Happy Halloween! - A Spooktacular Giveaway

The most anticipated holiday of the year is finally here (well, for me at least)! I love the fall and the fact that there are so many new books out. Yes, let's relate everything back to books. I mean, this is a book blog after all. And I'm super ecstatic because this is the first time we're celebrating Halloween on The Book's Buzz! What better way to celebrate Halloween than a giveaway?? Yes, a giveaway! All the information of the giveaway will be provided below.

If you guys didn't know, The Retribution of Mara Dyer comes out in just about 3 days. Check out the Mara Dyer series if you haven't already because it is one of my favorite Halloween reads!

In order to share this book with the world, I'm hosting a giveaway for the first book in the series. So if you haven't read the series, you can enter the giveaway and see if you enjoy the first book. You've got nothing to lose! I can't wait to see all your Halloween posts :D 

What am I giving away? 

1. A paperback copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2. Halloween swag and jewelry (may include bookmarks) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogish Updates- Alice & Zombies :3

I've been MIA for the past week, uploading reviews every now and then. I think my absences has undoubtedly called for a post of Blogish Updates. So what have I been doing all week? Oh well nothing much other than studying for exams and finishing the last of the author review requests holiday. 

Over the past week, I was blessed with all these amazing novels from authors or publishing companies themselves. After reading through most of them, I can't even explain in words how grateful I am for receiving such enlightening reads. I've now discovered some new authors and books as well. If you're not caught up with the books I've reviewed this week, I'll leave links at the end of this wonderful updates post. 

The title of this post is Anticipating the End. I'm writing to tell you all that in just a couple of days, I'll be reading the last book of the White Rabbit Chronicles trilogy. I'm super hyped to be reading more about romance and zombies- two of my favorite things. And if you've never heard of the White Rabbit Chronicles series by Gena Showalter, you've been living in a dark and cold rock!! 

I'm hoping this post gets to you all before Halloween. I wish you all a wonderful Halloween and hmm... comment down below and tell me what you're going to be doing on the night of the 31st. Will you be reading or trick-or-treating? 

*raises hand* 

Imma be reading for sure! 

Reviews

Her OutSpoken Lips by Monroe Ariel

The Mine by John A. Heldt

The Valentine Circle by Reinaldo DelValle

The Valentine Circle by Reinaldo DelValle

Title: The Valentine Circle

Author: Reinaldo DelValle

Pages: 425 pages

Published: September 7th, 2014 

Genre: Mystery/Crime-thriller 

Boston, Winter of 1885. 

A string of kidnappings plagues the snow-laden city of Boston while a murderer runs amok hunting and killing unborn babies of the city's social elite. 

A powerful group called the Valentine Society controls the city's police department, and the people of Boston's last hope for justice lies in the hands of a man who mysteriously washes ashore from a distant foreign land, battered and bruised. 

To complicate matters, he doesn't remember who he is or where he's from... 

Just a week after he is found unconscious inside a cargo ship, Officer Silas de San Michel is thrust into mysterious case dealing with the vicious killings of pregnant teenage girls. But what he doesn't know is that these young girls belong to the secret Valentine Society, an elite group of Boston socialites that have corrupted the city's top officials, unashamedly operating above the law. With the help of his boss, the highly intelligent Inspector Belloc, and his lovely assistant, the boisterous and spirited Miss Posy Chapman, Silas embarks on a journey that takes him inside a secret world of rules and privileges, of oppressive parents and mischievous alliances. Weighed down by the sickness of memory loss, Silas struggles to maintain his sanity as he begins to discover the darkness of plaguing his own sordid past, a darkness that ultimately brings him to the brink of becoming that which he hunts, a serial killer who was raised and trained by an insidious organization known only as The Factory.

Purchase Now! 
Amazon  | Website  | Goodreads

**I received this book from the author as a free copy to review and give my honest thoughts on**

While reading this book, I felt like I was in one of those crime/forensic shows like CSI: Miami or Criminal Minds. Yes I must agree! It was a like Criminal Minds in book form! Such brilliant and superb language, plus the mystery was well thought out. 

