authorlauren

[authorlauren]

Resonance

Even though it's the middle of July, Halloween always starts early. So, I decided to pick up a book in the #horror genre and found Resonance by Joshua Scribner. This book had a lot to unpack to say the least. #bookreview #indiebookclub #indieauthor #scary

Even though it’s the middle of July, Halloween always starts early. So, I decided to pick up a book in the horror genre and found Resonance by Joshua Scribner. This book had a lot to unpack to say the least. Here’s my review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Stephen is an awkward kid that’s been placed into a dangerous situation. He and his brother have just lost their parents to a fatal accident and…

[authorlauren]

Purple Sky Vol. 1: Talking to the Moon

Talking to the Moon by Marie K. Ricci is the first volume in their Purple Sky series. To be honest, it had just the vibe I was looking for with its extremely relatable content. #bookreview #indiebookclub #indieauthor #poetry

I’m a sucker for any and all poetry. This book has been sitting in my Kindle library for a while now, but I’ve finally gotten around to reading it and I’m glad I did. Talking to the Moon by Marie K. Ricci is the first volume in their Purple Sky series. To be honest, it had just the vibe I was looking for with its extremely relatable content. Here’s my review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5. Have you…

[authorlauren]

The Love Experiment

The Love Experiment by Harper Sinclair is a cute, innocent romance between two seemingly different people, both professionally and personally. Did it work out? I'm here to judge that. #romance #bookreview #indiebookclub #indieauthor #bookblog

It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a romance that’s more on the sweeter side. The Love Experiment by Harper Sinclair is a cute, innocent romance between two seemingly different people, both professionally and personally. Did it work out? I’m here to judge that. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Meet Jessa Marley. She’s spunky, intuitive, bubbly, the best listener you’ll ever meet, and she happens to…

[authorlauren]

Flying Back to Innocence

Flying Back to Innocence by Stephen Vega takes on some of the toughest and politically debated topics of our current times. Needless to say, I have a lot of thoughts and I think that's exactly what the writer was going for. #bookreview #mystery #fiction

This was another book recommended to me on my writer’s lift on Twitter. Flying Back to Innocence by Stephen Vega takes on some of the toughest and politically debated topics of our current times. Needless to say, I have a lot of thoughts and I think that’s exactly what the writer was going for. Here’s my review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. This book was actually better than I had expected. The…

[authorlauren]

Don't Fade Away: A Ghost Story

Could you imagine being stuck in the same house you died in? That's exactly what happens to Elle in Natalie Pearce's Don't Fade Away. This quirky book was pretty enjoyable to read and a little emotional. #bookreview #indiebookclub #indieauthor #ghoststory

Could you imagine being stuck in the same house you died in? That’s exactly what happens to Elle in Natalie Pearce’s Don’t Fade Away. This quirky book was pretty enjoyable to read and a little emotional. Here’s my review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Elle is the protagonist of the story, but she’s already dead. Having died 4 years prior due to a nasty fall down the stairs, she’s stuck as a ghost…

[authorlauren]

The Resonance of War

It's not every day you read a short story with such tragedy that it pulls at your heartstrings. That's what happened to me when I picked up "The Resonance of War" by Kim Appelgryn. Here's my review. #bookreview #shortstory #indiebookclub #readingcommunity

It’s not every day you read a short story with such tragedy that it pulls at your heartstrings. That’s what happened to me when I picked up “The Resonance of War” by Kim Appelgryn. Here’s my review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. This story is only a few chapters long but I was thrust into Herbert’s life and that of his family from page one. Herbert is a family man with a loving wife and a baby…

[authorlauren]

Elemental

I recently had the pleasure of reading the book Elemental by Liane Mahugh. #Sciencefiction isn't the first genre I tend to pick up at the bookstore, but this one caught my eye. I love reading about a strong female lead with some badass powers. #bookreview

I recently had the pleasure of reading the book Elemental by Liane Mahugh. Science fiction isn’t the first genre I tend to pick up at the bookstore, but this one caught my eye. I love reading about a strong female lead with some badass powers. Here’s my review of this thrilling story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. What an amazing story! It’s very rare that I read a book that comes together so…

[authorlauren]

The Scent of a Man - Half Vampire/Half Man (Book 1)

The Scent of a Man by Veralyn Keach was recommended to me during a writer's lift on Twitter. This was a #paranormalromance that was eerily similar to the plot of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Here's my honest review. #bookreview #indieauthor

The Scent of a Man by Veralyn Keach was recommended to me during a writer’s lift on Twitter. I try to read books that I wouldn’t normally read to give a variety of reviews and content. This was a paranormal romance that was eerily similar to the plot of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Here’s my honest review. ⭐⭐ Rating: 2 out of 5. Let me preface this by saying that my review isn’t meant to…

[authorlauren]

Kilts and Catnip: The Shrouded Isle Book 1

Who doesn't want to read book where one of the main characters is a cute cat? As a mother of three cats, I couldn't refuse. Check out my review for Kilts and Catnip by Zoe Tasia. #bookreview #scottishfolklore #indieauthors #readingcommunity #romance

Who doesn’t want to read book where one of the main characters is a cute cat? As a mother of three cats, I couldn’t refuse. Something fishy is going on around a mysterious island located just off the mainland of Scotland and a widowed mother of two might be the cause for all the shenanigans. Check out my review for Kilts and Catnip by Zoe Tasia. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. This is the first book…

[authorlauren]

From Hobby to Work

Have you found yourself drained of inspiration? Has your creativity well run dry? We're in the same boat my friend. Or should I say a raft without a sail? #writingcommunity #indieauthors #opinionarticle

Have you found yourself drained of inspiration? Has your creativity well run dry? Do you dread going back to your keyboard because you feel like everything you’re currently writing just isn’t that good? We’re in the same boat my friend. Or should I say a raft without a sail? I used to write just for myself and then I decided somewhere down the line that I wanted others to read it. So, what’s…

[authorlauren]

Flattery Gets You Nowhere

As much as I and other indie authors talk about scammers, there’s one positive note to it. It's definitely the flattery for me. #indieauthors #writing #writingscams #books #indiebooks #scamprevention #scamawareness #writingcommunity

As much as I and other indie authors talk about scammers, there’s one positive note to it. Are you ready for it? What could possibly be positive about being the target of any scam? Well…it’s definitely the flattery for me. Think about it. We might not be selling huge amounts of books, but it’s nice to open your email and find someone telling you how big of a star you could be – even though it’s…

[authorlauren]

Reading and Refunding

More authors are dealing with the issue of people reading and returning books on Amazon for full refunds. Here's why indie authors are heated about it. #reading #writingcommunity #books #bookrefunds #bookstealing

You read that title right. I’ve been seeing talks of this more and more from fellow indie authors on instagram, tiktok, blogs, and twitter. Among us authors, this argument doesn’t seem very controversial, but when you add in the readers who see nothing wrong with this…well, let’s just say things are getting heated. And that’s why I’m here with my two cents. I haven’t had any personal experience…

[authorlauren]

Vanity vs. Hybrid

Depending on what you’ve heard in the past, these words either inspire hope or fear. That’s why I’m here to break down what they mean in the #publishing industry and shed some light on the stigma behind both. #vanity #hybrid #indieauthors #writing

Depending on what you’ve heard in the past, these words either inspire hope or fear. That’s why I’m here to break down what they mean in the publishing industry and shed some light on the stigma behind both. Let’s start off with the word that started it all. The dread. The frustration. The tears. The vanity publisher. Most definitions that have spawned from this term all agree that vanity…

[authorlauren]

Don't Sleep on Indie Publishers

Nothing feels better than holding a finished manuscript in your hand other than seeing it on a bookshelf. And I'm here to tell you there are alternatives to traditional publishing you may want to check out. #writingcommunity #indiepublishing #books

Nothing feels better than holding a finished manuscript in your hand…or on your computer. You feel accomplished, like your life has purpose, and then you remember that no one will ever see your hard work unless it’s published. You try the traditional route or even query agents trying to convince them why your book is so special. You spend hours tirelessly scouring the internet for tips on how to…

[authorlauren]

The Heir of Drymote

While honeymooning on my cruise, I had some time to sit back and relax with a shiny new #book and, of course, it had to be a #historicalromance. Check out my review of Beth Fuller's novel, The Heir of Drymote. #romance #mystery #indiebookclub #bookreview

I’m a sucker for historical fantasy. Just take a look at my Netflix suggested titles list and it’ll tell you all you need to know. While honeymooning on my cruise, I had some time to sit back and relax with a shiny new book and, of course, it had to be a historical romance. Check out my review of Beth Fuller’s novel, The Heir of Drymote. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. This is a beautifully written…

[authorlauren]

Family Secrets

Looking for a book with a lot of shocking twists? What about an antagonist that is true to the word and makes you want to reach through the pages to strangle them yourself? Look no further than Ellie Jay's Family Secrets. #bookreview #indiebookclub

Looking for a book with a lot of shocking twists? What about an antagonist that is true to the word and makes you want to reach through the pages to strangle them yourself? Look no further than Ellie Jay‘s Family Secrets. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. I went into this story blind. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and boy, was I surprised. The story follows Nadezhda, a teenage girl who’s been…

[authorlauren]

Book News for a New Year

You've probably noticed that over the past month and a half, posts have been really slow. Fear not! I'm coming back this year with more content on publishing tips, writing advice, book reviews, and more of my rambling thoughts. #blog #WritingCommunity

Dear followers of my blog: You’ve probably noticed that over the past month and a half, posts have been really slow. Fear not! I’m coming back this year with more content on publishing tips, writing advice, book reviews, and more of my rambling thoughts. With my wedding coming up in the next few weeks and my recent positive covid test, you can assume that things have been more than a little…