Wit & Travesty

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Book Review: The Shadow’s Charm

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book cover of the shadow's charm by petra van der ploeg

Hey, writers and readers!

It’s not a good month without an indie novel or two. Today I’ll be reviewing The Shadow’s Charm (book 3 of the Somnia Series) my dear friend, Petra van der Ploeg.

Check out the review below. I’ll be sharing some thoughts about what I love about this book and why it’s a good read for you.

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis

He tilted his head as he looked at me. “What is going on inside that pretty little head of yours?” he wondered and then he raised his eyebrows. “Ah, a duality of light and dark. Yes. How sweet is that?”

I raised my chin, looking him straight in the eyes. “You will not bewitch me like last time. I am not the same weakling as I was then.”

He licked his lips as his fingers traced my jawline. “That you are certainly not. You’ve grown stronger. But the duality in you is still there and it’s not in balance yet. I can help you with that.” “How?” “If you give into me, I can show you.”

I shook my head. “You’ll kill me.”

His eyes glistened with delight. “Perhaps,” he whispered as he leaned in, intensifying the magnetic force he had on me. “Perhaps not.”

Sophia’s life is about to take a turn for the worse. Everyone’s leaving her and she’s forced to deal with her inner demons by herself. But there’s one person who’s taken an interest in helping her. Her biological father is a wanted criminal and he has used his powers on her before. But this time seems different and it makes Sophia wonder: can a Shadow Walker really be trusted?

What I Enjoyed

I liked that this book was a mix of reliable and new YA fiction novel ingredients. There is a lot of parts of her world building that made sense to me as a newcomer but I really enjoyed the elements that I haven’t seen before. Her idea of jumping realms and having an “Ideal Realm” was interesting to me. It made me want to read book 2 where she apparently figures out this concept and masters it.

Also, van der Ploeg has a way with describing that “mean voice” we sometimes entertain. Sophia runs into a lot of guilt and shame that triggers some mental health issues and I felt like van der Ploeg really represented that mean voice all too well. Like, Petra are you a mind reader?

What I Didn’t Enjoy

Honestly, the parts of the book that weren’t my favorite were due to the fact that this is book three of the Somnia series and I haven’t taken the chance to read the other two. That’s my bad! But it meant that sometimes I was behind on who could do what. I imagine certain scenes would feel more impactful if I watched Sophia grow and learn with the other characters in the book.

All of this to say, you’ll get through this book and enjoy the story but you’ll be confused by some bits if this is your first brush with this series.

My Final Thoughts

Again, definitely read books one and two to better enjoy this book but it still holds up and tells a great tale on its own. This book is perfect for teen readers who are interested in magic and time/space travel. The book ended in a way where I suspect another book is coming soon, so I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I hope I shared enough to still pique your curiosity without giving too much away. If you’d like to learn more about Petra van der Ploeg and her work, you can catch up with her via social media:

Do you have thoughts about this book? Share with me in the comments! You can also see all of my other book reviews by checking out the Book Reviews tab.

Book Review: Landing Your First Publication

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landing your first publication book cover and book review

Hey, writers and readers!

It’s not a good month without an indie novel or two. Today I’ll be reviewing Landing Your First Publication by my dear friend, Mandy Wallace.

Check out the review below. I’ll be sharing some thoughts about what I love about this book and why it’s a good read for you.

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

As a writer, striving for publication can feel like playing a lottery that few people win. Yet, countless authors have followed a simple path to publication—using a strategy that forced luck to work for them instead of against them. This practical, stripped-down publication roadmap covers only the essentials you need to overcome the fear of rejection all writers face, finally beat advice overwhelm, and just get started.

Inside this book:

  • The right psychological approach to render luck powerless + boost your writing productivity.
  • Inspiration to keep your writing + motivation on track.
  • Where to submit stories and how to find the reputable publications you haven’t heard of yet.
  • Cover letter worksheet + template to remove the guesswork from what to say when you pitch your story.
  • Writing prompts to inspire more than a year’s worth of story ideas.
  • Submissions tracker to maximize your chances of getting published each time you hit submit.

No more wondering if you have what it takes to be a writer. With this proven publication strategy, finally seeing your name in print is just around the corner.

What I Enjoyed

The little bullet list in the synopsis doesn’t really do the book justice. Wallace has done everything she could to ensure this is the one-stop book you need to publish your work.

Landing Your First Publication explains Wallace’s philosophy on writing and publishing in a way that sounds like a good friend. Like, Wallace understands the frustrations and setbacks but doesn’t make it sound like you’re dumb for not getting published. Y’know what I mean? You essentially feel like you’re being taken under her wing without any patronizing “just do it my way” vibes.

The other thing I really enjoyed was the organization of all her prompts. And she has a TON of them. I liked that they were basically organized by genre so you can flip straight to the super hero prompts and skip over the horror ones if you want to stick with your preferred genre. Sometimes I think writing prompts are cheesy and just a reminder of what I DON’T want to write. But I felt like I wanted to write a dozen or so short stories just from these prompts alone.

Even if you aren’t here for the prompts and you want to get straight to the “so how do I get published?” part, Wallace provides lots of resources and explanation that will help anyone regardless of their writing expertise or experience.

My Final Thoughts

Landing Your First Publication, to me, is proof that the writing community thrives when we share our experience and strategies with others. If you feel alone in the community or you feel like you can’t take your writing dreams anywhere, I think you’ll get the encouragement and kick in the pants you need after reading this book.

Also, I know that this is focused more on short story writers but the principles apply to anyone regardless of genre. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to fine-tune their writing habits to reach their publishing goals.

I hope I shared enough to still pique your curiosity without giving too much away. If you’d like to learn more about Mandy Wallace and her work, you can catch up with her via social media:

Do you have thoughts about this book? Share with me in the comments! You can also see all of my other book reviews by checking out the Book Reviews tab.

Book Review: Free Women of the Wild

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Free Women of the Wild book cover

Hey, writers and readers!

It’s not a good month without an indie novel or two. Today I’ll be reviewing Free Women of the Wild: A Magical Tribute to the Brave-A Short Story Collection hosted by the Otherworld Community. This collection was written by quite a few amazing female authors and I can’t wait to tell you about their amazing work.

Check out the review below. I’ll be sharing some thoughts about what I love about this book and why it’s a good read for you.

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis

The Otherworld debuts its second anthology edition with an empowering tribute to women.

Eight talented authors feature a unique short story that honors women’s strength, bravery, inner and outer beauty. As this story collection centers around strong female characters, you will be immersed in: post-apocalyptic societies, where one woman is outcasted for her lack of magic; strange jungles where a woman survives the brink of extinction; a fae world where one girl discovers the power of sacrifice and love; a winged Goddess aiming to protect her people during brutal unrest; and so much more.
Magic, betrayal and pride are a common theme in these inspiring stories. Are you ready to meet some truly amazing women?

  • THE PRICE OF KINDNESS by Tamara Rokicki
  • THE RITE by Celeste Thrower
  • SPIRIT BOUND by Andria Porter
  • RAY OF HOPE by Erin Casey
  • LIGHT THE FIRE by Audrey Hughey
  • ASCENSION by Celeste Thrower
  • MAY YOUR BONES REMEMBER by Taryn Noelle Kloeden
  • THE CLOAK OF RAGS by Cora Baker
  • BEAN AN EICH-UISGE by Taryn Noelle Kloeden
  • THE SANDMAGE by J. McCarthy

What I Enjoyed

Each fantasy short story is unique, tightly written, and very interesting. I was immediately invested in each main character and I was ready to read all of these in the long novel version. And many of them are written like the story could keep going!

I liked the wide spectrum of female characters and the types of strengths they exhibit. We get a whole line of women of various ages, shapes, sizes, and experiences and I couldn’t help but connect with each of them.

My Final Thoughts

This collection is truly a celebration of women—fiction and real women alike. I’d highly recommend these short stories to readers who are looking for a quick but enjoyable read.

I hope I shared enough to still pique your curiosity without giving too much away. If you’d like to learn more about the women behind the Otherworld Community and their work, you can catch up with them via social media:

Do you have thoughts about this novel? Share with me in the comments! You can also see all of my other book reviews by checking out the Book Reviews tab.

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