I’ve been reading a lot lately, a lot more than I usually do. It’s considerably a lot more than I imagine I should be reading when I consider how full my days are with work, taking care of a pet, trying to put time in at the gym, and all the other responsibilities in my life. And since my computer is full of a backlog of book reviews, I have decided to add a new themed post to my blog. On top of occasional Bonus Post Fridays, I will now occasionally have Short Story Saturdays. Why the addition? Well, with the very little free time I have, I thought it would be a great idea to join a site in which I could read novels and short stories by aspiring and small authors for free. At voraciousreadersonly.com I did just that, by putting in my personal information and then ticking the boxes regarding my reading preferences within the various genres. Soon after I was bombarded with emails, and I say this with the most positive emphasis. Each email I got came with cover art and a brief description of the book, along with a few one line reviews and novels that have a similar feel. When you see a book that looks interesting to you, just click the link in the email in order to be put on a list to receive a pdf. The wait for me, so far, has never been very long. I have been receiving emails with the downloadable pdfs within hours of clicking the link.
The first book I decided to read from the already substantial list I had created for myself was titled A Rose in Winter by Willow Callaway and Penny Kate. It is the first book in a two book series of fairy tale reimaginings in which the female main characters find their love interest through arranged marriages, at least that is what I make out of the ‘mail order mountain bride’ series description. The pdf I read was one hundred seventy two pages, generously spaced and with a large font, which took me less than two hours to read. Which is why I am considering it a short story rather than a book. The kindle version is listed as being one hundred twenty five pages, and if you want to support a small writer you can buy it for less than three dollars. But, if you don’t have a kindle, or if you just prefer physical books, the paperback can run you anywhere from eight to thirty six dollars on Amazon. Myself being a person who prefers physical books and does not own a digital reading device, I will say to you that the paperback is not worth that much! If you really want to read this, and after my review you may not, then I highly suggest that you sign up to be a Voracious reader and get a free copy.
I think I would have genuinely enjoyed this book when I was in middle school. It is written in a very innocent, not yet tainted by the world, or puberty, kind of way. The female lead, Rose, and the male main character, Warren, develop feelings and fall in love very quickly. I was annoyed when Rose declared to herself that she was in love with Warren mere sentences after she said how disappointed she was with how he is in real life when compared to his letters, and how irritating she finds him. The feelings of dislike to that of a ‘fluttery feeling’ happens much too quickly. I would suggest this book as an introduction into the romance genre for a young reader. There is absolutely no spice, just a few chaste kisses, and they get married at the end. I would say that this is the perfect book for a young person who is a fan of fairy tales. I would even say that this might be a good read for an adult who likes sweet stories that stay away from the more raunchy books that are very popular at the moment. I myself found it much too innocent for my tastes, but I can see where it potentially might find a following. For that reason, I will not be reading the second book in this series or any of the other books written by these authors as they seem to flow in the same vein. I am hopeful that I will enjoy my next voracious read much more than this one.
To read for free, sign up here to have a chance at getting a downloadable copy: voraciousreadersonly.com
And since I don’t have a copy of this book, here is a picture of a nice flower I saw when I was walking through a public garden.
Nonfiction and Nonsense 