Wednesday, March 5, 2014

#IWSG: ARCs / Aubrie Dionne's Alliance Review

 
It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group meeting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find out the other members of the group here.
March already? The year is going by way too fast.

My insecurity this month is Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs). Soon, I'll be sending out e-ARCs of Reborn to reviewers. Besides my critique partners, beta readers, and proofreader, they'll be the first people to read my debut novel. I hope they all love the story, but I know it won't be the case. Some will love it. Others will think it is okay, and a few--hopefully just a few--will hate it. It's the way with all books. It all makes me very nervous, though, and I can't seem to stop myself from glancing at reviews, even though I know I shouldn't.

Do you read your reviews?

By the way, my surgery last Wednesday went well. Recovery has been a bit slower than I expected, though, since I keep getting winded easily as well as tired. But even that is improving. It's amazing how healing takes up so much energy. Because of the surgery, I didn't get as much done as I hoped, but I'll catch up one of these days on my goals.


Aubrie Dionne is a talented writer whether she's writing contemporary, fantasy, or science fiction. Her books reveal fascinating worlds with her lyrical prose and have sweet romance. One of my favorite series of hers has been the Paradise Reclaimed series, and her newest book in that series, Alliance, is available!

Here's my review:

Lyra Bryan must step out of her strawberry perfume life and save her colony and a hot alien at all costs in Aubrie Dionne's Alliance. The third book in the Paradise Reclaimed series, this novel picks up where Reconnaissance left off, but with Lyra telling the story. Lyra is a sweet girl, although she seems a little bit of a space head at the start. I love how she grows as a character. Asteran, the handsome alien from Priavenus, has such a sad story, and his plight tugged on my heartstrings. This fast-paced read sent me to the planet Paradise 21 and across the universe with Dionne's lyrical prose. And the alien arachnids still give me nightmares. Although I would've liked to know more of what happened to the characters at the end, Alliance by Aubrie Dionne is a wonderful addition to the Paradise Reclaimed series, and I recommend it to anyone who loves sweet sci-fi romance.

 

“Saving him meant saving her colony…”

Lyra Bryan has been saving people her whole life from a chick in the ventilation pipes to her mentally ill brother when his mind drifts back to Old Earth. She meets her match when she finds a gorgeous alien man aboard the arachnid ship. Captured after a failed attempt to save his people, his spirit is broken, craving only vengeance. To save her colony, Lyra must save his body and soul.

Lyra’s lifemate, Tauren, is jealous of her obsession with the alien man and will do anything in his power to break them apart. While they travel to the arachnid’s home world to defeat the mother brain once and for all, they must set aside their differences and work as a team. But, can Tauren be trusted?

To Purchase: Amazon / Nook

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20435394-alliance

Click here to read my review of Colonization (Paradise Reclaimed #1) and here to read my review of Reconnaissance (Paradise Reclaimed #2).

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Harper Impulse, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

Author Links: Website / Blog / Twitter



Be sure to stop by tomorrow. I'll have a review of Kitsy Clare's Model Position as a part of her reviews tour.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Cherie, Congratulations on another book published! I can't say that I read my reviews since I haven't published any books yet. :) I'm working to change that this year. It's my goal. I wish you the very best of luck and hope all your reviews are good. Take care. Lily

Aubrie said...

I used to read my reviews, but it would get me down and I'd lose whole days of writing if I got a really bad one. People can be so nasty. Now, I just ignore them (Except for your reviews of course!)

You're totally right about how some people will hate the book no matter what. You can't please everyone.

Thank you for the wonderful review and for featuring my book!

Donna B. McNicol said...

I read reviews from time to time, hate the bad ones but enough long time writers have told me that makes things look realistic. As long as the ratio stay small on the BAD side, I'm okay.

Now take time to heal...the body needs the rest to recoup!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad the surgery went well. Don't rush it. You'll be back to a hundred percent soon.
Those reviews will come. Just prepare and you'll be fine. And yes, I do read mine. I've learned a lot from the thoughtful ones.

stu said...

