Where I'll be

WHERE I'LL BE . . .

I know I lack blogging lately, but sadly that's only going to continue. I'll be back to school in a week and I'll be doing other things where I can't dedicated myself to blogging. Honestly if you want to know the real truth, I haven't enjoyed blogging like I use to before way back when I first started.

I think part of that is that I took blogging way too serious when it doesn't need to be and to find actual time to do blogging is another problem. When I did my last book review of the year, it was surprisingly painless. I could actually put down the words.

Now that could because I love the book or it could be when I started the review, I started it when I was about half way done and then finished it when I finished the book. I think I'll take that approach when I reading books.

I'll try to take part in challenges and participate in blog tours if I am accepted. Otherwise I'll mostly try to read and since I set my reading challenge at 63 books this year. Kara from Great Imagination made me feel kind of not challenging myself so she was doing 125 books and I met her halfway with 63. Now if I fail, I fail but I'll know in the end I'll have read some amazing books.

I'm also pretty absent on Twitter, I got the darn app on my phone/Ipad but either one or the other will get the notifications and not the other when I have set it up to doing on both devices. So I hope to stay in the Twitter universe while I'm gone from blogging because how else will I hear about new books?

Let's Ring In the NEW YEAR!!!!

The Cat's Meow: Penned Con

I'd figure I better do a recap of my week in St. Louis, attending Penned Con. I had heard about Penned Con last year and knew that was going to be one thing I would want to do in the future. As it turns out I won tickets to go to Penned Con!

I was glad that I went after not being able to go to UtopYA this year so I did really catch up with some great authors that I had met the year before. If you don't know Penned Con is co-founded by husband/wife Amy Miles and Rick Miles. While I had the pleasure of meeting Amy, her husband was running around making sure everything was running smoothly.

I met some new and old friends along with finally meeting up with authors that I've been friends on facebook for over a year. I tried to pass out my blogger card as often as I could but it was hard among the chaos! I attend not just the two day Penned Con, I also attended Teen Day which was nice and met some new people during that. Then as you would know I drag my mom with me toward the end of Teen Day because there was a private book signing and I picked up most of my pre-orders books. To think I only started out only making three pre-orders I came home with a lot more.

NOTE: Invested in a rolling suitcase or a cart/wagon. Trust me your arms will thank you.

What I did this year apart from attending my first book convention was wearing my Cat ears, yes I wore Cat's ears that I had since elementary school and it still fit! People pretty much knew me on the spot without really having to look at my name tag.

Some advice that I learn from the authors on panels

"Write what you want to read . . . don't always follow the trends."

"Only you can write your story."

"Write . . . Write . . . Write . . ." 

Those key quotes I take to heart, because no one can write my stories. Trends? Why would I want to follow Trends where my books might only get minimal recognition? I want to be outside the box and outside of the Trends. I think it's best that no matter what our book consists of that it might have already been done by other authors, yours is unique in its own way.

I know writing is a craft and you can't rush it, while the book that I've been working on since late 2013? I've done two edits/revisions with it and gain about 5,000k during my recent revisions. I know it's not quite done but I'm hoping that it will be very soon and then figure out the plan after it "done". I am trying to work on book two of this book series I have but I'm still learning and plotting out what book two will consist.

I love being back in St. Louis, it's been 9 years since the last time I've been here and of course it is chaos like there were different bridge that we never took and our GPS couldn't find certain streets or we couldn't find certain streets. But we made it!

Out of all the authors that were there, Denise Grover Swank was the one I was most excited to meet. I love almost all her books and by what I mean almost I mean the books I haven't read yet by her. I took home the entire Rose Gardner Series (almost went home missing Ripple of Secrets but I got it!) Then towards the end of the event I brought the Off the Subject Series just because.

I had to track down Mindy Ruiz because she's KILLING me with the wait of Lying Cheating Heart the 2nd book of her Game of Heart series. But she told me that it's almost there! Coming out in September!

I have said this before leaving for Penned Con is that my facebook friend list will grow after Penned Con is over and it's still growing as authors recover from Penned Con, catch up on work and social media and all that other good stuff.

