Book review: The Tangled Web, by Lacey Dearie

Source: Purchased
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tangled-Web-ebook/dp/B006GUULVQ/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_t_1


Publisher's Synopsis:

Meet Vicky: Single mother, aspiring novelist, undertaker….and glamorous, seductive private investigator. She and trainee plumber Flic, forge the perfect partnership. They trap cheaters, report back to the wives and girlfriends, rake in the cash and then Vicky blogs about it all. The best thing about their job is it’s all done online, so it won’t interfere with their real lives and relationships.

Well, that was the plan.

What they didn’t count on was their first investigation being turned around on them so that they were the ones being investigated and written about - in a national newspaper. Soon, their loved ones want a piece of their secret lives and they discover that Vicky’s family are less than helpful as sidekicks. Her goofy brother Adam discovers the real reason why Flic wants justice for women virtually scorned and invites the woman who destroyed Flic’s happiness five years ago to become a client, with catastrophic consequences for all involved in the business, while Vicky’s gobby sister Pamela is given a fake assignment to trap Christos, Vicky’s confidante, to keep her out of the way and makes an unsavoury discovery about him in the process.

It very quickly becomes apparent that they’ve become trapped in a web of lies from which they can’t escape…



I found The Tangled Web to be a very entertaining and enjoyable read. I liked the author's style of writing. She writes in a light and humourous way and there were many times that I laughed out loud.
The characters are very human and likeable and it was easy to relate to some of their struggles. The author's description of family life and squabbles was particularly appealing to me.
The plot was different and intelligent. It was a real page-turner.
I liked the author's way of interspersing blog posts within the book. I haven't seen that done before and I thought it was a clever, modern way to keep the reader hooked. I was immersed in the story right from the start and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The author managed to maintain an element of suspense throughout the book which kept me hooked.
The Tangled Web is an excellent book, written in a very unique and entertaining style. I would highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more of Lacey Dearie's books.

Contact the author, Lacey Dearie:

Twitter: @laceydearie
Blog: http://www.laceydearieauthor.blogspot.com

Dollars & Sense: The Definitive Guide to Self-Publishing Success by Carolyn McCray, Amber Scott & Rachel Thompson

Page count: 287
Kindle edition
Source: Purchased
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Sense-Definitive-Self-publishing-ebook/dp/B00584MJF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327517796&sr=1-1

Overview:
Dollars & Sense: The Definitive Guide to Self-publishing Success is a step-by-step actionable road map to increasing royalties for beginners and seasoned professionals alike. Divided into three sections; Producing a Sales-Friendly, Professional eBook, Establishing & Leveraging Your Social Media Platform, and Selling Smarter, Not Harder, Dollars & Sense walks authors through the process of creating then actually selling their eBook.


Dollars & Sense is my new publishing and marketing bible. It is the best marketing book that I have read. The book is broken down into easy, manageable steps that guide the author from producing their book, to social media marketing and finally selling their masterpiece. I loved the fact that the book was written by indie authors who are passing on everything they've learned through their own experience.

Dollars & Sense is divided into three sections; publishing, social media and selling. The publishing section deals with content, genre, branding, book cover, maximising your book's potential, developing a sales mentality, the importance of ad copy, and how to create a fan base.

Section two discusses how to create a social media platform via your website, blog, Facebook, Twitter and niche sites like Goodreads, Shelfari and others.

Section three is about how to sell books. It ties in the first two sections and shows us the importance and relevance of social media when trying to sell books. Section three emphasises the importance of book reviewers and how to use giveaways to sell a backlist of books. It also explains why every author should have an optimised Amazon page. Section three educates us on Amazon categories, strategic pricing, direct email marketing, advanced marketing tools and paid advertising.

The book is written in a straightforward manner and the tips are easy to implement. Carolyn, Rachel and Amber are not overnight successes, but through sheer hard work, determination and trial and error they have found a formula for success which they have been generous enough to share with the rest of us. Thank you ladies!

Book review: Destined to Fail by Samantha March

Paperback: 290 pages
Publisher: Marching Ink LLC (October 11, 2011)
Source: Gift from author in exchange for an honest review
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Destined-Fail-Samantha-March/dp/0615546927/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326719437&sr=1-1#_



Destined to Fail by Samantha March is a very emotional and thought-provoking book. I was gripped from its very first harrowing line. I was hooked on the story as soon as I read the evocative opening paragraph and throughout the novel I found myself desperately wanting to know what would happen next. I was quite shocked by some of the revelations. It was hard to believe that someone so young could have been through so much and still have such a kind, untainted heart. It would be understandable if Jasmine, the main character, had become cynical and a troubled teenager after everything that she has experienced in her short life. I loved Jasmine’s spirit and constant striving to do her best.

I admire Jasmine for her strength and courage of character. She’s a survivor. I was a little surprised at her leaving her friend, Abby but I suppose there comes a point when you have to decide that enough is enough.
It seemed to me that as much as Jasmine cared for Abby, that Abby was also somewhat of a crutch for Jasmine. They’d known each other for several years and had supported each other during a very difficult time in both their lives. They had a unique bond, which Jasmine found difficult to cut.

I felt quite proud of Jasmine for having the strength to move on with her own life and make new friends. She was trying to develop a new persona and she looked on college as a chance for a new beginning. However, our past has a habit of catching up with our present no matter how much we try to hide or run from it. Our past is always there. Sometimes it’s buried deep within us, but it’s always there as Jasmine learns.

The characters were warm and realistically portrayed. I enjoyed the developing friendships between Jasmine and her new college friends, Kiley and Cari. I must admit to having a little crush on Nate, Jasmine's boyfriend! He was so sweet, gentle and caring throughout the entire book. I thought that Jasmine was very forgiving of her mother and all the trouble that she had given her family. I didn’t particularly like Jasmine’s mother, but I suppose not all characters are supposed to be liked. It seemed at times that Jasmine was more mature than her mother.

I was left reeling at times from the shocking revelations of the book. There were several major themes in the book such as young love, long-distance relationships and abusive relationships. The issues were dealt with in a sensitive manner, however, and I was glad that the characters survived in the end. I could feel the character's pain and the author evoked much empathy in me for them. The characters were very real with flaws and positives which made them all the more endearing.

Destined to Fail is a very well-written debut novel by Samantha March. I would highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more of Samantha’s books.

You can contact Samantha March here:

Twitter: @samanthamarch23
http://www.samanthamarch.com

The Holstee Manifesto. Inspirational words for the New Year.