owl

THE PREMISE
Punk rock band Mutilated Arteries has been seventeen-year-old Becca's world (aka obsession) for the last year. When the band schedules a concert in her hometown, she and her best friend Carli are the first ones in line to buy tickets. The night is everything she expects it to be and more, especially after making friends with the new super-cute bassist, Sketch.

Becca's mom warns her not to fall for a rock star because rock stars are always on the road - or they die in a plane crash, like her mom's favorite band did twenty-something years ago. But after the band's tour bus breaks down and they're stuck hanging out in Roizen Hills for a week, it's hard for Becca not to fall for Sketch and his caricature drawings and toxic green eyes.

Becca knows Sketch is leaving as soon as the bus is fixed, and she can't be his fan-turned-girlfriend anyway because of the lead singer's "No Girlfriends" rule. Plus, there's something strange about the guys that Becca can't quite decipher... like how they won't reveal their real names, their always-changing odd appearances, and the guitarist's obsession with blood and zombies. Still, Becca wants nothing more than for Sketch to mutilate her heart...but it just might not be in a way she expects.


MY THOUGHTS

I think one of the things that really pulled me into reading this book, was the relationship this author has with her sister. Her sister wrote two books that I absolutely adore, A Girl on Saturn and Chasing Forever Down, and during the course of reading A Girl on Saturn, the author had included several shout outs to the band featured in this book, which really got me curious. So when I had the chance, I decided to go with it and immediately dove into the book.

I'm happy to say I have no regrets.

This book had the perfect mix of a sweet romance, distinctive and memorable characters, and a mystery that really kept you guessing. And I LOVED it!

Emily Godwin has crafted an amazing romance with some of the best aspects of the more, how should I put it, paranormal world... I don't want to give any spoilers!

Another thing that I loved is that the author had a very distinct voice. It really fit so well with the novel and made me love the book even more. What she chose to do and the twists she chose to take kept me guessing and truthfully I can't wait for the next book. I feel like there is so much promise with this series, and if it keeps going at the way it is I have high hopes that it could turn out to be one of my favorite series!

I also really liked Becca and Carli's relationship. They had a great bond of friendship which is great to see in young adult! Plus on top of this awesomeness, I just want to bring up how the cover actually connected to the book! To me being able to discover why the cover looks the way it does is a big achievement and it was no different in this book! There was a section that made me write down, "OH! Now I understand the cover!" And since I don't want to spoil it for you, you should definitely read the book to find out why it fits!

One last comment: The character names were fantastic! The band members all had these great names, that really kept me laughing especially towards the end!

I have nothing bad to say about this book, at all! The story is super sweet and so much fun to read! I flew through it! I would not hesitate to recommend this book to readers looking for a light, sweet romance, with an epic twist! At any rate there is no doubt in my mind that February is WAY to far away! I don't want to wait that long!

On a completely different note, on a matter that in no way effected my review, I just wanted to say how awesome it is that their were mentions of Spaceships around Saturn scattered throughout the book! It is so cool to see the support between two amazing authors and the fact that they care so much about each others work! Coming across those references made me laugh! And I really feel like it added even more background to the book!

Purchase links: Amazon | B&N

OWL=FIVE STARS

Emily Godwin is a Young Adult author. She enjoys writing, painting, and sewing her own line of non-evil voodoo dolls. She's a Slytherin, trying to disguise herself as a Hufflepuff, and wishes she could read herself into books.

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Waiting on Wednesday: Salvage

Waiting by Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!
This post highlights a book that I am dying to be released!!

THIS WEEK I'M WAITING ON:

SALVAGE
By Alexandra Duncan




THE PREMISE
Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean, in this thrilling, surprising, and thought-provoking debut novel that will appeal to fans of Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, and The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

RELEASE DATE: 
April 1st 2014

This one looks fantastic! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Aliens so I can't wait to see what the author's done with this one! I read a post written by the author the other day and she seemed really interesting! Can't wait!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON???

Run for the Roses: Review

Title: Run for the Roses

Author: Rachel Schieffelbein
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Series: None
Rating: Bison= 4 Stars


THE PREMISE

       Abigail Conrad has spent her whole life training for one goal: to win the roses at the Arabian Youth Nationals. She’s given up friends, a social life, and doesn’t have time to even think about guys -- much less date!

