Aisley's Reviews, Book Reviews

Book Review: Cities of Smoke and Starlight, by Alli Earnest

When Kase Shackley accepted responsibility for an accident that nearly killed a greenie pilot, he thought his family name would protect him. 

He was wrong.

He didn’t expect the supreme commander of the military, his own father, to be the judge in his trial. 

Now, in order to evade retribution and clear his name, he joins a secret mission to find and make an alliance with the Yalvs, a long lost indigenous culture whose riches, magic, and metals could save their country from war with the neighboring Cerulenes.

His mission is further complicated when he realizes the Yalven scholar hired for the trip is none other than Hallie Walker, a rude, insolent young woman who humiliated and slapped him at the theater days before.

But in order to save their country, Kase, Hallie, and their rag-tag airship strike team must learn to work together to locate the long lost Yalven capital before the Cerulenes, or they, along with their country, will die in the attempt.

On Writing, Posts On Writing

The Marathon of First Pass Revisions

Congratulations! You’ve written your first manuscript. So...what the heck do you do now?

A Day In The Life, On Writing

The Hero’s Journey: Death of the Mentor

This month, my writing mentor, David Farland, unexpectedly passed away. It's been really hard to work through because I think on some level I'm still in denial. It doesn't feel real, and I've struggled putting into words exactly what I've been feeling. 

Aisley's Reviews, Book Reviews

Book Review: The Blood of the Stars Duology, by Elizabeth Lim

Maia Tamarin is one of the best tailors of A’Landi, however no one would know it because she is a woman and the daughter of a once-renowned tailor plagued by misfortune and grief. When the imperial tailor dies, the emperor demands that her father come to the Summer Palace to tailor for him. Master Tamarin is unable to do so, and to save her family from punishment, Maia poses as her broken legged brother, Keton, to travel to the palace and become the imperial tailor. But when Maia arrives at the palace, she discovers she was not there to be the imperial tailor, but to compete for the post with the most renowned tailors in all of A’Landi where the final challenge is to embark on a dangerous quest to sew the powerful dresses of the goddess Amana.

On Writing, Posts On Writing

Set Your Hook: Bad Beginnings and How to Fix Them

One of the best ways to stand out in the slush pile is through a good, solid hook. However, a poorly written hook is one of the quickest ways to get rejected. But why is that? Because first impressions are everything. Here is a guide to some of the five most common bad beginnings I saw and a couple of tips on what you can do to fix them to snag your audience hook, line, and sinker.

On Writing, Posts On Writing

Shine in the Slush Pile: Five Pitfalls to Avoid

can’t seem to get your leg up on the competition and make your work shine? As an intern for a small press, here are five of the biggest pitfalls that cause me to reject a story from the slush pile.

Aisley's Favorites, Book Reviews

Book Review: Chaos Walking Trilogy, by Patrick Ness

This review has been so long in coming! I finished reading the The Walking Chaos Trilogy by Patrick Ness around Christmas time and I’m so excited to finally share the review with you! Synopsis Todd Hewitt lives in Prentisstown, a village where privacy is impossible. A disease called the Noise causes everyone’s thoughts to be… Continue reading Book Review: Chaos Walking Trilogy, by Patrick Ness

Aisley's Favorites

Book Review: The Stolen Kingdom Series, by Bethany Atazadeh

I am so stoked to share my latest review with you! I recently finished The Stolen Kingdom series by Bethany Atazadeh and it was a delight to read! Synopsis Arie is the heir to Hodafez and holds a gift that could cost her life: the ability to read minds when others are thinking directly about… Continue reading Book Review: The Stolen Kingdom Series, by Bethany Atazadeh

Shamrocks
A Day In The Life

March Newsletter

I would like to try a little experiment. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a newsletter. However, I’ve been doing a lot of research and found myself faced with a few barriers that will take some time to overcome, so I’ve decided in the meantime, I’m going to try writing a type of… Continue reading March Newsletter

The School for Good and Evil Book Covers
Aisley's Reviews

Book Review: The School for Good and Evil, Books 4-6, by Sonam Chainani

As promised, here is the review of the last half of The School for Good and Evil books. It took me so darn long to get this done because 1) I wasn’t very smart about how I put the books on hold (I put them on hold as I finished one, instead of multiple at… Continue reading Book Review: The School for Good and Evil, Books 4-6, by Sonam Chainani