When someone says Criminal Minds, this is how I react: 

I really don't know what I loved more about this book- the mystery and suspense or the character development? The characters were just so involved with one another and even though we have our main character, who doesn't remember anything about himself, he soon learns that hes more capable than he ever thought he was. In the beginning of the book we don't get much of his past life, but I can dub that he was probably a forensic scientist or a P.I. based on how much he knew about the crime scenes. 

A string of teenage girls are being horribly killed off by a sick psychopath. Now I would love to reveal the whole plot of this murderer's reason for killing but this is, once again, a spoiler-free review. And I've been having so much trouble lately with connecting to characters, but it was pretty much settled out for me in this book.  In the story we are introduced to Silas, Posy, and Belloc, who are the three detectives working on this case. I think the author wanted to stress the forensic aspects of the story and put us in their shoes for a reason. If you've ever dreamed of going into a profession for forensics, this is the perfect book for you to be inside the head of a crime scene detective all the way from beginning to the end. It's literally that invigorating and action-packed! 

Most likely when you read this book, you'll start to feel like you're watching a movie. It's actually incredible because I've never actually really experienced that before with a book. The book took one of my favorite things, which is violence and murder, and completely took on a new turn. I think it's safe to safe that this book was a cross between Criminal Minds and Hannibal. I don't really think I've gathered my overall thoughts about this book, however I can come to one conclusion: I thoroughly enjoyed the read :D

The Mine by John A. Heldt

Title: The Mine 

Author: John A. Heldt 

Pages: ?? 

Published: December 6th, 2013 

Genre: Historical Fiction

In May 2000, Joel Smith is a cocky, adventurous young man who sees the world as his playground. But when the college senior, days from graduation, enters an abandoned Montana mine, he discovers the price of reckless curiosity. He emerges in May 1941 with a cell phone he can't use, money he can't spend, and little but his wits to guide his way. Stuck in the age of swing dancing and a peacetime draft, Joel begins a new life as the nation drifts towards war. With the help of his 21-year-old trailblazing grandmother and her friends, he finds his place in a world he knew only from movies and books. but when an opportunity comes to return to the present. Joel must decide whether to leave his new love in the past or choose a course that will alter their lives forever. THE MINE follows a humbled man through a critical time in history as he adjusts to new surroundings and wrestles with the knowledge of things to come. 

Buy Now for only 2.99!
Amazon  | Goodreads

** I RECEIVED A FREE EBOOK COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST THOUGHTS**

The action was immediate in this book! I feel like people haven't been paying enough attention to these lesser known authors. I'm glad that I read this book right after reading Time's Edge by Rysa Walker. It really got me thinking about the way these historical fiction writers write about time traveling. Although I like the plot of Time's Edge far more than The Mine, I can't help but conclude that John A. Heldt did a better job in executing the aspect of time travel.

The book starts off with Joel and his friend Adam eating at a local bar/restaurant. They take a drive but then stop at this Gold Mine, that's been abandoned for quite a while and mysterious things have been happening. Even with Adam's warnings, Joel decides to take a look for himself. It's not until he sees a snake, falls into some sort of portal, and wakes up in another time period does he begin to realize that this was all probably a bad idea and that he probably should have listened to Adam. From there, we are following Joel as he finds a way to get back to the year 2000!

The chapters in this book are very short. The story is light-weight and fast paced, one of the main reasons I liked the book. It was fairly easy to get into right away! Joel, the main character, was a witty and humorous protagonist. There was not a single dry moment when Joel was speaking! He was described in the book as a very handsome and just brooding man.

The conflict was probably my favorite aspect of the book. As Joel is stuck in the year 1941 he is granted a lot of opportunities that kind of sway his decision to stay rather than going back to the year 2000. He met Tom, who was kind of like a best friend and Grace, who took his breath away. I enjoyed how the author simply drove the plot from beginning to end without the cramming of too much historical information. After all this is a historical fiction book.

The Mine is a tale of forbidden romance infused with a historical time-traveling backdrop. I couldn't have enjoyed this book more than I do! Now when I say historical, I don't mean the confusing historical fictions that just state historical facts. This book had the perfect balance of story and facts, which made it all the more interesting. There was a slight amount of background information leading up to the events that really cleared some of the foggy parts up. Let's just say this book brought me to tears. The beauty. The story. I could not have asked for a better book from a review request!

Halloween Bookshelf Decoration Ideas

*Makes ghost booing sound* So Halloween is waiting right around the corner for people to dress up and trick-or-treat. Unfortunately this Halloween I won't be running up to your house asking for candy because I'm stuck with reading all these book review requests. Not that it's a bad thing! I recently just re-decorated my bookshelf to accompany the impending holiday. Here are just some of the things I did: 

Mini-Pumpkin Figures This is such an easy way to add a pop of color to any bookshelf!
1. Start with a mini pumpkin (shouldn't be bigger than your palm)
2. Then take some metallic paints, matte paints, sparkles, glitter, confetti, or any other decorating supplies and go crazy!
3. You can do stripes, circles, faces, or even color the entire pumpkin!
4. Such an easy and fun way to make your books even more beautiful!
It's that easy! They also look really nice in empty spaces on my bookshelf! 

Cobweb Creation To make a beautiful cobweb effect over your books, just follow these steps. Now I obviously used a picture from Google, but you can predict the outcome.
1. Buy some stretchable spider webs at a local drugstore of Walmart. These things are fairly inexpensive but you can always improvise by using some sort of string
2. Starting from the top of your bookshelf, spread the webs along each corner and layer them on top of your books.
3. It should look something like this photo. Remember: You can always get creative with these steps! The pumpkins in this photo are also a really good touch! 

 Decadent Bookends If you are in need of book ends for your bookshelf, take a look at these skull bookends. You can really be versatile with the placement and shape of your bookends. Lots of bookstores or department stores sell some really cute ones. I think these skull bookends are just the more adorable things! Perfect for Halloween, but just really nice to look at in general for any day! I don't personally need bookends, but I just might find an excuse to why I would need them. I also wish I had a step-by-step DIY for this, but I sadly don't D: 

If you have any other small tips and tricks to spice up your bookshelf, don't hesitate in letting me know! I've already decorated my bookshelf for the impending holiday, and I just hope you're all inspired to do the same to yours! I'm also thinking about designing the blog for the Halloween holiday theme so tell me about your thoughts on that. If it doesn't end up happening, you can count on it for the next Halloween ;) 

Her OutSpoken Lips by Monroe Ariel

Title: Her OutSpoken Lips
Author: Monroe Ariel
Published: September 15th, 2014
Pages: (ebook version) 21 pages
Genre: Poetry

What do you do when someone is destined to bring you down? Do you speak up or do you stay silent? How far are you willing to go when someone pushes you to the edge? Do you see others in a different light when they go too far, and does it make it worst when it's family or friends? The Her OutSpoken Lips Collections dives into the theme of how one woman sees herself and others when faced with no so pleasant circumstances. The collection also expounds on a young woman who persevered through hell and what she witnessed and experienced along the way. Her OutSpoken Lips tell it all! Please follow Monroe Ariel on http://monroeariel.tumblr.com/. 

Buy it now:
Smashwords  | Amazon | Goodreads  

** I RECIEVED A FREE COPY OF THIS EBOOK** 

This is a whole new genre for me! I haven't read any collections of poetry since, say, the 5th grade! I was delighted when Monroe Ariel came to me with a poetry collection. As you guys know, I love reading new genres and trying specific types of writing. My comments about this book will be subtle. And I'm glad to report that I did, indeed, enjoy this book! 

Starting with the versatile writing style of the poems. I enjoy poems that rhyme (because that's me) but I thoroughly flew past this book and found myself shaking my head, agreeing with the author's words. These poems are nothing too complex and cryptic. They were relatable and pretty simple to decipher. My favorite and most relatable poem called "Never Satisfied" had me shaking my head ferociously! It's absurd how some people always scorn the things I do right but appreciate the things I do wrong. The poem really made me realize that I shouldn't be pleasing anyone but myself. Now any masterly written poem makes you think and feel, which I feel these poems had no problem in accomplishing. 

Ariel's poems tell of a story and each poem had their own unique story. She starts with the main idea of the story and expands from there in a very lyrical, rhythmic technique. And in terms of what kinds of story, they were consisted of poems about different types of women being pushed too far to the edge. One poem in particular really stood out to me. "Naked and Wet" is a moving and motivational poem about a young woman who has been maltreated and, finally, was pushed too far! I'm not gonna spoil it so you're just going to have to pick up the book to find out what happens next!  

Need an easy poetic read with poems full of eccentric themes and morals? Monroe Ariel's collection of poems couldn't be a more perfect fit. Although I wouldn't necessarily give this book the golden five star, it was definitely something I really enjoyed picking up! And there were some technical errors here and there. In all honestly though, I would have never picked up this book on my own. Once again, thankful for all these amazing authors sending their books in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. But I mean c'mon! You can't go wrong with poetry!

Monroe Ariel

Monroe Ariel is a very passionate writer and a lover of fedoras. She wears one almost every other day. She has always had a love for writing. At a very young age, she would always speak out on issues and that has followed her into her adult life. She believes writing and expressing thoughts is one of the most powerful creations in the world. Monroe also believes that the lips are very commanding and sometimes we don't realize how much strength they have to bring about change and growth. Lips voice the soul, and it's one of our greatest assets. The Her OutSpoken Lips Series is a project Monroe holds very dear to her heart, and there is a Part II to this collection that is out now at Amazon and Smashwords. Writing is Monroe's haven, and she is living her dream by her works being published. Monroe has numerous novels in the works and to find out about all her groundbreaking info follow her at World of Monroe Ariel.

A Message from the Author

I want to first say Thank You to anyone that has read my works. I appreciate the support and the love. Also, surround yourself with positive people and know that you are the greatest person that every walked this earth even if other try to put you down in the process. Thank you My Great People! I call anyone that is a fan or supports me the Monroe Greats. 

Time's Edge (Book 2 of the CHRONOS Files series) by Rysa Walker

Title: Time's Edge 

Author: Rysa Walker

Pages: ??

Published: October 21st, 2014 

To stop her sadistic grandfather, Saul, and his band of time travelers from rewriting history, Kate must race to retrieve the CHRONOS keys before they fall into the Cyrists' hands. If she jumps back in time and pulls the wrong key-- one that might tip off the Cyrists to her strategy-- her whole plan could come crashing down, jeopardizing the future of millions of innocent people. Kate's only ally is Kiernan, who also carries the time-traveling gene. But their growing bond threatens everything Kate is trying to rebuild with Trey, her boyfriend who can't remember the relationship she can't forget. 

As evidence of Saul's twisted mind builds, Kate's missions become more complex, blurring the line between good and evil. Which of the people Saul plans to sacrifice in the as can she and Kiernan save without risking their ultimate goal-- or they own lives? 

Goodreads  | Amazon  | Website  

** I RECEIVED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR. THIS HAS NOT AFFECTED MY REVIEW **

When I heard that the second book in the CHRONOS files series was in the making, I couldn't fight the urge of getting an ARC copy. I humbly thank Rysa Walker and Netgalley for providing me with one. If you don't have a clue what this series is about, please check my review on the first book in the series --> Click me! You simply cannot go into the second book without reading the first because you would be immensely confused! 

I mainly respect Rysa Walker as an author because of her amazing writing style! If we recall, from my last review, I mentioned how she made learning about history fun and exciting! We're gonna talk about the historical events mentioned in this book later but for now, let's focus on Rysa's writing style and ability. Rysa Walker has the power to entice any reader, I believe. She focuses on more of the quality of her writing than the quantity. You could really pull apart Rysa's personality through all the dialogue of her characters, who are also uniquely described. .

Not only was her writing ability shown through this book, but her her ability to recall and kind of mash up historical events was phenomenal! Like I stated in my review for the first book, this series is actually one of the better time travel books I've ever read. Even though I'm kind of lost at the whole timeline change and space time continuum parts of the story. The elements of time change and the shifting of timelines really shifted in nicely with the story line. There was nothing too confusing about the time travel in this book, which I've always looked for in a good historical fiction book.