    Now that she’s headed off to college in the fall, it’s her last chance to be a Youth National Champion, and she won’t let anything distract her from that dream.
        Except maybe Chase, the older brother of Abigail's biggest rival. He’s charming, funny, and possibly Abigail's biggest problem. How can she focus on riding when her mind keeps wandering to Chase’s green eyes and confident smile?
     With her dream on the line, Abigail had better learn to fight her growing attraction to Chase, or she might end up losing the roses and the guy.

MY THOUGHTS

I have to admit I was super excited to read this novella! I have always loved horses and have always read books that involved horses. And recently I've realized I've been straying away from that. And it's not a bad thing.... I've found so many other fantastic books, but sometimes it's great to go back and read topics that got you interested in reading in the first place! As was the case with this delightful novella. 

Basically it's about a girl who is trying to do the best she can in her horse completion. She's insanely driven and never makes time for anything else. She's also extremely competitive and views everyone else as if they are acting the same way she does. 

The main focus was the romance but it was also about a girl growing up and realizing that free time is just as important as being driven and succeeding in everything you do. (Something I can totally sympathize with. I get so caught up and stressed about school and sometimes I just need to take a step back.)

I could picture the events in this book happening in real life and I love the author's portrayal of what it's like to do what Abigail is doing. 

The romance was seriously cute and overall this was an extremely enjoyable read. And on top of that it was a quick read! 

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: Yes!

WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: Yes!

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: to those looking for a cute romance and you don't even have to like horses to enjoy it!

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: I fully intend to! I can't wait to see what else she comes up with!

 

 

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

 

***Author Links***
http://rachelmarybean-writingonthewall.blogspot.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044030.Rachel_Schieffelbein
http://www.twitter.com/RMSchieffelbein
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Schieffelbein-author/495759520488755

 

***GIVEAWAY***
1 - $10 iTunes Gift Card & ebook of Run For the Roses (INT)
3 – ebook of Run For the Roses (INT)

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Secrets and Lies: Review

TITLE: Secrets and Lies

AUTHOR: Chritine Amsden

GENRE: NA, Urban Fantasy, Mystery

SERIES: Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective 

RATING: OWL-FIVE STARS

There is no doubt in my mind that Secrets and Lies lived up to all my expectations. Needless to say that this book was FANTASTIC! And truthfully I may have liked it just as much as the first.... Maybe even more! (Which is so unusual for me) 

At the end of the first book the reader is left with so many open questions. Like what will happen to Cassie? What about her family? How can she possible make it through this? And somehow this amazing author manages to completely stun me with the twists and turns of the book. 

I loved reading about Cassie's interactions with her family as well as the other townspeople. Her reaction to the entire situation is so real and... Possible. The way she reacts is the exact sort of thing I would do if put in her situation! (Not that my parents would ever dare to get did of me!) 

Cassie, even caught up in all the craziness, still manages to make time for her friends. That trait makes me like Cassie all the more! 

This is a series that has so much potential, potential that I had thought might go down with the first book, instead the author holds it together and is able to make me love the books even more. 

These books are the perfect mystery for any person. And the perfect urban fantasy all wrapped into one! This series is BEAUTIFULLY written with such intense REAL characters. Watching the events unfold and reading the book was a treat! 

I am so excited to see what's next in the series and how the author manages to keep it so fresh! 

Without a doubt the next book in the series might be my most anticipated release! 

Christine Amsden

Website: http://christineamsden.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Amsden-Author-Page/127673027288664

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineAmsden

Blog: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=200

Google +:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/117845642477854934607/posts

Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030664.Christine_Amsden

BUY LINKS

Amazon  - http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Lies-Cassie-Christine-Amsden-ebook/dp/B00FX4C0YM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1384282104&sr=8-11&keywords=Secrets+and+Lies

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-and-lies-christine-amsden/1117158667?ean=9781606192771

Waiting on Wednesday: On the Fence

Waiting by Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!
This post highlights a book that I am dying to be released!!

THIS WEEK I'M WAITING ON:

On the Fence
By Kasie West





THE PREMISE
For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can out-run, out-score, and outwit every boy she knows--including her long-time neighbor, and honorary fourth brother, Braden.

But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chi-chi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and bedazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pick-up game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

RELEASE DATE:
July 1st 2014
I LOVED Kasie West's other books (Pivot Point and The Distance Between Us) So I'm super excited for this book! Too bad it's such a long wait! Also is this the real cover? It's the one that's on goodreads, but it doesn't have her name on it and personally I'm not a big fan....

Anyhow! Super excited for this one!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON??