📚 Bibliophile’s Corner 📚
Looking Forward to Reading this in June (Part 2 in the Ruinous Love Affair Trilogy)
Over the last few months, I have started a ‘Bookstagrammer’ account with the IG handle of @LaraLovesLit. This fun hobby lets me put my English degree as well as my love of reading and writing to use in support of Indie Authors - although I do support a few traditionally published ones, too. If you are not aware (and I wasn’t until last year), there is an entire industry that supports authors in getting their books edited, promoted and published outside the traditional method of going through a publishing house.
I am currently an ARC readier for two authors, and am honored to have just become a Beta reader for another and totally over the moon, to be an Alpha reader for an additional author. That said, please know that any reviews I write or books I recommend are entirely my own views and opinions. The majority of authors want honest reviews and don’t require someone to give them a good review for being part of their teams. If they do, I and many others would refuse to work with them.
So what do all those terms mean? Here’s a brief description from what I have learned so far:
Alpha Reader - one of two to three people who read your first or second draft and provide feedback on structural issues such as the plot and areas that are confusing and may be unclear to the reader.
Beta Reader - a larger group of readers who give feedback on more polished versions of the book. Beta readers focus on how a reader would perceive such things as 'Are the characters relatable?'; Does the story keep their interest?; Is the scenery or world building immersive?"
ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) - this group of people receive a pre-published copy of a book (either digital or hard copy) in order to leave an honest review on sites such as Goodreads or Amazon.
Although I generally read a wide variety of book genres, I am focused right now on Romantasy, Fantasy and Dark Romance genres to prepare to attend the Sinners and Stardust Book Convention and Ball in August, where I will get to meet many authors. I am super excited about meeting one of my favorite authors from this genre (and the first author who selected me as an ARC reader last year), JL Andrews.
I have never gone to an event like this, so I am excited to see what it is like for myself. I will also keep you updated on the experience along the way through IG at LaraLovesLit and a few updates here.
My rating system:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Run, don’t walk to read this; made me laugh, possibly cry and couldn’t put it down
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Overall, a great book: solid ild plot, well-described characters, kept me fully engaged.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Nothing spectacular - readable but may have some gaps in plots or other structural/story issues
⭐️⭐️ - Barely made it through it: unlikeable characters, little to no plot, numerous grammatical errors
⭐️- DNF (Did not Finish) Enough Said
TW!: Check Trigger Warnings before reading
My May reads:
*Secrets of Jane by Charlotte Mallory ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ TW!
Dark Beast by Olivia Wildenstein ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ TW!
Feathers so Vicious by Liv Zander (This one was real dark, and I am honestly not sure if I want to give it 3 or 4 stars due to my own reactions and not necessarily the plot and characters) TW!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Phantom by Greer Rivers ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*The Mist Thief by LJ Andrews (ARC) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(*Sinners & Stardust Attending Author)
Most of my book reviews can be found on GoodReads.
Looking forward to reading in June: Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver