You guys know I don't do book reviews. And I don't intend to now, but I do want to marvel at one authors ability. She is so unusually good. Not unusual THAT shes good, but the unusual way that she's good. It's Dia Reeves. And she is awesome at what she does with her books.
I read Bleeding Violet last year at some point and was amazed. It's creepy, and her heroine is . . . not exactly heroine material. She's HUGELY flawed and not all the time even in her right mind, exactly. But you can't help but hang on to her the same you would any other heroine. And that, I think, takes amazing writing abilities.
And here we are again with Miss Reeves, I'm reading Slice of Cherry and . . . wow. She's got me again. If you've never heard of this book, it's basically about these two sisters who enjoy murder. Not exactly the basic idea of main characters you want to root for. And really, I'm reading this not ROOTING for them exactly, but so entangled into their world and how they think and function, that it's hard to see another point of view. Yea, it's twisted and dark, but it's wonderful in those ways too. The way I find myself swayed, is so unexpected. (not that I'm plotting murder or ever intend to. . .)
I just think that takes incredible skill to create these main characters that are the opposite of heroic and make your readers love them anyway.
So, last night I'm reading this part that just gave me the willies soooooooo freaking bad. (I would love to include that part because it's brilliantly, simplistically terrifying, but I don't want to tangle with the if I'm actually allowed to's and what not) I like to believe I'm not easily scared, but the truth is, all writers are in their own ways. Because we can't help how our minds wander. And I want to think I could write something this good, this creepy, and complicated. I donno if I really ever could! I'd freak myself out trying to write it!
Anyway, her books might not be for everyone (though I donno how they couldn't be!) but you want to see some incredible skill either way, you pick up one of her books.
But maybe you're saying "ugh, I don't give a flying squirrels fuzzy ass! tell me who won!". Well, I say to you . . . suck it. This is my blog, I do what I want.
. . .
. . .
Fine. . .
Random number generator picked out lucky number 9! And that was April Plummer!! Yeay!
So April, email me : ce(dot)murphy(at)yahoo(dot)com with your mailing address, what book you desire as your prize, and I will get it to you asap!
If you didn't win here, don't forget to check up on Abby and see who she had as her random winner!
Happy Monday my friends, and I will see you around the blogs!
Congratulations to April!
ReplyDeleteThese books sound deliciously terrifying--I definitely need to check them out! Congrats to April!
ReplyDeleteA flying squirrel's fuzzy ass! HAHAHAAAAAA! Oh, can I use that in a book? Please, please, I LOVE it!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, and congratulations to April!
Congratulations, April! I think I've heard of these books, but I'll have to check.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to April and yes, I think it takes a huge skill to make your MC's flawed yet likeable.
ReplyDeleteYeah April! As for scary books...I have to think about it. I'm not good with scary.
ReplyDeleteI can only take small doses of scary. Otherwise I'm a total baby!
ReplyDeleteYeah for April!! And you've told me about her before - sounds awesomely creepy but not sure I could bring myself to read it, lol!
ReplyDeleteThose books sound good. Congrats to the winner. =D
ReplyDeleteCongrats to April.
ReplyDeleteColene, have you read "I Am Not a Serial Killer" by Dan Wells. Talk about making a normally nonsympathetic character (15-year-old sociopath who has all the makings to be a serial killer). I came to love this kid, and the last book made me cry.
I can read scary but I can't watch it. I hate horror movies.
ReplyDeleteCongrats, April!
omg! You've got me so intrigued... running over right now to put both of these on my goodreads list! :D Thanks, girl~
ReplyDeleteYay, April!!!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to check these books out. And it looks like I'll have to check out I Am Not A Serial Killer, too.
I'm with Nicole. I can read scary but I can't watch horror movies. Books don't give me nightmares. Horror movies do.
Congrats to April. And flawed heroines or heroes, for that matter, are people we can relate to. Male that I am, I think I still would be uncomfortable with a girl who looked photoshopped and had a plastic perfect personality. Male that I am, I would probably still go out with her ... wondering all the while what the game was! LOL.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to April!
ReplyDeleteyay april!!!! christy
ReplyDeleteYay, Dia's the best horror writer, isn't she - I love how she has female MCs as the killers (not that I'm at all sick and twisted, LOL)! And you should definitely read I Am Not A Serial Killer - you'll love it :) I'm always on the lookout for that sort of character, as that's a lot how my MC's like in one of my books :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Rach
Congrats April...
ReplyDeleteHI, COLENE! SO GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK! I was just over at Abby's site and read the good news. You and she were solely missed.
I hope is all well in your world ... a bit late, but HAPPY 2012!
A big congrats to April! I've never heard of those books, but they sound amazing!
ReplyDeleteOooh sounds deliciously CREEPTASTIC! Thanks for the name drop--on my radar!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of an author named Dea Reeves. Maybe I should check it out? Or is it a typical girlie book?
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
I'm always intrigued by books with antiheroes--I'll have to remember this book.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to April!
Oooh, sounds like a really intense book. I really want to read the creepy part now (but I'd prob get too scared, I'm a wimp). Congrats, April!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to April!
ReplyDeleteAnd wow, she sounds talented, because I agree, making an atypical MC loved is not so easy. I don't know if I will read it because I don't do well with creep, but if I every change my mind, I'll know where to look!
cool! congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, April!
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of this Reeves book... you had me at twisted and dark. :)
I've never read anything by Dia Reeves, but now I want to. Her stories sound like they're right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteOh scarecrow, I think I missed you most of all while I was gone. :o)
ReplyDeleteI've never read either of those, but now I'm definitely tempted to make my TBR pile that much bigger *sigh*
I totally get what you mean about being blown away by the skill another writer shows. For me right now that is George RR Martin. Totally sucked into the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series (even though each book is a gajillion pages long. He has this ability to take a character and make you hate them, then love them and then hate them again. That takes some mad skillz!
That definitely takes huge skill to make characters who are flawed be likeable.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check these books out.