For some odd reason I missed the launch of Carole Mortimer’s sexier series ALPHAs.  Being a reader of Ms Mortimer’s works for many years now – I honestly don’t know how that happened.  I suspect just too many great books undiscovered as yet.

So, today I went and picked up the first one, Christma Alpha, and figured I’d get it read and on the schedule for the Christmas Season reviews. Then I looked at the second story, okay 1-Click, then the third story another 1-Click… and you get the idea.  By the time I was done I’d bought the entire series and will pick up the next release as well.

And I’m glad I did.  I didn’t plan on it all at once, but I knew I’d end up reading and reviewing the whole series and just went with the trust that I have in the author when I bought every one before even reading the first story.

That is a classic example of a reader who believes in an author’s works from past experiences to know that sight unseen the stories are going to be enjoyable… because I trust what I’ve read in the past.  Blind trust?  Maybe.  But some writers deserve that kind of trust.

And now… I’m not sure I can wait to start reading.  *sheepish grin*  If I know me, I’ll probably just start diving right in to this particular pile of books that won’t have time to get dusty on my TBR Tower of Books.

Of course, like every reader I have favorite authors works on release.  But I rarely buy an entire series in one shot.  No regrets,   I’ll be posting reviews on this series soon.

1. Christmas Alpha
2. Dark Alpha
3. Shadow Alpha
4. Midnight Alpha
5. Renegade Alpha
6. (and to come) Warrior Alpha

Have you bought an entire series, sight unseen?  I can’t be the only one out here.  *grin*

When I began to really work on Keeper Bookshelf again, full time in January of 2015  I really wanted to get involved with the book review community.  They are an amazing group of people with fun ideas and such useful information.

Around that time the “Challenges” for 2015 were coming out – and I went hog-wild crazy.  Every single one looked like so much fun.

Unfortunately, I was unable to keep up-to-date on listing them either here or at the Challenge websites/blogs.  I am embarrassed by that.  I know I bit off much more than I could chew.

My sincere apologies to any Challenge that I dropped out of before the end of this year.  It wasn’t your idea, it was my inability to make a routine and stick with it.  I failed, you didn’t.

There are a couple that I will take a weekend and get all caught up on.  Then I’ll put those Challenges pages back up on Keeper Bookshelf.  But with the review schedule I have now plus real life – there is no way to realistically get caught up on fifteen Challenges.  So, I’ll pick a couple and be content.

Will I enter into this area again?  Of course!  They are well run, fun and a great way to not only meet other readers, but to add to my To Be Read Toppling Mountain of Books.  I will simply be more realistic, pick the ones that I know I can keep up with and be diligent about it.

It was a good experience that I look forward to being part of again.  Just… not this year.  Nine months of catching up are beyond my ability right now.

~~sad panda face~~

I am going to have a mini-rant here because… well because I can, it’s my blog.  A lot of the reviews I’m seeing in some of the main review dropping sites (yes, I drop my reviews in them too) have been driving me a bit batty lately.  So, I’m going to let a few questions for ya out of my bat-crazy mind – just for shits and giggles..

For starters… Did you just read the same book I did?  ‘Cos what you just wrote in that review is absolutely nothing like the book I just put down.  Okay, maybe we liked it in different degrees – but, really?  That’s what you got outta that one??

Oh, and then there is the… the main characters should have done “this” because what they did do was so “stupid” and why in the world didn’t they see “that” coming a mile away.  They shoulda, coulda, woulda been said acted differently.  Ummm, Honeybun it wasn’t your story to write you cannot tell the characters what to do – it’s not your story to tell.  Diss on what you read okay, maybe but you cannot tell an author how or what to write… it ain’t your show baby.

If a reviewer wants to pick apart the editing or a few typos that got missed – that’s one thing.  But an author’s job is to write what is in their heart, their brain and for some, what their publishing house thinks will sell in today’s market.  Look, I am not gonna tell Nora Roberts to change the way she writes.  No way, no how am I even going to suggest to a best selling, top of the line writer how her characters are misbehaving according to my own personal likes and dislikes.  (and let’s be clear here, they are not misbehaving – I adore Ms. Roberts and her work and would not change a thing – just sayin’)

I don’t understand when it became my job to re-write a novel to my own personal storylines and plots.  My job (hobby) as I see it is to tell other readers who may or may not wander into my blog what I thought of the story.  Was it entertaining – did it hold my attention – would I hand it over to my best friend saying you gotta read this.  That’s what I see my job as.  I’m a reader who enjoys sharing my thoughts about a book with other like minded people.  I am not a critic.  And God knows I am not a writer, I cannot do what these amazing people do.  So why is it my “job” to tear apart the world they created and make it my own.  It’s not.

I know that my blog and reviews are seen as soft.  I write mostly 5 or 4 starred reviews, occasionally a 3 star.. once a 1 star when I was totally frustrated.  But in truth, if I don’t like where a book is going – I put it aside and forget about it.  Time is too precious to waste on something that I do not want to read… or tell my friends about.  The argument is that maybe someone might like what I hate.. okay, I see the point.  But it’s not my way.  And bottom line is – my blog, my way.

I just don’t see the point of tearing apart and rewriting a book within a review to make it what you wanted it to be.  If that’s what you want to read then go out and write a book just like that.  Honestly, no shit nastiness here… honestly, go write it.

Okay, end of rant.  Start with the hate – I can take it.