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Readforthesouls (5 KP) created a post

Aug 24, 2018  
Hey Readers!
We all experience the same struggles as writers, and especially as bloggers. Not knowing what we are doing wrong when can't get followers- it's hard to get noticed! Especially in the beginning.
I read this book yesterday that is basically the months we have all spent gathering information on how to blog from the internet, all rolled into one book.
Amazing right! Too bad we didn't all find it earlier.
Although the first half of the book is teaching you how to physically start a blog (picking a domain, a hosting site and figuring out what you want to write about), there are still some amazing tips in here that help out even us who have been blogging for several months (or years)!
For instance,
 • Tips on how to make money (which I think we can all appreciate)
 • Tips on social media- how to take advantage globally!
 • Examples of what great blogs look like
 • What Google looks for with SEO
 • How to stay organized! (thank you for that one)
 • Staying motivated through all the mess we call life
 • And of course, how to get and keep followers
That last one is what we all really want, right? To BE READ. Not all of us are here for the money or to come off as know-it-alls about our subject. We all simply want to be influences on other thinking-minds and to be noticed by our peers. We keep typing away and hope that it makes a difference.
This book told me that it does, usually, make a difference.
There are 250 million blogs online, and a majority of them are abandoned after year 1. The trick is to keep moving forward because it takes time as all things do. What we are passionate about, we are definitely not the only ones, and grouping ourselves with like-minded people and their blogs can really make a difference in your view of your own purpose.
Sitting at the screen and not knowing what to write, or if people even care what you say, is just you in your own head. All the rich bloggers out there KNOW that you care, otherwise, they wouldn't be such awesome blogs, right? HELLO. EARTH TO BLOGGERS. You are here for a reason. Tell us about it, whatever it is.
And tell me, what do you struggle with the most? Also, read this book.
"Blogging for Writers" by Robin Houghton
     
Not If I See You First
Not If I See You First
Eric Lindstrom | 2015 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
3.5 Stars

<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Eric Lindstrom’s ironically named <i>Not If I See You First</i> is a story narrated by a blind teenaged girl, Parker Grant. Parker has had to deal with a lot in her short life - the accident that killed her mother and left her blind; the recent death of her father; however she seems to be coping fine. But there is one incident she will never get over, one person she will never forgive.

Being blind, Parker has memorized voices, the number of steps to get from one place to another and the layout of the areas she frequents. So when her high school merges with another there is a lot of unfamiliarity to get used to. What she is not prepared for is the reappearance of Scott, a boy who broke her heart a couple of years ago.

Parker’s coping mechanisms, both with blindness and grief, result in a hardened personality, unfeeling and caring. She has become unintentionally selfish. Literally and figuratively blind to everyone else’s emotions. Realising this, Parker tries to turn things around, but can her friends forgive her? Can Scott?

It is interesting reading from the point of view of a blind person. For a start there is a lack of physical description. It is difficult to conjure up a complete image of the various settings, almost as if the reader is blind as well. It also challenges stereotypical ideals. Just because someone is blind does not mean they cannot look after themselves.

Despite her hostile demeanor, Parker is an admirable character. She does not let her disability hold her back and sticks with the things she is passionate about, for instance running.

The problem I had with this novel is that Parker seemed to care more about her history with Scott than she did with her father’s death a couple of months previously. I am aware there was a point to this, but even after Parker’s emotions begin to flow she is still more focused on romantic relationships than anything else.

Targeted at young adults, <i>Not If I See You First</i> will appeal to those that enjoy contemporary romance. Nevertheless, be aware that it has an ambivalent ending, rather than the happily-ever-after that you may be yearning for.
  
E
Echoes
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><strong>Three words: Hackers. Go. Missing.</strong></h2>
I'm not talking baby hackers who have no clue what they're doing and slipped up badly – I'm talking top of the ladder ones.

Mallory Park is a hacker who moderates The Forum, a message board where hackers are anonymous, crack down on the dirty secrets of companies, and leak them out to the world anonymously. She's extremely motivated and passionate about her work, and likes to have control – she's independent, wants to do her own thing, and based on her background, it definitely fits her character. Mallory, however...

Just comes out cold. Apathetic. Indifferent. She doesn't really have any clue what to do with herself because hacking IS who she is. She is also extremely brilliant (I would love to have her math skills right now in Calculus...), hates being touched (much like me...), and is as awkward as David 1 and David 2 (one of them is a <a title="The Sorcerer's Apprentice review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/movie-review-the-sorcerers-apprentice"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">Physics major</a> and the other is <a title="Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-steelheart-by-brandon-sanderson"; target="_blank" rel="noopener tag">terrible with metaphors</a>).

While I like Mallory, I think Mallory came more out of her shell when she meets Warden. Warden is very cheery, optimistic, and hilarious – he's really just one of those adorable nerds who would love to squish hug. And despite the fact he is introduced as Mallory's online friend from The Forum, I can hear his voice and see his facial expressions leaping off the screen at Mallory.

There's so much anticipation and danger (and Warden's humor laced throughout) as Mallory gets closer to finding out about the missing hackers, but in the long run, <em>Echoes</em> really just teaches about online safety in a similar, yet different way compared to other books related to online safety.

But you should really just read it for Warden's humor.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-echoes-by-laura-tisda/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
Broken City (2013)
Broken City (2013)
2013 | Drama
6
5.3 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In Broken City, Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg wade into the streets of a
fictional New York, portraying its mayor and a tormented cop, respectively. This film is very political, and it drives to the heart of an issue found all around our country: corruption at every level, especially the highest.

The story starts with a shooting. As one might imagine, officers are easily found innocent in shootings because of the nature of their job, and thus Billy Taggart(Wahlberg) is found innocent after facing accusations of murder. Unfortunately, Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Crowe) has damning evidence that would cause considerable harm to the officer — who’s earned a reputation as a hero — as well
as the city leaders, if it were brought to light. He decides to let Taggart go, and allow everyone to save face, with a handshake and a promise of future remembrance.

Seven years later the tides turn, as Private Eye Taggart is asked by Mayor
Hostetler to investigate his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) for a hefty sum of money.

The cash-strapped Taggart takes the job, but finds himself diving headfirst into a political feeding frenzy two weeks prior to the election. Naturally, drama ensues.

Broken City is not a bad film. The problem is: it’s also not a great film. It has many of the elements of a good movie, but something is missing. It’s hard to blame the writing, as there was well-balanced humor and drama. It’s hard to blame
the cinematography, because the key shots are there. (But some awkward shots are there, too. For example, there’s an odd, segmented spinning shot of Crowe and Wahlberg in the mayor’s office.) It’s hard to blame the acting; everyone does a great job in that regard. But there was just something missing. I wasn’t drawn in.

The movie felt rushed in certain areas, and too long in others. It had major plot holes, like when (spoiler alert) Taggart’s girlfriend disappears, but never resurfaces. The main character never gets a true, deep, passionate call-to-action, which all heroes are supposed to have.

I enjoyed the role of Taggart’s assistant. Even the ending was a fresh take (though somewhat expected, because the main character wasn’t conflicted and chaotic enough to merit an unknown response).

All in all, Broken City is a good movie, but not a great one. You would be well-served to rent or stream it, and save your theater dollars.
  
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