I love connecting with authors, readers, bloggers . . .  I love having a common interest with people because I don't often find it. I hope down the road that I'll meet someone that will love all the craziness that I have with my books and authors/blogger friends and know that is part of my personality.

Catty Chat: Books I left behind

It's been awhile since I did an Catty Chat Meme, mostly because there hadn't been anything to really be catty about. But Now I have a wonderful topic but also a wonderful disappointment because it's about books that I left behind.

Books I left behind means books that I had planned to read but never got around to and it's just sitting in my kindle. 

But mostly on my kindle is where I left behind . . .

Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd

 

I had anticipated this book for so long, however when it came time to get the book . . . I just got really side-tracked with Life and never bothered to read it. So now it's nearly on the bottom of my Kindle books list because I haven't opened it in a long time. I will have to reread Steel Lily and then read Iron Pendulum, the cover is beautiful isn't it? And I think it fits perfectly for this year UtopYA which is time travel.

Lucidity by Stephanie Thomas

 

Now I did really DID read this book, but I never got around to do an review so I have to reread it. 

Sun Damage by Nikki Rae

 I KNOW I read this book, but why hadn't I review it?

Take Me On by Katie McGarry

 

I love Katie's books, and I know I read this book and the review is just sitting in my drafts but I read this book so long ago that I can't remember certain details about the characters or what made me fall in love with them. 

Opposition by Jennifer L Armentrout

 

Okay same excuses, i read it, did a partial review but now I need to reread it again and with this being the final book I'm sure I'll have the same reaction like I did when I read it the first time.

Family Secrets by Kat Nichols
 

It's the same old same old, I read and then I don't write a FREAKING REVIEW!

Amulet of Destiny by Katie Lynn Johnson


I read the book like months ago and yet I still didn't write an review.

Two Author Request Books that I haven't started yet
 


Netgallery Requests
 

I've left behind a few Netgallery requests because I just requests too much and I can't read fast enough. I do prefer physical books over ebooks so that's part of it.

Now I do plan to read Heather Hildenbrand's Clone Chronicles books and Denise Grover Swank Curse Defiers and This is Your Destiny but I just haven't gotten around to it and they aren't far far away from when I requested the titles. 

Newly Requested on Netgallery


Also a couples other titles by Stacey Kennedy, but I've read those and there's may be some that still need to be reviewed. 

Netgallery Requested but Won Physical Copy

So what's my dilemma as far as reading these titles? Well one its that same scenarios where every readers hit, there''s a title out there that you HAVE TO READ!!! Then those other books get shifted down the ladder of what's the next book to read?

I'm thinking about and have tread this idea of where I won't accept any more requests from authors because There's about 15 draft reviews of books that I've read and wrote partial reviews but its not completed.  Plus once school starts back up, who knows when I'll have time if I have time. I know I'll read because that's a stress reliever but to Review? UGH I don't know. 

I've also consider taking a hiatus, I'm not active as much on my blog so people will probably think I'm already on a hiatus but I guess you could say that. I'm opened to sharing any promotions for authors because they now contact me through my facebook page. 

As a reader/Blogger/Reviewer, the whole reviewing and blogging aspect have gotten much more tasking for me to do and it shouldn't be that way but it is. I'll review and blog when I can, it' something that can't be forced on me anymore and I need to take time to really enjoy just reading the books than reading it to review it. 

UtopYA: Day One

It the offical Day One of UtopYA, full of panels, check out the exhibitors, and the Fan Invasion signing!

I had no idea what to do or where to start, except avoid the ICE room at all cost (if I can) BRRRR there was one or maybe it was two conference room that were ICE cold.

But My favorite conference room was on the 10th floor there was an whole view of the city! You could get so inspired by the view (now I'm not planning to send my characters off to Nashville but you never know in the future)

The view from the 10th floor

But then attending a panel about clumping (not in the way it sounds) clumping as find your book buddies, what Megan Curd pointed out is that we already past the ice breaker by having something in common . . . We all love books. So I reminded myself that we were or I was here because of the books and the authors that I've connected over the past four years or so. 

