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An epic story of revenge, following the lives of two men who mistakenly become enemies. I particularly enjoyed the first half of the novel where we learn about the effects of war in their childhoods and how it changed them as people. 

I think this book is catered more to teenagers rather than adults. I say that mainly for the language style and character development which will appeal more to young adults. While I enjoyed The Maze Runner and the fast pace of the novel, I found that The Scorch Trials had too much happening for no apparent reason than to add to the action. Most of the book didn't make sense, but perhaps that was the point? I assume it will all come together in the 3rd novel. I hope so.

One word that sums up this book is 'disturbing'. Flynn takes the reader on an emotional ride full of twists and turns you won't see coming. I was guessing until the very end. I look forward to seeing if the movie is as dark as the novel.

I loved this whole series. I listened to it on audiobook and it was great. War, love, end-of-the-world themes, various species, it has a bit of everything. If you enjoyed Divergent, The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, you should like this.

As some of you may know, as well as being a writer of violent and erotic poetry, I also work in childcare. Ironic, I know, but I love the children at my pre-school. One, in particular, has a condition where her body doesn’t break down fat. Her name is Mollyjane Boyson and the disease is called Carnitine Acylcarnitine Translocase Disease (CACT). To find out more, or to donate, go to https://give.everydayhero.com/au/jessica-boyson  At just five years old, Mollyjane is the oldest survivor of this disease. She requires on-going medical treatment and operations, so to help out the family, I am selling my novels (Crimson Mind by Amanda Leigh) at a Mollyjane Fundraiser, this Saturday. Paperbacks are $25 and I will donate 50% of proceeds to Mollyjane. If you can’t make it, I am also prepared to sell books from now until Saturday 21st February and donate 50% of profits to Mollyjane. If you would like a copy and you live in the Newcastle area, I will happily sign and deliver it to you. If you are out of the area, I will have to add postage. Please contact me on here or Facebook if you are interested. If you would like to attend the fundraiser, the details are as follows:

WHEN: Saturday 21st February 2015

WHERE: Rathmines Community Hall, Rathmines

TIME: 5pm

TICKETS AT THE DOOR: $25 per person (kids free)

RAFFLE TICKETS: $1 each or 6 for $5

FOOD PROVIDED

GOLD COIN DONATION FOR SOFTDRINKS OR BYO ALCOHOL

There will be face-painting, craft, books available (I will be signing copies of Crimson Mind), raffles with fantastic prizes up for grabs…

This is a great way to raise money for a worthwhile cause. Please come along and join us.

For more information call Jody Watts: 0412229018 or see the Facebook event invite: www.facebook.com/events/1471758113063227/

Or check out my website: www.amanda-leigh-author.com or Facebook page www.facebook.com/AmandaLeigh.CrimsonMind 

As some of you may know, as well as being a writer of violent and erotic poetry, I also work in childcare. Ironic, I know, but I love the children at my pre-school. One, in particular, has a condition where her body doesn’t break down fat. Her name is Mollyjane Boyson and the disease is called Carnitine Acylcarnitine Translocase Disease (CACT). To find out more, or to donate, go to https://give.everydayhero.com/au/jessica-boyson  At just five years old, Mollyjane is the oldest survivor of this disease. She requires on-going medical treatment and operations, so to help out the family, I am selling my novels (Crimson Mind by Amanda Leigh) at a Mollyjane Fundraiser, this Saturday. Paperbacks are $25 and I will donate 50% of proceeds to Mollyjane. If you can’t make it, I am also prepared to sell books from now until Saturday 21st February and donate 50% of profits to Mollyjane. If you would like a copy and you live in the Newcastle area, I will happily sign and deliver it to you. If you are out of the area, I will have to add postage. Please contact me on here or Facebook if you are interested. If you would like to attend the fundraiser, the details are as follows:

WHEN: Saturday 21st February 2015

WHERE: Rathmines Community Hall, Rathmines

TIME: 5pm

TICKETS AT THE DOOR: $25 per person (kids free)

RAFFLE TICKETS: $1 each or 6 for $5

FOOD PROVIDED

GOLD COIN DONATION FOR SOFTDRINKS OR BYO ALCOHOL

There will be face-painting, craft, books available (I will be signing copies of Crimson Mind), raffles with fantastic prizes up for grabs…

This is a great way to raise money for a worthwhile cause. Please come along and join us.

