Top 5 Sundays #46 – Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR!

Hey There my dear readers! =) Top 5 Sundays time is here! YAY!

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

 

This week’s results:

Favorite Sci-Fi Movies! = 7 (28%)

Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR! = 13 (52%)

UF Book Recs to Guys! = 5 (20%)

 

The theme for today is:

Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR!

 

But first, a little bit about this feature and the rules to join in…

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my left sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1. Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2. Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3. Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

4. After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5. If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

This week’s theme is Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR!

I am an avid Paranormal devourer reader, YA, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and anything that might fit in that category, but even a lover like me needs a break once in a while and here are some of the genres I usually turn to =)

*in no particular order

Literary {S&M/Ms} Erotica

LOVE Kitty Thomas books and from her rec I ended up reading “As She’s Told” and Loved it as well!

Definitely not a genre for everyone.

 

Gay Romance

I am a huge Josh Lanyon fan and I’ll read anything he puts put, but his more humorous side is awesome and led me to L.B. Gregg, Score!

 

Contemporary Romance

For the longest time I turned my nose to contemporary romance, but I finally gave in and I am so glad I did!

The funny incarnations by MJD, Victoria Dahl and Alice Clayton are amongst the best!

 

Space Opera

Spaceships, Alien and Adventures Oh My!

 

Fantasy

Not to dis the Urban kind, but pure Fantasy will always have a part of my heart!

 

Special Mentions:

Steampunk 

Dystopian

 

 

Attention!

Please HELP!

If you have any theme ideas for the next Top 5 Sundays Posts, please leave them in the comments!

Your input would be much appreciated!

 

 

Now I can’t wait to see who is in YOUR List of Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR!

Write you post and leave your link so i can check it out!

Hope you guys have fun with it!

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Author Interview & SIGNED “Outside In” Giveaway w/ Maria V. Snyder!

 

Hey everyone! I am so happy to welcome to the blog today Author Maria V. Snyder!

Maria has been so awesome to answer my questions and offer a signed copy of Outside In for a giveaway! Details at the bottom of the post =)

Enjoy…

When did you first start writing?

A: I started after I graduated from university and was working full time.  Some days at work just dragged so in order to look busy, I started writing!

Have you always enjoyed Fantasy and Science Fiction?

A: I use to read mysteries, but I started reading fantasy and science fiction when I was at the university.  For a while, all I read was fantasy, but now I’ll read any fiction that has a good story and characters.

Why writing Fantasy and Science Fiction?

A: I enjoy the challenge of fantasy, plus I like using horses and swords.  Creating an entire new world is a ton of fun and I like how there isn’t a limit to what I can do, but I do need to set limits in my world and stick to them.  Otherwise there is no structure or rules and therefore no conflict.  Science Fiction is also a challenge to write as the science has to be accurate and logical even if you’ve created the science J Inside Out is considered a dystopian tale as the society is segregated into Uppers and Lowers and not based on our world, but the world they’re living in, Inside could exist today.

Were there any Books, Movies or Writers that have inspired you?

A: The mystery writer, Dick Francis inspired my use of first person point of view and ending chapters with cliff-hangers.  I’m also a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show by Joss Whedon and I think he inspired my use of strong female characters for my fiction.  Also the movie Alien and Aliens features a very strong lady and I really enjoyed seeing her fight the aliens.

What is your favorite subject in the Fantasy/Science Fiction Realm?

A: I don’t have any favorite subjects, what I have are favorite characters.  For example, I really like Meghan Chase from the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.  Meghan really learns how to take care of herself and grows so much over the three books.  I also enjoyed the brothers in Jonathan Maberry’sRot & Ruin.  It’s a zombie novel, which I normally don’t read, but it’s well written and the two brothers are the focus of the story, not the zombies.

I just love the chemistry between Trella and Riley.  Was that planned out?

A: I wish I could say yes, but like all my novels, the characters in Inside Out developed as I wrote the story.  I had dreamt the whole plot, world, the Pop Cops and the twists one night (hasn’t happened before or since!), but I didn’t know the characters other than where they were living and what was going to happen in the end.  So they showed themselves as I wrote the story and put them through the paces.

Favorites:

Favorite Movie?  The Princess Bride

Favorite TV Show? Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Favorite Book? Jaran by Kate Elliott

Favorite Author? Rachel Caine

Favorite Genre that is NOT your own?  Mystery

Favorite one of your Books? Poison Study – my first one will always have a special place in my heart.

Who is your favorite of your own characters? 

Valek – a skilled swordsman, assassin, and all around cool dude!

Which was the hardest to write?

Spy Glass – Opal had to make a difficult choice and I couldn’t decide.

What would you be if not a writer?

A criminal psychologist.  I find the criminal mind to be utterly fascinating.

If you Could be a Paranormal Being, Who would you be?

A vampire – I’m already a night owl and the idea of being immortal is very appealing.

If you could meet any Fantasy Character out there, Who would you like to meet? 

Prince Ash of the Iron Fey books.

Quickies:

Coffee or Tea?  Tea

Reading or Writing?  Reading (although I love the feeling after I had a good writing session!)

Print or eBook?  Print

Hardback or Paperback?  Trade-sized paperbacks

YA novels or Adult novels? YA novels

Library or Bookstore? Bookstore – I like to own my books

Summer or Winter?  Winter

The Movie or The Book?  Book – (best T-shirt saying I ever saw: “Don’t judge a book by its movie”)

PNR or UF?  PNR

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

A: I like it when my characters surprise me.

What is your least favorite part?

A: Writing descriptions.  If it was up to me, my books would be all action and dialogue!

The Inside Out Series in your own words?

A: The story is about Trella.  She’s a scrub responsible for cleaning the air and water pipes that criss-cross their world and keep everyone alive.  She’s one of thousands of scrubs who live in overcrowded barracks in the lower levels and she hates everyone.  Trella has a reputation for being the “queen of the pipes” and so she is recruited to help find the location of the legendary Gateway to Outside.  A Gateway the Uppers, who run the world don’t want her or anyone to find. The world has forgotten what is beyond their metal walls.  At first, she considers it a challenge, but then she realizes it’s the key to a revolution.  During the story, Trella learns she had underestimated her fellow scrubs and not everything is as it seems.

Any plans for more Books in the series?

A: Outside In is the second book and that’s all that is planned for now.

What is coming up next for you?

A:  A fantasy about a healer called, Touch of Power.  It’s due out in the US in January 2012.  Here’s the cover copy:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

What are you working on right now?

A: Right now I’m between projects so I’m trying to get caught up on my email, update my website, and clean my office.  But soon I’ll be working on Book 2 of the healer story, Taste of Death.

Do you have any advice or tip to those that want to become a published Author someday?

A: Persistence! Keep writing, keep submitting, and don’t give up!  I also agree with Stephen King in his book, On Writing in order to improve as a writer you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.  I do have a whole page of writing advice on my website – aspiring authors are welcome to go to the page at: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/advice.php.

Anything you would like to say to your fans out there?

A: Thank you for continuing to read my books. If any of your blog readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read.  Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com   And my blog is:http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for being here!

A: Thank you for inviting me!

Find Maria V. Snyder Online:

Website | Goodreads

Buy Maria’s Books:

Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

My Reviews of Maria’s Books:

Inside Out

Outside In

 

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ARC Review: Outside In {Inside Out, #2} by Maria V. Snyder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

 

From Goodreads.

• Publisher: Harlequin Teen
• Release Date: March 1st, 2011
• My Copy: Received for Review from NetGalley.
• Pages: 320  
• Series: Inside Out Series 
• Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopian Y.A. 
• Author's Website
• Pre-Order This Book:

Outside In (Harlequin Teen)

*contains VERY MINOR spoilers if you haven’t read Inside Out and NO Spoilers for Outside In.

  I loved Maria V. Snyder’s Y.A. debut, Inside Out, so when I saw that it was going to be a series I was really excited. As soon as it became available of NetGalley I jumped at the chance of getting it and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed.

After all that Trella and the scrubs went through to over throw the leadership of Inside, things should be easier now and peace should rein, right? Right? It couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Things seem to be more confusing then ever on the Inside, the Scrubs and Uppers are having a hard time of letting go of their prejudices about each other and the newly former committee can’t seem to agree in anything regarding the way things should work. Trella doesn’t want to get involved, she never did, but being the face of the revolution has made people trust her and look to her for a solution, but all she wants is explore the new found  extension of Inside and spend time with Riley.

However, it seems she won’t get her wish anytime soon. Inside is being attacked by forces unknown, bombs are exploding, systems are malfunctioning and sabotage is the main suspect. All fingers seem to point in different directions and Trella has to wear her “Queen of the pipes” hat once again and help bring peace to Inside.

I LOVED Outside In, in a way i think I enjoyed this sequel even more than I enjoyed Inside Out. I love dystopian novels and I love seeing the ins and outs of a complicated society trying to deal with the unexpected. I hate politics in real life, but I love reading about the sort of politics we find in series like Inside Out and The Hunger Games. I find it fascinating and Outside In was plate full of goodness in that aspect.

Not to mention that the action in this novel left nothing to be desired. I read this book in one sitting and I wanted so much more. Maria V. Snyder’s writing flows right off the page so easily that you can’t help but diving in and only coming up for air when the story is done.

I really enjoyed the ending of Outside In, but I’m not sure there will be a third book in the series, I seriously hope so! I want more Trella, Riley and all the gang! If you enjoy dystopian worlds, you should absolutely give this series a try, you won’t be disappointed!

 

Previously in The Inside Out Series:

Check Out My Review of “Inside Out” HERE or click on the cover above!

 

 

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