The historical events in the book were eloquently picked out! There was the time period with Houdini and if you recall from the first book, there was the murder and action scene with Holmes at the Chicago World Fair, 1983. Rysa also puts a fun twist on the time period of the Quakers, which I thought was fantastic! She doesn't bore you with the facts of these historical events, but rather puts you in the shoes of the people that lived in that time period.

Although it was amazing, a book never comes without flaws. In all honestly I thought it was bit confusing when Kate traveled through time. I often got confused to which timeline was the modern here and now, if that makes any sense. I just think those parts could have been quite a bit more clear. Rysa makes time traveling seem like a blast! Just think about it. Let's say you're ordering a pizza (an example from the book). You would place your order, set a stable point at the front of the door, jump forward thirty minutes, and then get there when the pizza man shows up!

A masterly written historical fiction book with action, plot twists, and a steamy love triangle! If historical fiction's not your preferred genre, no worries! This book is not your ordinary, dull historical fiction book. If you're a Rystorian (a group name I made up to call Rysa's fans) don't hesitate in checking out the Goodreads group of Rysa's books! Have a great day everyone, and I really hope you check out this series!

.5  

I'm a Rystorian! 

The Pearl by John Steinbeck: Book Review

Title: The Pearl 

Author: John Steinbeck 

Pages: 87
Published: 1947
Genre: Mexican Folk Story 

When the news of Kino's great find- the "Pearl of the World" - spreads through his small town, no one suspects its power to deceive, to corrupt, or to destroy.

Like his father and his grandfather, Kino barely makes a living as a pearl diver. Gathering small pearls from the gulf beds provides Kino, Juana, and their infant son with a meager subsistence.

One day, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl "perfect as the moon." The pearl brings hope, the promise of comfort, and security.

Based on a Mexican folk tale, this classic explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the possibilities of love. 

John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl focuses on the interpretation of an ancient Mexican folktale which brings light to the topic of the misconception of fortune. In the short story Kino, a poor pearl diver who lives with his wife and child, finds a pearl no like other. His life is immediately and ultimately changed. He becomes a rich man, whose intentions serve only to provide for his family. That soon changes when Kino learns the true value of his pearl. Corruption and greed get the best of him, and he's forced to choose between his family and the thing that's caused nothing but trouble. In this exciting and moral-filled story, we're lured into a world where greed is the main causality. 

This book is directed mainly towards an older audience. And by older I mean 10-12 years olds. Although the book may look small in size, the story and words hold a greater substance. The story itself is flawless in its execution but the pace, however, starts off to be a little slow. When you're in the first chapter of the book, you might find yourself falling asleep. But Steinbeck chose to draw more attention later in the book, when the real action and climax of the story start to take off. I would expect nothing less from Steinbeck who has written over twenty books! 

We are faced with the great moral of the story which is primarily the danger of greed. This is shown in the way that the pearl transforms Kino throughout the novel as he seeks to improve his own life through selling the pearl. As said in the book, "The news came to the doctor [...]. And the doctor's eyes rolled up a little in their fat hammocks and he though of Paris."  Strong and sophisticated character development is present in this book. Not only do we see Kino developing, but his wife Juana as well. She starts to realize the horrendous change in her husband's ways. I particularly enjoyed his writing style as it wasn't too complex, and it was very enjoyable! 

Overall a mysteriously lore that explores the good and evil in human nature with an astounding ending!

Dark Seed by Lawrence Verigin: Blog Tour

Title: Dark Seed
Author: Lawrence Verigin
Pages: 289
Published: December 1st, 2013
Genre: Thriller, Lab-lit

A disillusioned journalist and the grieving daughter of a murdered scientist uncover an immoral and destructive global plot by the largest developer of genetically engineered seed and its parent pharmaceutical conglomerate. 

Nick Barnes and Morgan Elles learn that the goal of the man behind these organizations is the complete control of human existence. He eliminates opposition and interference without hesitation or remorse. 

The corpse quickly finds themselves fighting for their lives. And yours. 

Grab hold for a wild ride with this exciting, high concept thriller that tackles one of the big issues of our time. 

Buy it now!
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lawrence Verigin 

Lawrence Verigin's goal is to entertain readers while delving into socially revevant subjects that need more attention brought to them. Since 1999, Lawrence has spent a considerable amount of time and effort learning the writing craft.