Then as the day went along I was ready to meet new authors that I've never heard of and meet authors that I I have heard of. Taking pictures was a challenge for me but I got them or at least I got what I could get. 

Then I needed to practice handing out my business cards, and they were a hit! Everyone love the name and the design which made it easier for author to remember who I am because of my name Kat and my card has a picture of a cat (not Buddy the cat who I miss like crazy!)

Fan Invasion Signing!
I meet so many authors, my feet didn't hurt from standing . . . the lines weren't long and I snagged a few books just before the Fan Invasion all thanks to Mom who pointed it out in interest for her as well.

I carry my brag book and got just as many and more authors to sign it! I put a lot of hard work into it and I had two authors signed on the two black pages because I ran out of time to design each pages of the book so a Silver Sharpie really turns out well when I was doubtful.



Crazy packed! And photo bombs with heavy, heavy books and swags to carry. I didn't know that swags could get that heavy!

Some authors that set up a preorder went above and beyond for those that preorder, which was awesome we got a few more goodies!

The one sad thing on Day one panels and the Fan Invasion signing, Jennifer Armentrout
As you know/heard she couldn't make it due to flights being delayed, overbooked, just beyond impatient trying to wait for an available plane and such. But she also said that with her eye condition/disease that flying isn't that good for her so she also have to place her eyes first before her fans.

I had all of the Lux books (not the volumes), Wait for Me and Trust in Me, Half Blood, & Frigid. Why did I bring that many? Well because I'm crazy about authors signing my books and she a big time author and my town or even the next state over deem to have very little interest of having BIG TIME Authors come do signing events and such.

Hopefully one day I will meet JLA, take a picture with her and possibly hug her for just being there at whatever event I'm at/she's at.

Plus I want some swag from her as well, which I'll be getting bookplates eventually from her as a gift for all of us readers/fan that had hoped she be at UtopYA.

GR Challenge 2014 + New Year Book Resoultion

With the year of 2013 coming to an end, you wonder "What the Hell I'm going to read Next Year?!" Well I've figure mine out . . .

I've been hearing so many series that others have read and been dying for its final book of the series, so this is perfect for me because I won't feel disappointed to have to wait for the next book because I've read the last book!

What are some of the Series I'm reading next year for 2014?

The Goddess Test series by Aimee Carter
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
Soul Seekers by Alyson Noel
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Shade Series by Jeri Smith-Ready
Dream Catcher By Lisa McMann
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series that I'm missing the last book
Darkness Rising by Kelley Armstrong
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (I've read book one and Destroy Me)
Partials by Dan Wells
The Selection By Kiera Cass 
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins

So as you can see I'm set for the new year but the question remains . . . Will I get to them all?

The Cat's Meow

The Cat's Meow is the newly version of Bloggers Time, so I'm giving you some updates

Today I got a very special surprise in the mail, I mean I was in awe that there were no words.
I got my very first ARC from the Publisher, I am part of Victoria Scott's Walker family list and blogger list but I was in total darkness of what that could mean for me and now I know, you can receive ARCs and other goodies :-) 



Victoria Scott's upcoming book Fire and Blood been one of the thing buzzing for Victoria and I've follow closely on the buzzing news. I couldn't wait to Fire and Blood to come out but never in a million year, I thought I would get an ARC. This will be a milestone for me as a blogger. 

Now you're thinking "well I read books from Netgallery or Edelweiss isn't that consider ARC?" In a way yes but I'm more of the printed books than ebooks but I do read ebook that I've requested from Netgallery and Edelweiss. 

I can't wait to read FIRE AND BLOOD!!! 

 

Another note, I do have another ARC book that I won from Jennifer's Armentrout's giveaway and that was WHITE HOT KISS. I haven't started reading it yet but between now and beginning of the New Year I will. Also she signed it! 

I did get an author request back in early November but because I was in the middle of school that I couldn't read as much I would like to. I told her that I'll get around to it when I'm all done with my semester classes, Now I am done with school and I'll work hard on reading her book and get ready to write reviews and reviews that I'm behind on. 

Between now and the end of the month I'll work hard on getting everything done that I've left behind and be ready to start the new year.