For more information call Jody Watts: 0412229018 or see the Facebook event invite: www.facebook.com/events/1471758113063227/

Or check out my website: www.amanda-leigh-author.com or Facebook page www.facebook.com/AmandaLeigh.CrimsonMind 

I listened to the audio version of this book. The reader, Julia Whelan, did a great job. I loved the story and the characters. Civilization is dying out. A cure to save babies from a terrible virus, created in a war 11 years ago, needs to be found. Kirra believes that she is the girl to cure the disease, but with political figures standing in her way, and the threat of another war, she must risk everything to find an enemy 'Partial' if she has any hope of saving mankind.
If you enjoy reading young adult books such as The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent or Blood Red Road, then I recommend you read Partials.

I can't say that I really enjoyed this book, but I think it has more to do with me listening to the audio version. The guy narrating it kept using different accents for all the different characters. I found some quite distracting. I was enjoying the story to begin with, but it got a little bogged down in waffle at times and seemed to go on and on... I fell asleep in parts and lost what was happening so the ending didn't make a great deal of sense to me. I won't be listening to the audio book again, but I will try the T.V. series. 

Come and join Amanda Leigh for a Christmas drink to celebrate the launch of her new erotic verse thriller, Crimson Mind. Nibbles will be provided and signed paperback novels will be available for $25 each on the day.

If you are interested in a hardcover version, you are encouraged to purchase it online and bring it to the launch (www.xlibris.com.au ). Amanda will happily sign it for you. Otherwise, come and say hello.

When: Saturday 13th December 2014

Where: Lambton Bowling Club, Karoola Road, Lambton, NSW 2299

Time: 11am - 2pm

Entry is free.

Please RSVP ASAP so we know how much food to order. Thank you.

Go to www.facebook.com/AmandaLeigh.CrimsonMind for more information..

Please excuse my excitement but this is my debut novel and it has just been released!  I have a gigantic smile on my face at the moment.

Crimson Mind is an erotic thriller written in verse.  It is more of a thriller with erotic undertones.  It is violent, sexy and easy to read (in my opinion).  My aim was to write a verse novel that most people could read without any difficulty.  It is fast-paced and it gets straight to the point.

Some of the poems were laid out to look like particular things e.g. a knife, a noose etc. Because of this, I recommend you read a hard copy version as I can't guarantee the layout will look the same on your e-reader.  I have been told it is to do with different device settings.  It is totally up to you which version you read, but just be aware you may not see the work the way it is meant to be seen, which is why I recommend a hard copy.

For those who aren't sure what I mean by 'verse', Crimson Mind is a series of poems that are all connected to form a story.  Each poem links with the next.  If you are familiar with Dorothy Porter's work, you will understand what I mean.  I love her writing style and I wanted to do something similar.  

Here is the synopsis for Crimson Mind, for those who are interested:

When twenty-year-old Mary Hunt is raped then murdered in Rocky Burrow Mountains, it is up to small town police officer Senior Constable Susan Connelly to prove herself capable and solve the case.

With Mary's friend, Samantha, and cousin, Jacqueline, also searching for answers, it is a race to find the killer before the killer finds them.

Fast-paced, violent, and sexy, this erotic verse thriller delves into the lives and minds of the sexual, criminal, and just. It's a page-turner until the very end.

Crimson Mind is available at http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-000964176/Crimson-Mind.aspx 

You are welcome to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLeigh.CrimsonMind 

Thanks for your support.

Amanda Leigh xxx

Please excuse my excitement but this is my debut novel and it has just been released!  I have a gigantic smile on my face at the moment.

Crimson Mind is an erotic thriller written in verse.  It is more of a thriller with erotic undertones.  It is violent, sexy and easy to read (in my opinion).  My aim was to write a verse novel that most people could read without any difficulty.  It is fast-paced and it gets straight to the point.

Some of the poems were laid out to look like particular things e.g. a knife, a noose etc. Because of this, I recommend you read a hard copy version as I can't guarantee the layout will look the same on your e-reader.  I have been told it is to do with different device settings.  It is totally up to you which version you read, but just be aware you may not see the work the way it is meant to be seen, which is why I recommend a hard copy.

For those who aren't sure what I mean by 'verse', Crimson Mind is a series of poems that are all connected to form a story.  Each poem links with the next.  If you are familiar with Dorothy Porter's work, you will understand what I mean.  I love her writing style and I wanted to do something similar.  

Here is the synopsis for Crimson Mind, for those who are interested:

When twenty-year-old Mary Hunt is raped then murdered in Rocky Burrow Mountains, it is up to small town police officer Senior Constable Susan Connelly to prove herself capable and solve the case.

With Mary's friend, Samantha, and cousin, Jacqueline, also searching for answers, it is a race to find the killer before the killer finds them.

Fast-paced, violent, and sexy, this erotic verse thriller delves into the lives and minds of the sexual, criminal, and just. It's a page-turner until the very end.

Crimson Mind is available at http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-000964176/Crimson-Mind.aspx 

You are welcome to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLeigh.CrimsonMind 

Thanks for your support.

Amanda Leigh xxx

P.S. Note I haven't rated my book.  I will leave that for you.  I hope you enjoy it. :)

I wasn't sure about the book when I started reading due to the odd language used at times, but the more I read, the more I wanted to read. Dashner ends every chapter on a cliffhanger so it is extremely hard to put The Maze Runner down. The story takes you on a journey with the characters (who have limited memories) as they try to work out where they are and if they can get home by going through a dangerous maze. They know as much as you do, and the more you find out, the more interesting things become. I have to buy the next book in the series now to find out where the journey ends. I can't stop thinking about it.

Grab some popcorn because the WTFckery factor is at an all-time high this week. Three authors have invoked the WTFckery to the highest order. I should also throw The Guardian in there because their lack of research of editing regarding one of the authors they offered their space to (or to get on their soapbox) has people shocked, appalled and disgusted.

1. Let’s start with John Grisham. On Thursday, The Telegraph posted an article regarding an interview they had with John Grisham. The title is: “John Grisham: men who watch child porn are not all paedophiles”

I’m going to post excerpt from the article from John’s mouth and you can decide how much of a WTFckery this is:

“Mr Grisham, 59, argued America's judges had "gone crazy" over the past 30 years, locking up far too many people, from white collar criminals like the businesswoman Martha Stewart, to black teenagers on minor drugs charges and - he added - those who had viewed child porn online.

"We have prisons now filled with guys my age. Sixty-year-old white men in prison who've never harmed anybody, would never touch a child," he said. The author of legal thrillers…cited the case of a "good buddy from law school" who was caught up in a Canadian child porn sting operation a decade ago as an example of excessive sentencing.

"His drinking was out of control, and he went to a website. It was labelled 'sixteen year old wannabee hookers or something like that'. And it said '16-year-old girls'. So he went there. Downloaded some stuff - it was 16 year old girls who looked 30.

"He shouldn't ’a done it. It was stupid, but it wasn't 10-year-old boys. He didn't touch anything. And God, a week later there was a knock on the door: ‘FBI!’ and it was sting set up by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to catch people - sex offenders - and he went to prison for three years."

I wonder those who have daughters who are fans of John Grisham think of his opinion? John did apologize on his website (more like damage control, IMO by his publisher because of his new release forthcoming)

It’s interesting to note John’s explanation on how his friend was drunk (was the guy’s drink laced with a roofie?) and made the mistake (the guy’s hand had a life of its own and couldn’t stop?) of watching child porn is very different from what may have actually happened:

From Teleread: “The Daily Telegraph also quotes reports from the local Sun Herald newspaper – which incidentally is running Grisham’s apology as the lead story on its website – to the effect that US justice department lawyer Kathy McLure stated during the trial that Holleman had swapped child porn images involving sex acts and intercourse involving children under 18, and even under 12. Without being completely clear on the context, the Telegraph report does suggest that anyone following the case, and the reporting of it, must have been aware of what Holleman had done.

After serving his sentence, he then filed a Petition for Reinstatement to the Practice of Law in November 2001. Holleman submitted in support of that determination “sixty letters of recommendation including … numerous other attorneys in Mississippi and Louisiana.” The last name on that list of numerous other attorneys is John Grisham.

Therefore, John Grisham wrote a character testimonial for Michael Holleman in support of his reinstatement as a lawyer, after Holleman’s conviction and incarceration. It appears very likely, unless the Telegraph reports are completely wrong, that Grisham also did this knowing that Holleman had done far worse than just foolishly browse a website involving supposed 16-year-olds, but had in fact actively traded porn clearly involving seriously underage participants.”

2. Under Speshul Snowflake Alert, New Republic posted an article titled, Amazon’s Elite Reviewing Club Sabotaged My Book by Margo Howard who, accused Amazon Vine reviewers of sabotaging her memoir even before it was released.

Some key point from Margo (she also responds in the comments) about this so-called reviewing illuminati that Amazon has waiting in the wings to destroy an author’s career:

“If you do not detect the hostility in these Vine reviews, I bet your names are “Quirky Girl” and “Ms. Winston.” These people were not reviewing my book, they were reviewing me. Or rich people. Or something. And Amazon gave them the tools, through Vine, to damage my book for the casual browser.”

Vine reviewers “are not "actual readers" because, were it not handed to them, they never would have considered reading it.”

“If a "professional" reviewer or a Pulitzer winner said my book stank, I would think I had done my job poorly.”

3. Yesterday around 8am (and it’s still going), people started talking on Twitter about an article posted on The Guardian about an author confronting an on-line critic face-to-face.

The fallout of this article, and the steps this author took because in her mind she felt she was being harassed by this reviewer is chilling. The article is by author, Kathleen Hale titled: 'Am I being catfished?' An author confronts her number one online critic.

For those who might not be aware of what catfishing is: “On the internet, a "catfish" is a person who creates fake personal profiles on social media sites—pretending to be someone more outwardly appealing than his/her true self, by using someone else's pictures and false biographical information. These "catfish" usually intend to trick an unsuspecting person or persons into falling in love with them. The term "catfish" is derived from the title of a 2010 documentary film, in which filmmaker Nev Schulman discovers that the woman he'd been carrying on an online relationship with had not been honest in describing herself.”

It took me a total of three times to read the article to understand why Kathleen did what she did and why. It’s a disturbing, convoluted and contradictory piece that led to a whirlwind of discussion on Twitter among authors and book bloggers, in the grip of a massive shitstorm of WTFckery

First of all, the moment Kathleen asked STGRB blog for advice, everything Kathleen said about tracking down someone who posted what she felt was a nasty review for her book, No One Else Can Have You on Goodreads as unreliable and full of caution. Any author who praises or respects a hate blog as Stop the Goodreads Bully blog (who has also said some horrible about me on their site. FYI, the site has been inactive since the end of June) has no clout or deserves my respect or understanding to their situation. Also I have heard of Kathleen prior to this article being posted. Back in January Kathleen took to Twitter to vent her frustration over a 3 star review of No One Else Can Have You by a blogger I know, have met and interacted with on many occasions.

For some reason this one review on Goodreads out of the 1,000+ posted there for No One Else Can Have you really rankled Kathleen, so much so that she spent months obsessing over the review and the person (who goes by the name of Blythe Harris) who posted it. She then took action. In her own words:

"Over the next few months, my book came out, I got distracted by life and managed to stay off Goodreads. Then a book club wanted an interview, and suggested I pick a blogger to do it.

“Blythe Harris,” I wrote back. I knew tons of nice bloggers, but I still longed to engage with Blythe directly.

The book club explained that it was common for authors to do “giveaways” in conjunction with the interview, and asked if I could sign some books. I agreed, and they forwarded me Blythe’s address.

The exterior of the house that showed up on Google maps looked thousands of square feet too small for the interiors Blythe had posted on Instagram. According to the telephone directory and recent census reports, nobody named Blythe Harris lived there.”

Kathleen wanted to talk to Blythe, even going as far as going to Blythe’s house and watching her house, like some undercover FBI agent in a sting operation, deciding if she should ring the doorbell and confront Blythe of her review (here is the link to the review on Goodreads that was changed because of Kathleen being so upset by it, but the read-in-process comments remain). Also Blythe has written over 300 reviews and has an average rating of almost 3.50 for her reviews. An example of a nasty mean girl reviewer? Hm.) Also Blythe obtained Blythe’s address under false pretenses and confirmed the address with someone at HarperCollins.

As a blogger who is now an author, who still blogs and reviews, I am appalled. Authors obsessing and getting upset over reviews (especially on Goodreads for some reason) is escalating to a point that is extremely disturbing. This is going past a point of no return as shown by Kathleen’s actions. What if she had confronted Blythe, or whoever Blythe may be and it had gone very bad, where one or the other ended up in the hospital? If Kathleen was so concerned Blythe was harassing her or she was endangered for her life, or Blythe through emails and social media threatened Kathleen’s life or her family in some way, why didn’t Kathleen go to the authorities at least to have something on record?

I’m sick of authors, who have this sense of entitlement to them. There’s this belief now that an author has a right to know who their critics and their real names whether they’re a reviewer, book blogger or reader. Why? If an author wants to know XYZ blogger/reviewer’s real identity, then the same goes for that author. If an author doesn’t want a blogger/review to hide behind an alias, then the author should expect the same and not hide behind their pseudonym. Tit for tat.

Authors are artists and work in the entertainment field just like singers or actors. What they produce is a product, AND NOT AN EXTENSION OF THEMSELVES OR THEIR HEART AND SOUL. You think every movie an actor is in is a part of their soul? (I bet the actors of Troll 2, what is considered one of the worst acted movies and top 10 worst movies period would argue) Every time a singer produces and album, that applies? A book, movie, music album, Broadway show, painting IS NOT YOUR BABY. Why do some authors feel they should be placed on a pedestal and bowed down to just because they wrote a book and were lucky to have it published? Join the hundreds of thousands who have done the same thing. Like a snowflake that falls from the sky and melts the moment it hits the ground, there are too many of you to count, so you’re not speshul.

The internet and social media has lowered that walls that enables people to interact with others. Authors have the ability to interact with readers, as well as their critics. Because of this, it causes a big problem. Someone like Kathleen Hale confronting a reader in the real world causes big cracks all around, especially in the book blogger community. There is a buildup of distrust and fear, especially if say one day an author confronts a reviewer or a book blogger over a poor review and uses their fists or perhaps a gun to or some type of bodily harm to that reviewer/blogger where someone might end up in the hospital or in the morgue. I fear that day is coming sooner than later. If you don’t believe me, just read the article by Kathleen Hale and you’ll understand why there should be a cause of concern, including the publisher who needs to act on this situation, which in this case is HarperCollins.

Something is rotten in the state of publishing and the relationship between authors and book bloggers or reviewers (even readers who dare to post on social book sites their honest thoughts about books). There is a rot, a poisonous decay occurring where people are drinking too much of that scary Kool-Aid.

I refuse to drink that Kool-Aid or eat that apple. I fear others don’t feel the same. It’s frightening.

Roundup of Blogs and Websites specifically on the Kathleen Hale issue:

Bookdaze: An Open Letter to Kathleen Hale & Guardian Books: Stalking Is Not Okay.

Dear Author: On the importance of pseudonymous activity

The Digital Reader: How Not to Respond to Negative Reviews: The Kathleen Hale Edition

Rose Summers: Yet Another Open Letter to Kathleen Hale

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books: The Choices of Kathleen Hale

I really enjoyed this book. At first I thought it was going in the same direction as Divergent but it became more interesting about a quarter of the way through.  A boy living in a society that must follow strict rules in order to function, is given the task of being the receiver of memories.  Once he starts to receive memories from the past, his whole outlook changes. The book is a comment on society and choices made. What is perceived as right and wrong.  The Giver was an easy read but it could have been more in-depth.  Having said that, it was written for older children. There were a lot of different ways the story could have gone.  Some questions seemed unanswered to a degree, but I quite liked the way Lowry ended the novel.  It wasn't quite what I expected. 

Hi everyone,

Crimson Mind, the new novel by Amanda Leigh (me) is out soon. Release date to be advised.  If you enjoy erotic thrillers, this is one sexy and violent novel. Oh, and it’s written in verse!  A gripping read with a difference.  Follow me, Amanda Leigh on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Leigh/1470961976498458 

https://twitter.com/A_L_Reid_Author 

I think this is my favourite book from the Divergent series. It explains much more about Four and his actions and it held my attention from start to finish. Although it was a bit jarring in Allegiant when the points of view switched between Tris and Four, Four seems to hold his own a bit better in this fourth novel. I think my opinion might change if I read the series again knowing more of what I know now.