In his spare time Lawrence enjoys cooking good food, rich red wine, travel, running, reading and numerous rounds of gulf.

Lawrence and his wife, Diana, live in beautiful North Vancouver, Canada.


Contact
Email: lawrenceverigin@gmail.com
Website: www.lawrenceverigin.com
Facebook: Lawrence Verigin
Twitter: @lawrenceverigin
Amazon: http.//amzn.to/1qsWIJB

The author is giving away 8 digital copies of Dark Seed and 2 signed copies! Below is the Raffle copter code to enter this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let's Discuss: What to do when you have too many review requests?

I feel the need to right this post because author review requests and ARC's have become a struggle for me lately. Are you suffering from the same burden? Well, you've come to the right place! Today I'm going to discuss a commonplace issue in the blogging world: managing ARC and review requests. 

So it's a normal day and you suddenly have a craving to check your email. Then you see a dozen of these unopened emails with urgent subjects, such as Review Request or Please Read for (name of book and author). At first you feel honored to be chosen for such reviews, but then you feel somewhat distressed and overwhelmed with the amount! What do you do? 

1. Produce a list (Blueprinting dates)

For me, laying out everything I need done is the most helpful thing for me to do. Creating a list with all the dates of the reviews can help you efficiently plan when each review needs to be up by. I like to call it my "blueprint". This is just a screenshot of my planned out schedule. I also mentioned which copies were ebook and those that I needed to interview or be previewed by the author. 

2. Close off Your Review Request Inbox

Make it clear to all those authors and publishers out there that you won't be taking review requests for a certain amount of time! Don't be afraid to reject (I do it all the time). Don't accept too many requests because believe me, it's going to be a lot of work! 

3. Get a Part Time Contributor 

I see blogs doing this all the time. I'm even considering this option! If you can't handle the load, let someone ease your burden. Just start an application to find a co-blogger or a person who will contribute to the blog on a weekly basis. I find that this option will only work well with some people. For others, this may seem too serious or immediate. Until I know for sure that I'm not able to handle the work anymore, I won't be in any rush to find a co-blogger! 

4. Ask the Author for An Interview of Promo Instead

If you feel bad abotu rejecting authors for reviews, just ask them if you can either post a promo or interview post. Don't stress yourself out with reading too many books! You'll feel obligated to finish them, and you won't have any time to read what you want to read. 

I really hope these tips have helped you! There was a time when I felt overwhelmed and stressed with the workload. I had to reject some authors (sadly) but it all ended up okay! If you have any more tips, just write them in the comments below. I'll be happy to here about what you do to minimize stress in review requests :D Happy Reading everyone! 

Stacking the Shelves #7- Yes, More Book Galore!!

This is why you can't let me roam around Book Depository for more than three minutes tops! So overall I would say most of these books I got for free either for review or just some editor.I'm certainly thankful for all the authors/publishers that contacted me about reviewing their books. 

Books I Ordered From BD

   

Books I Received From Authors in Paperback 

  

Books I Received From Authors on Ebooks

         

So... you might notice that there is a quite large number of books for review. This is due to the massive amount of review requests I found in my inbox on Tuesday night!! I was appalled and very glad to see so many authors offering their books for review. If you're an author, I'm sorry I won't be receiving any more requests at the moment. In a month or so the form will be opening again! I received a copy of Unrelenting Nightmare this afternoon and totally fell in love with the cover. Thank you to all the authors who thought to send copies of their books, whether it be paperback/hardcover or ebook. I appreciate it! After reading The Infernal Devices, I just had to purchase the Codex! 

Join In on the "Review Request" Holiday!

Over the past several weeks, I've accumulated approximately *counts review copies on Kindle* 10 different unique and wonderful books from authors. It's really a blessing to be working with such outstanding writers and poets! I was glad when I saw the number of review requests in my inbox. 

So... 

From October 21st to November 21st, I am going to be hosting a month/official celebration of debut authors and other lesser known authors. Basically throughout this time period I am going to post a review of a new book every other day starting from October. If you're a blogger and you have a load of ARC copies/review request books/etc to review, I suggest joining in! This is a great way to introduce our readers to lesser known authors, and it's also good publicity for the author! If you follow me on other social medias, information and the dates of the authors will be posted there. So if you are on the blog during these few days, you'll get to experience and submerse yourself in a world of entirely new books! There might also be some giveaways and interviews. It's really a month to look forward to! 