I read my reviews, and sometimes that can be hard. The biggest danger is that you then start trying to write the next one to please the few people who didn't get the first one, and who would never read a sequel anyway.

Julie Flanders said...

I stopped reading reviews because I know I don't have a thick enough skin to deal with the bad ones. Maybe someday I will but for now it's better for me to just stay away from them.

Best wishes for your recovery!

Christine Rains said...

You have nothing to worry about. Your book is fantastic! :) I do read my reviews. That reminds me: I need more chocolate in my office!

Yay for Alliance! It was great.

Hope you're taking it easy and feeling better.

er186 said...

How exciting to have ARCs going out! Good luck with the reviews. I haven't published anything yet but when I do (hopefully) I'm sure I'll read them all. The cover of Reborn is gorgeous!!

Frankie Miller said...

It would be very nice to get some reviews to read!
The few I've had I have read. I prefer the mixed variety, especially when there is some positive criticism
Congrats on your book.

Jay Noel said...

Glad you're recovering well. Keep taking care of yourself! Surgery is a pretty big deal.

It's easy to read my reviews since I only have 8 of them. Lol.

sjp said...

Good luck with the reviews and recovery!!! And everyone seems to be reading this series, must put it on the list...

Rachna Chhabria said...

Glad the surgery went well. Take it easy Cherie. I do read my reviews (so far they have all been good).

Anonymous said...

Paradise Reclaimed sounds like an interesting series. I do read reviews, or at least I read the reviews you've posted on these particular books.

Good luck with the ARCs. I'm sure most will be positive.

-James

Unknown said...

Good luck with the new novel. I think when everything's completed and it's out of your hands, you're best off not giving it too much thought, moving on to other things, whether that's your next project or just recovering from your surgery.

I think if you've completed a novel while ill, you deserve some time off!

Anonymous said...

I used to read my reviews, but the emotional rollercoaster it took me on wore me down. Now, I don't read any, good or bad. I'll leave them to the reader looking to decide if they want to buy my books or not.

M Pax said...

Glad you're healing, Cherie. Hugs.

Best to Aubrie. Reviews are kind of like car wrecks... I try not to look but sometimes I have to.

Unknown said...

I'm so glad to hear you're on the mend. I hope you're back to normal soon. Yes, I always read my reviews, and sometimes feel down for the next day. I also watch my sales rank, and then feel down for the next month. Someone keep me off the internet!! :O

Cherie Colyer said...

I do read the reviews for my books. I like to know what readers think, what they liked and didn't like. Glad to hear your surgery went well.

farawayeyes said...

ARC's scare the carp out of me.

No real reviews yet, but I do read everything from my writing group and CP's, sometimes just as bad. YIKES!

Nicole said...

Sounds like you have a healthy attitude about ARCs and reviews! Don't sweat it too much (though it is seriously hard not to!), and know that the best way to move forward from a good OR bad review is to keep writing.

Cathy Keaton said...

I honestly doubt there will be any hatred toward Reborn. It's just not the type of book any sane person will feel so polarized about. Of course, there's always a crazy person out there, but I bet none of your reviewers will be like that.

Who are these reviewers you have obtained? I'm wondering how you got them to commit to reading your book way before you published it. Are they just book bloggers?

DMS said...

Cherie- Can't wait to read Reborn! :) I can understand the butterflies in your stomach. I get them, too!

Alliance sounds interesting. Great cover!

Glad to hear that your recover is going well. It does take time to heal after any surgery. Our bodies are amazing. Take care of yourself and make sure you rest!
~Jess

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Glad to hear you are on the mend. I'm sure that Reborn will prove a big success.

As I'm not an author I can't in all honesty comment on whether I'd read my reviews but have to admit that I probably wouldn't as whilst I could take construction criticism there seem to be reviewers out there who seem to delight in being hurtful.

Unknown said...

I'm not in a position to read reviews yet but imagine it's a strange process. I hope it's not as difficult as you imagine.

Take care as you recover.

Heather R. Holden said...

Glad to hear the surgery went well, even if recovery is a bit slow! And I know what you mean about the year going by too fast. I wish time would slow down!