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Fountain Pen 101: Ink Reservoirs

Posted in Fountain Pens

Last week I covered ink, this week I’m covering it’s holders, namely ink reservoirs. The reservoir is what makes a fountain pen a fountain pen. Without one, it would be a dip pen. Essentially, there are two categories of ink reservoirs: removable and built-in.

The ratings you’ll find below are averages and based on my opinions. Each pen is different, and every person has different preferences, so don’t discount a pen just because of a rating; research it first. Ink capacity is rated ★☆☆☆☆ (least capacity) to ★★★★★ (most). Ease of cleaning is specifically for cleaning the reservoir itself, not the entire pen, and is assuming you do not disassemble the pen at all (e.g. removing the nib unit).

If you want video instructions or step-by-step photo instructions of how to utilize some of these ink reservoirs, check out these guides: JetPens | Goulet Pens

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Review – Sweet Obsession

Posted in Book Blogger

Sweet Obsession

by A.M. Salinger

Series: Night Series, Book 4
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Erotica
Release Date: April 17th 2018
Pages: 101
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★

He is the one person I love more than life itself. The one person I will do my utmost to protect. The one person I can never touch — Luke

He is the only one I have ever wanted. The only man I would ever need for as long as I breathe. But he doesn’t love me. No, he hates me —Ash

Ash Colby wants nothing more than to free himself of the man who broke his heart the night he turned seventeen. But when Luke Rutherford, his former guardian and heir of Rutherford Industries, forces him to move from his quiet college life in Stanford to the other side of the world, Ash snaps and decides to confront Luke about their past.

Luke has loved Ash since he was a child and been in love with him for over half a decade. Having protected Ash from the woman who wanted to hurt the young Colby heir in the past, Luke must act swiftly in order to keep Ash safe from harm once more. But when his bold move backfires on him, Luke must face the consequences of the decision he took on the night Ash turned seventeen.

Will Ash forgive Luke when he discovers the truth behind the terrible act he witnessed five years ago? And as the walls Luke had erected to protect Ash from his lust come crumbling down around him, will he overcome his guilty conscience and finally admit his true feelings for Ash?

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Mistakes Were Made: Book Blogging

Posted in Book Blogger

If you follow my blog, you’ve noticed a significant upswing in book blogging posts. This won’t be permanent. I’m actually planning to pare it down to one a week. But in diving into book blogging, I made mistakes. So I’m writing this to help anyone interested in diving into the world of book blogging. Okay, that’s getting annoying, let’s just call it BB.

Scheduling

The most important thing to keep in mind is scheduling. Keep track of EVERYTHING for which you sign up. And make sure you can keep track of what you have planned for any given week.

I use two separate schedules. I have single-month calendars in my notebook. It’s useful for me to see, at a glance, which days have something scheduled. I also keep a color-coded Google spreadsheet with relevant details that gives me a quick look at the status of various posts. My scheduling methods may be inadequate or over complicated for you, but make sure you have something to keep track of your post schedule. If you choose to have a written schedule, I highly suggest working in pencil or erasable ink.

When you’re scheduling BB content, keep in mind the amount of time it will take you to read the book (if you’re doing a review). Amazon has page counts listed, which can be helpful for planning. Don’t overbook yourself by falling into the “ooh! free books!” trap.

Assume you’ll get approved for everything, especially if you’re signing up for reviews. You MAY end up with less content than you planned on, but at least you won’t be stressed trying to manage everything.

Keep track of what has to be a top post. If you schedule more than one post a day, make sure they don’t both/all need to be the top post.

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Cover Reveal – Monster’s Best 2019

Posted in Book Blogger

Monster’s Best 2019

Anthology

Genres: Non-fiction, fiction, anthology
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Cover Design: Monster House Books
Pre-Order: Amazon

Monster House Books publishes a compilation of short stories featuring fierce females. Our 2019 edition includes new stories by best selling authors Christina Bauer, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, and Majanka Verstraete! Plus, we’re searching through hundreds of new author submissions in order to select a handful of the most creative and compelling short stories to add in to the mix. To have your work considered for the 2019 edition of MONSTER’S BEST, please send your short story (50 pages or less) to info@monsterhousebooks.com.

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Rating System

Posted in Book Blogger

It occurs to me that I’ve never mentioned my rating system. So, here’s a rough idea of how I rate books. If I expand to…

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My Wedding

Posted in Personal

This post is a long time coming, and I don’t really know why I’ve delayed writing it. This won’t be like the in-depth posts you’re used to me writing. Rather, it’s a photo-heavy overview to provide a little glimpse at a very special day in my life.

As you may or may not know, I got married in March. Avid fountain pen enthusiasts that my husband and I are, we decided on a fountain pen themed wedding.

We chose our wedding colors based on our favorite coordinating inks — Diamine Aqua Blue and Organics Studio Jane Austen.

Our invitations were pen-related, and, of course, addressed in fountain pen.

Fountain Pen 101: Ink

Posted in Ink

It’s impossible to cover ink in a single post. For one, I don’t know every ink brand, and new brands are popping up every day. For two, there are all sorts of properties that people like to discuss and/or include in their reviews. However, what I’m going to try to do is give you an overview of the ink properties I’ve heard discussed most often and the “best known” ink brands.

As a side note for newbies, make sure you only use fountain pen inks. Ink for dip pens could destroy your pen.

Ink Properties

As you start exploring inks, you’ll hear about various properties, including shimmer, shading, sheen, wetness, feathering, and bleeding. Most ink properties are at least partially dependent on the paper you use. Basic copy paper, for example, will negate almost all ink properties, while Tomoe River paper is well-known to enhance most ink properties. To enhance ink properties, you want to write/draw on “ink resistant” paper.

Review – Renegade

Posted in Book Blogger

Renegade

by Sharonlee Holder

Series: Blood Of The Custodians, Book 2
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 28, 2018
Pages: 404
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★

As the war between the Fates and the resistance rages on, Colin Murphy—bastard son of Hades—finds himself caught between his loyalty to Eros and a past that threatens to destroy him.

Pursued by Persephone’s bounty hunters, and with a pissed-off daemon to contend with, there is one thing that Murphy knows for sure – Hailey, the human he now shares his mind and body with, is innocent in all of it. She is a firefly flickering in the darkness of his black existence, and he will do anything and everything to protect her.

Hailey was groomed to be a socialite, with her entire future mapped out for her. Nothing could have prepared her for the abrupt ending to that life—or the impact of living in such close, intimate confines with a forsaken son of Hell. He’s powerful, he’s dangerous…and he’s her only hope of escaping the dark forces that pursue her.

Boundaries will be tested, loyalties questioned, and hearts pushed to the limits in this action-packed paranormal romance that continues the epic Blood of the Custodians saga by Sharonlee Holder.

Review – Wings of Flesh and Bones

Posted in Book Blogger

Wings of Flesh and Bones

by Cathrina Constantine

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Release Date: April 13th 2018
Pages: 382
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

An Angel. A Witch. A Demon. And A Choice.

Creatures from outer realms suck, as any gatekeeper worth their salt will tell you. Welcome to Rogan’s life, an orphaned seventeen-year-old who lives and trains with other misfits under her uncle’s roof, keeping Earth safe from non-human realm jumpers. Rogan’s biggest issue concerns her uncle’s short leash with her freedom—that is of course, until she’s taken by a notorious witch, and her life begins to unravel. Soon, the supernatural beauty discovers there’s a reason her uncle kept such a tight lock on her whereabouts, and that she has more than angel blood running through her veins.

Eighteen-year-old Max is an angel, and Rogan’s mentor and guardian. He’s well aware of her tenacious inability to obey orders, though he also knows she’s a fierce fighter. When he’s involved in a scheme that ultimately gets Rogan kidnapped, he must battle his way back to her in an attempt to save her from the darkness threatening to possess her.

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Review – Hybrids

Posted in Book Blogger

Hybrids

by T.A. Moorman

Series: Underlayes, Book 1.5
Genres: Romance, Occult, Adult
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Pages: 70
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Anya has never been one for the spotlight, but her family seems to now be front and center, and the talk of the town in Underlayes. In the aftermath of her mother’s death, the discovery of said mother’s deceit, and Anya’s half-sister getting ready to challenge her own father for the witches’ throne, keeping a low profile may prove to be difficult. Add in the fact that she’s pregnant, by her female mate, and it may turn out to be impossible.

Kierra has never been one for many words. So if she were forced to explain how she impregnated Anya, it probably wouldn’t be easy for her. Especially since the truth would mean revealing her origins; she’s not a vampire, or even anything close to it. And living in a realm where her kind isn’t allowed may cause a few ramifications. Plus, should the kid call her Mom, or Dad?

Jump right back into the world of Underlayes where this magical family takes dysfunction to brand new heights.

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Review – Dark Goddess

Posted in Book Blogger

Dark Goddess

by Amalie Howard

Series: Alpha Goddess, Book 2
Genres: Fantasy, Hindu Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Pages: 376
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★

After an epic struggle that unseated the Azura Lord of Death and placed Serjana Caelum’s best friend, Kyle, on his throne, the Mortal Realm is peaceful and the balance between good and evil—which Sera is sworn to protect—has been restored.

But signs of a new threat to the world of men quickly begin to appear: A scourge of demons descends on the Mortal Realm, and Sera is beside herself trying to locate their source. She sends word to the gods for help, and their answer comes in the form of Kira, the living incarnation of Kali, goddess of destruction.

Stunning and dangerous, Kira plans to protect the heavens at all cost, even if it means destroying the entire Mortal Realm. Soon Sera and Kyle find themselves fighting not just the demon plague, but Kira and her twin. But when an even more sinister threat arises—putting not just the human world but all planes of existence in jeopardy—they must all learn to work together or lose everything they sacrificed so much to save.

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Review – Resurgence

Posted in Book Blogger

Resurgence

by Sharonlee Holder

Series: Blood Of The Custodians, Book 1
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Pages: 354
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★

It’s been a thousand years since the Fates destroyed Olympus, forcing the gods into exile among the humans. Now, led by Eros, the sons and daughters of the Olympians are preparing for war. They are determined to win their freedom, but the Fates will do anything to keep the status quo. A prophesied weapon—said to be able to destroy the Fates—is sought by both sides. Eros and the resistance want to use it to win their freedom, while the Fates race to find the weapon first and destroy it.

Antara, a hybrid of human and Custodial descent, comes into her ancestral powers as the very Tracker Eros needs to find the weapon. Kidnapped, held hostage and forced to confront the hidden truth about her own heritage, Antara is drawn deeper and deeper into a world she never knew existed. Things would be a lot simpler if she could just hate Eros for bringing her here; if his fate weren’t now bound to her own—and if, despite everything, she didn’t already find herself falling in love with him…

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Review – Alpha Goddess

Posted in Book Blogger

Alpha Goddess

by Amalie Howard

Series: Alpha Goddess, Book 1
Genres: Fantasy, Hindu Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 408
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★

In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.

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Fountain Pen 101: Nibs

Posted in Fountain Pens

Another Fountain Pen Friday, another Fountain Pen 101. Welcome back! This time I’m covering nibs. Let me start out by saying that this is an introduction to nibs. I’ll cover nib customization (yes, that’s a thing) later.

Overview

Your average fountain pen is going to be available in one of the following nib sizes: Extra Fine (EF), Fine (F), Medium (M), Broad (B), Double Broad (BB), and Stub (usually 1.1mm or 1.5mm, although 1.9mm does exist). You do occasionally come across Oblique nibs (similar to a stub, but cut at an angle), but they’re far less common and typically found on specialty pens.

Some pens, especially from indie pen makers, utilize standard #5 or #6 nib units from Bock or Jowo. That means you can purchase other nib units of the same size and manufacturer and swap them out. It’s like giving your pen a mini makeover.

Jowo Nib Unit — A Jowo nib unit. Photo from Nibs.com

Something to keep in mind when selecting a pen is the origin of its manufacturer. Japanese nibs tend to run 1-2 sizes thinner than Western nibs. So if you like a M Lamy, you’d probably want a B Platinum. JetPens (yep, them again) have a great post on the various nib sizes and differences between Japanese and Western nibs.

Nib width comparison — Comparison of Japanese and Western nib widths. Photo from Pentorium.com

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Review – Chosen by Grace

Posted in Book Blogger

Chosen by Grace

by Alicia Rades

Series: Divine Fate Trilogy, Book 1
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Release Date: February 23, 2018
Pages: 226
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

She thought the demons were in her head… until the night they attacked.

Ryn Tyler didn’t intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley—or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans.

While discovering the secrets of the supernatural, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can’t stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn’s magic than he’s letting on.

Only Ryn has the power to stop the coming apocalypse. But there’s a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself—and if Ryn wants to survive, she’ll have to fight back.

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Cover Reveal – Fate’s Kiss

Posted in Book Blogger, and Exalted Bloodlines

Fate’s Kiss

by Rachel de la Fuente

Found In: Summer Heat
Series: Exalted Bloodlines, Book 1.5
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: July 6, 2018
Purchase From: Amazon (pre-order)

When our eyes met, I felt an instant connection, like a string was tying us together.

– – – –

Shawn

Selene is unlike any woman I’ve ever met, and it makes me want her so much that I can hardly control myself around her. But she’s a vampire princess, so I don’t see how we could have a future. After all…

– – – –

… royalty doesn’t mate with humans.

– – – –

Selene

Those are my mother’s words, so unless my father declares otherwise, they’re law to me. Maybe if she knew about the connection Shawn and I share, she’d be more amenable to the match. But I don’t know what the connection is, other than a gut feeling that Shawn is my fated mate. So I must trust that…

– – – –

… Fate happens, even if it seems impossible.

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Book Blitz – Renegade

Posted in Book Blogger

Renegade

by Sharonlee Holder

Series: Blood Of The Custodians, Book 2
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 28, 2018
Purchase From: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

As the war between the Fates and the resistance rages on, Colin Murphy—bastard son of Hades—finds himself caught between his loyalty to Eros and a past that threatens to destroy him.

Pursued by Persephone’s bounty hunters, and with a pissed-off daemon to contend with, there is one thing that Murphy knows for sure – Hailey, the human he now shares his mind and body with, is innocent in all of it. She is a firefly flickering in the darkness of his black existence, and he will do anything and everything to protect her.

Hailey was groomed to be a socialite, with her entire future mapped out for her. Nothing could have prepared her for the abrupt ending to that life—or the impact of living in such close, intimate confines with a forsaken son of Hell. He’s powerful, he’s dangerous…and he’s her only hope of escaping the dark forces that pursue her.

Boundaries will be tested, loyalties questioned, and hearts pushed to the limits in this action-packed paranormal romance that continues the epic Blood of the Custodians saga by Sharonlee Holder.

Fountain Pen 101: Where to Start (with Pens)

Posted in Fountain Pens

Welcome back to Fountain Pen 101, and happy Fountain Pen Friday! This week, I’m taking a look at what I think are the best pens with which to start your fountain pen journey. This one is rather long, but I wanted to give you a good overview of each pen.

If you’ve never touched a fountain pen before, I’d suggest trying out the Platinum Preppy or the Pilot Metropolitan. They are both solid pens, with far more benefits than detriments. Another good pen, although a “step up” price-wise from the Preppy and Metropolitan is the Lamy Safari. It’s another solid pen that’s unlikely to let you down.

EDIT 2/12/2021: Since writing this post, I’ve changed my mind about the Safari being the best “step up” pen. I’m leaving the review below, because it’s not a bad pen by any means. However, there are two pens that, in my opinion, beat it out for top “step up” pen: the TWSBI 580 series and the Kaweco Sport series.

I’m leaving out the disposable Pilot Varsity, because, although inexpensive, it abandons the best parts of fountain pen use: changing inks and re-usability.

I’ll be rating each of the three pen on reliability (in terms of writing), appearance, durability, ink (both the availability of cartridges and the converter quality/style), nibs, and ease of cleaning.

I also took a look at several major retailers to see who offers the best deal for a “starter pack” of pen, pack of cartridges, and a converter. Prices listed below are in US dollars with the total price first, and the price of standard shipping to Maryland, United States — included in the total price — in parentheses.

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Review – Eligible

Posted in Book Blogger

I was incredibly excited when The Austen Project (a plan to re-write Jane Austen’s book in modern settings) was announced. I had high hopes that the modern retellings would have the charm and life of Jane’s original works. However, after being plagued by delays, once the books were completed and the reviews started appearing, I was sure I’d be sorely disappointed.

So, I lowered my expectations, as I waited for Pride and Prejudice. And waited. And somehow missed the release entirely (which was on my birthday!), only discovering Eligible‘s existence last December. I immediately bought and read it, and posted a review on Amazon. As I’ve delved into book blogging since then, I’ve decided to include my review here as well.

Eligible: A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice

by Curtis Sittenfeld

Series: The Austen Project, Book 4
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance
Release Date: April 19, 2016
Pages: 528
Purchase from: Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | iBooks | Books-A-Million | Hudson Booksellers
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Review – Bound

Posted in Book Blogger

Bound

by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

Series: Magnus Blackwell, Book 2
Genres: Adult, Supernatural, Ghosts, Occult, Voodoo
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Pages: 360
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Magnus Blackwell’s past is about to catch up with him.

An evil force has seized New Orleans. Pestilence, suffering, and darkness cloak the city. The citizens are scared and need their mambo to guide them, but Lexie Arden can’t help anyone. A diabolical presence has taken Lexie’s power and severed her ties with the other side.

Magnus Blackwell is fighting demons of his own. Torn between his devotion to Lexie and a spirit from his past, Magnus’s loyalty is put to the test. He must revisit his sins to uncover the key to the hatred ripping the city apart. If he doesn’t, Lexie’s reign as mambo will end.

Their search for answers leads them deep into the darker realms of voodoo—until a desperate Lexie does the unthinkable, and Magnus can do nothing to spare her from her fate.