Who will be joining us, you ask?? Here is just a small list of some authors...

• The renowned Rysa Walker (returning for review of her second book, Time's Edge in the Chronos Files series. Click here for the review of the first book!
• Stan Yocum, an up-and-coming fiction/thriller author, with his book Unrelenting Nightmare.
• Rey Del Valle with his novel, The Valentine Circle 
• High fantasy author Rival Gates and his book The Quest for the Red Sapphire. 

and so much more... 

You guys, I'm really excited for this establishment to take place. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself for getting so many review requests from some truly inspiring authors. Some of these genres that I was asked to review are a mysterious to me, but that's kind of the joy in reviewing them! 

Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander: Book Promo

Title: Love and Other Unknown Variables
Author: Shannon Lee Alexander
Pages: 350
Published: October 7th, 2014
Genre: YA Contemporary

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he'll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe's greatest unanswered questions. He's that smart. But Charlie's future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl's neck. 

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she's counting on the present. She's not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop- until she learns he's a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy. 

By the time he learns she's ill- and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte's illness- Charlotte's gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he's always relied on or the girl he's falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared). 

Goodreads
Buy LinksAmazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Kobo Books  

In Love and Other Unknown Variables, Ms. Finch, the new English teacher at a school not known for it’s love of English class since the students tend to prefer math and science, has assigned a project in which the students must explore the ways in which math and science intersect with literature.

Charlie and his best friends, Greta and James, have decided to do their project on the concept of infinity as seen in poetry. Charlie does a better job of explaining it than me, so here’s an excerpt.

Ms. Finch wants us to demonstrate how our mathematical concept can be used in literature. We’re showing how words can be combined in infinite combinations to make poems. Like the poetry magnets my dad gave Mom for Valentine’s Day a few years ago. With the 50-word magnets in the box you could make 2,118,760 possible 5-word poems. Which isn’t an infinite number of poems, but it is, in layman’s terms, a butt load.

Since words are constantly being created, it can be assumed language is infinite. If you raise the power in the exponential equation to infinity, it equals a possible number of poems stretching from here to eternity. Not quantum physics, but not the worst topic ever either.

I thought it’d be fun to give Charlie, Charlotte, Charlie’s sister Becca, Greta, and James a group of words and see what kinds of 5-word poems they could come up with. Of course, Charlie rolled his eyes, but Charlotte convinced him to do it. Charlotte has a way of getting him to do what she wants!

Here are the words they had to work with. I pulled 25 words randomly from my Magnetic Poetry kit:

I, wanting, sad, like, sing, whisper, lazy, her, the, dream, blue, and, beat, light, drool, moan, place, boy, a, is

And here are the poems!

5-Word Poems by the cast of Love and Other Unknown Variables.

James: Lazy boy is like drool.

Greta: A sad moan is wanting.

Becca: I whisper like the dream.

Charlotte: I sing the blue beat.

Charlie: Her place is the light.

Think you can come up with a few of your own? Use the words above or choose your

own and then share your 5-word poems with me! You can leave a comment here or share on Twitter and tag me @shanlalexander. Use the hashtag #LAOUV5wordpoems.

Happy writing! 

 Shannon Lee Alexander 

Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife, mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter). She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer reseach. Math makes her break out in a sweat. Love and Other Unknown Variables is her debut novel. She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family. 

Author LinksGoodreads  | Website  | Twitter  | Facebook 

Giveaway

Grand Prize (2): Signed book, bookmark, tissue holder, temporary tattoo, mathematical charm, science/math book page rose pin (made by Shannon), infinity charm bracelet (made by Shannon). 

One 2nd place prize: Signed bookmark, tissues, temporary tattoo, mathematical charm, science.math book page rose pin (made by Shannon), infinity charm bracelet (made by Shannon). 

3 Runner-up prizes: Signed bookmark, temporary tattoo, science/math book page rose ring (made by Shannon). 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organized By: