Five Friday: Guest Post from Mom With a Reading Problem! Her Five Pet Peeves Regarding Blurbs

5 Pet Peeves Regarding Blurbs

Have you ever read the blurb about a book and thought “Wow! This is going to be great!” and then you start reading and the book is NOTHING like what is advertised? This seems to happen a lot. But to be honest this doesn’t bother me as much as other things I’ve come across while reading a book after reading its blurb. There are five specific things that really irk me when picking up a new book:

1. Spoilers

Sometimes blurbs need a warning label. Something like “if you haven’t read the book, don’t read me unless you like plot spoilers than by all means do.” It’s one thing to have a plot spoiler in a blurb IF it occurs within the first 10% of the book. It’s another thing entirely when it doesn’t happen until 40 or 50%. Take for instance (one of my favorite books!) Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip.

Yeah that’s a huge spoiler for those that haven’t read the series. It’s not like you don’t know something is different about Daemon while reading, BUT it isn’t revealed until 48% (yes I have that notated on my Kindle) that he is alien. WTH?!?!  It’s in the BLURB and it is the main plot twist. SPOILED!!!

2. False Advertising

So many blurbs nowadays start with something like this: “From NYT Bestselling author” or “Amazon’s #1 Best-Selling” or my favorite “Listed in Amazon’s Top 100 Bestseller” Yeah don’t lie in a blurb. Before I started blogging, I’d see this and think this author must be really good and the book too. Then I’d read the book and wonder what was wrong with me that I didn’t like (nor understand) how the book or author could be a bestseller.

Now that I am a book reviewer and now the system a bit better I realize that it is a stretch of the truth. Yes the book may have made a bestseller list but it was in a category something like this: “Fiction>Women’s Fiction>Romance>Historical>Fantasy & Science Fiction>Time Travel” Yes that is an actual category and list on Amazon.

My suggestion to authors is to put this information/accolade inside the book. You should be proud to make it in the top 100 of any category, but I wouldn’t include it in the blurb unless you are consistently on the actual, overall best-selling list. Too critical of me? Maybe, but I only speak truth ;)

3. Comparisons to Other Best-Selling Novels

This needs to stop! Do not get my hopes up by comparing your book to Game of Thrones or saying your book is the next Hunger Games. Just DON’T DO IT! All that winds up happening is I pick up said book, I read it with extremely high expectations, and then I’m sorely disappointed. Stop now!

4. Recap the First Chapter

I regret to say that I have read blurbs that are just a shortened version of the first chapter. This is just lazy people! Obviously the book is going to be more than just the events of the first chapter. At least I hope it is. Otherwise it would be a very dull book.

5. Genre Hoodwink!

This is saying in the blurb you fit this genre and in reality you don’t. You deceive the readers by claiming you are a “high fantasy adventure” when in truth the only thing fantastical about you is that the main character is an elf. The rest of said book is set in urban Manhattan with not a hint of magic or other paranormal elements that make up a high fantasy. Do not promise me that you are something that you aren’t. It’s a quick way to get on my “Do NOT Read” list.

What are your pet peeves when it comes to blurbs? Commiserate with me below! Thanks for having me Becca <3

About Lillian @ Mom with a Reading Problem

I'm a 30 year old Southern girl, currently living in the mountains of East TN. I started blogging 3 years ago on a dare from my husband after I became a stay-at-home mama to our little man and haven't looked back. When I'm not blogging or reading, I'm a superhero or Jedi and sometimes I'm just Mom. More About Me ↠

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Bout of Books Update: Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

I finished my first Bout of Books read!

Catacomb is the third book in the Asylum trilogy (there is also a collection of novellas and a prequel coming out next month). I won't be mentioning any spoilers besides character names and very vague references.

Our three protagonists, Dan, Abby, and Jordan, are now going on a road trip together before they start college, and are hoping to leave behind all the terrifying, troubling events that have come before. But the asylum refuses to leave them alone, and has connections more far-reaching than they ever could have imagined.

One of the things I've always enjoyed about this series is the way Roux uses old photographs to add to the story, and to amp up the always-present tension and general creepiness.

The story also grabs you and doesn't let you go until you finish. I will regularly admit that the plot can come off as outlandish at times (and this is probably what keeps me from re reading the books once I've finished them), but what Roux does so well is make everything make sense within the world she has created. It's not the world we live-and trust me, that's a good thing with how scary it is-but it is the world Roux has created, and she makes it work.

What We're Reading Wednesday: May 11. 2016

What We're Reading Wednesday is a feature where we share with each other what we're currently reading.

This is my new Kindle read that I just started today. I'm really excited to read it, as it's been on my want-to-read list since I first heard about it.

My graphic novel read, which I'm almost done with, and I'm bummed out about that. It's the kind of sweet, delightful, cozy read you don't want to end.

This is my eread on my phone. I'm about 60% done with it now, and while it continues to be delightfully well-written, there is barely any mystery still. I feel like the book was mislabeled as a mystery, which is disappointing, but I'm committed to it enough now to see it through.

This is my first Bout of Books book, and I'm about halfway through it. It's the last entry in the Asylum trilogy, and after I finish it, I plan to read the Asylum novellas that supplement the story.

What are you reading this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday, Plus And Then There Were Nuns by Kylie Logan

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

This week's topic is favorite websites that aren't about books.

1) Previous TV-I love TV, and this site has hilarious, insightful, all-around wonderful reviews and recaps of tons of TV shows.

2) Dream in Lace-I'm admittedly very biased with this one, as it is run by a close online friend of mine. And it does sometimes have book mentions. But a lot of the time, it's great Best and Worst fashion recaps of big red carpet events, vegetarian and vegan recipes, and even fashion posts themed around TV characters.

3) Cracked-I especially love their urban legend and unsolved crimes ongoing series, but this site has articles on everything from current news to pop culture to events from the past. How can I resist articles with headlines like 23 Creepy Unsolved Mysteries No One Can Explain?

4) List Challenges-Again, this one has the option to have something to do with books, as there is a section of book lists. But there are lists about travel, life experiences, food, drinks, TV, movies, and so much more. You create a profile so you can keep track of how many points you've gotten, lists you've done, etc. It's really fun.

5) Pinterest and 6) Teachers Pay Teachers- As a teacher, these sites are absolutely invaluable. 

7) Hungry Girl-This site is a big help as I am trying to eat healthier and cook more.

8) Lost Video Island-This site is really special to me. Because of it, I've made a ton of fan videos I might not have made otherwise, and made some amazing friends I might not have met otherwise. I'm not able to be a part of it as much as I'd like anymore because of work, but I still love it, and my friends from it.

9) Go Fug Yourself-This is another site I don't get to go on as much as I used to, and as much as I'd like to, but it's a great site to pop onto even when you just have a minute. Funny, insightful fashion!

10) Budget Bytes-This links to the vegetarian section, which is my favorite part as I am a vegetarian myself, but the whole site is great. What I especially like about it is they not only give you the recipes, but they break down how much it costs per serving.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.


Bea Cartwright, a B & B owner and operator on the island of South Bass, is helping feed a group of ten nuns who have arrived for a spiritual retreat. But when nuns start being murdered one by one, Bea and her friends (the League of Literary Ladies) start to see ominous connections to the famous mystery And Then There Were None.

And Then There Were Nuns is a cozy mystery that just really works. I'm definitely in the target audience, as I am a cozy mystery lover who is also a huge Agatha Christie fan, but I feel like really any cozy mystery lover would really like this book. I do think I may have gotten a bit more out of it because I know the book it pays homage to so well-I loved picking up on the little clues involved in the number of nuns, the island setting, and throughout the story.

The ending is definitely a surprise, and one that works well with what has come before. I was excited to learn that there is another book in the series fashioned after Murder on the Orient Express, another of my all-time favorite mysteries!

A Good Month for Murder: The Inside Story of a Homicide Squad by Del Quentin Wilber

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In A Good Month for Murder, Wilber gives his readers inside access to a real homicide squad. In one month, it seems like the murders are never-ending, from interrupted robberies to gang shootings to a tragic case of mistaken identity.

Throughout the book, we not only get to know the cases, but the detectives, the victims, the witnesses, and the suspects. Wilber paints a vivid picture of each detective's unique characteristics, each case's deep emotional impact, each interrogation's high stakes, and each unsolved case's haunting unrelenting refusal to let go.

The detectives and families never give up hope that justice will be done, but it is an uphill battle, and one that Wilber faces unflinchingly in his writing.

Five Friday with Guest Blogger Danielle E. Shipley!

 

My name is Danielle E. Shipley, and I am a rabid Robin Hood fangirl.

(Hiiiiii, Danielle.)

Although, as it happens, I wasn’t always that into the outlaw in tights. And I mean, my loss, because he is so much more than tights, you guys. The man’s a legend for a reason – heck, for five reasons, off the top of my head. So if, merry old England forbid, you have yet to experience the sheer delight of all things Robin Hood, here’s what you’re missing.

1) He’s a total hero. What else do you call a guy who, in many of versions of the tale, gives up the posh lifestyle of a nobleman (or, y’know, as posh as it’s going to get in the notoriously kind-of-gross Middle Ages) to stand up for the rights of the poor and oppressed? He sees injustice, and he takes action, never mind the risk to life, limb, and various other body parts. He may or may not come off as a little hotheaded, but the best of Hoods have hearts of gold. You want a bright beacon in a dark world? There’s a Robin Hood out there with your name on it.

2) He’s also a total bad boy. Sure, most would call Robin Hood the hero Nottingham needs right now, but there are numerous ways to take the outlaw vigilante angle. Maybe he’s in it to “rob from the rich and give to the poor”, and/or could be he’s in it to give to himself – not just the money, but the thrill of living on the wild side. He was, after all, basically a land pirate, the woodland highway his open sea. A roguish rebel, a hard-edged crook, a trickster – he might be portrayed as any of these. So if you’d rather make your hero an antihero, Robin Hood’s got you covered there, too.

3) The Merry Men. Behind every great Robin Hood are a good three to one hundred of his closest pals. Because heists and hijinks aside, these aren’t just stories of lawless adventure: They’re stories of friendship. No retelling’s complete without the Little Johns, Will Scarlets, Maid Marians, and more – the patchwork family there to give all the support and security, love and laughter, and/or ego-checks their leader needs to fight another day. If you want an awesome group dynamic and platonic ‘ships for daaays, hie thee to a merry outlaw band!

4) Archery. For all the variety within the canon, you’ll have a tough time finding a Robin Hood without his trusty longbow. It is to him as Excalibur is to King Arthur; as the TARDIS is to the Doctor; as a honey pot is to Winnie the Pooh. Before Katniss or Merida, Legolas or Hawkeye, there was the best doggone archer in all of ye olde England. So grab your book/movie/TV adaptation of choice, sit back, and watch the arrows fly in style.

5) Sherwood. I ask you: Is there any narrative backdrop as enchanting as a forest? The instant our outlaw steps into the trees, you’ve got the makings of a fairytale. Some versions go so far into fantasy as to make Robin Hood a kind of a fairy himself – a spirit of the wild, a woodland god, or a man in some way favored by them. But even without a supernatural element, you’ve got the smell of green, the sunlight on streams, the fall of leaf-shadow; budding springs and russet autumns; ancient oaks sighing air from an age ago. If you know in your soul that a forest doesn’t need magic to be magic, then join jolly Robin in the greenwood. Both he and the trees will be happy to receive you.

And if you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to Robin Hood, think again! My spin on the lore starts this summer with “The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” (The Outlaws of Avalon, Book One). The e-book is available for pre-order now (and comes with thank-you gifts! Details here: https://everonword.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/you-cant-miss-it/ ), with paperbacks to follow on July 12, 2016. There’s never been a better time to fall in love with the legend.

Author Bio

Danielle E. Shipley is the author of the Wilderhark Tales novellas, the novel Inspired, and several other expressions of wishful thinking. She has spent most of her life in the Chicago area and increasing amounts of time in Germany. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.

Website: http://deshipley.com

Blog: http://everonword.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Danielle.E.Shipley.Author

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DEShipley

Tumblr: http://outlawsofavalon.tumblr.com/

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh and The Sixes by Kate White

Apologies for so many days in between posts-I've been dealing with some personal stuff and work has been really busy (report card season and the last three weeks of school). Life continues to be busy for the rest of this month (my 30th birthday party, Mother's Day, friends' birthdays, family coming into town), but I'm still reading, and posting whenever I can, I promise!

So on to the reviews!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I absolutely love a book that turns everything on its head halfway through the story (see Gone Girl), that takes everything I thought I knew and changes it completely, and does it in a way that makes total sense looking back.

I Let You Go does just that, and does it brilliantly. When I got to the twist, I actually gasped out loud.

I Let You Go is the story of a hit and run accident that leaves a little boy dead and his mother grieving. It is the story of the police who are searching to find the driver. And it is the story of so much more, but I honestly can't say any more for fear of giving something away. Trust me, you want to go into this book knowing just the basics, so you can be as completely shocked as I was.

All you really need to know is I Let You Go is really, really good, and you can get a copy of it now to read yourself.

The Sixes is set on a college campus, where Phoebe has found herself teaching after her latest bestseller has her accused of plagiarism. When students start disappearing, and bodies start turning up, Phoebe throws herself into an unofficial investigation. As she digs deeper, she begins to discover evidence of a female secret society known only as The Sixes, which triggers her own memories about a tragic and terrifying event.

This is one of those reads that flies by, that grabs you and doesn't let you go. As Phoebe learned more and more, I became more and more intrigued, and had to find out the solutions to the many mysteries surrounding the campus, the deaths, and The Sixes. The solution is definitely a surprise, and I like that the twists kept coming.