Monday, September 21, 2015

Tales of the Winter Wolf Omnibus & Guest Post with author RJ Blain

Read What You Love—Not What Society Says You Should Love

Over the years, there have been quite a few ‘bad’ runaway bestsellers. These are books that appeal to many (thus becoming bestsellers) despite being slammed by critics as junk or garbage fiction. Some of these titles are genuinely rather lackluster in the grand scheme of things, which has led to a universal scorning by critics. This tendency to scorn these books has led to a disturbing trend where the readers are also scorned for liking what they like.

I confess; I jab fun at those books as much as the next girl. I simply can’t resist the urge to be sarcastic and make fun of some of these books. (But, here’s the deal: I’m reading them, too. I’ll even be among the first to say that these titles are, in actuality, fun reads.)

Some of them are simply terrible, leaving me to wonder why people find them so appealing. I sometimes think that these books are so bad they’re good, falling in line with our nature to enjoy really bad movies. Really bad books can be fun.

Some readers are very shy because they enjoy these books critics enjoy scorning. I’m an author, but long before I started writing, I was a reader. I was a reader who enjoyed all sorts of books. I’m still a reader who enjoys all sorts of books—even the bad ones.

There is absolutely nothing wrong about loving a bad book, just like there’s nothing wrong with loving a good one—or a great one—or an average one.

Society likes telling people what they should like, as though the common hive mind is the one and true path. It’s not. No one should tell you what sort of book you enjoy. If you want to read sexy books with characters you can relate to, do it. If you want to read fantasy novels written for children so you can recapture the magic of living, do it.

Society enjoys shaming people, but there is nothing shameful about reading books. It doesn’t matter if the book is bad, average, or good. It doesn’t matter if it’s a great book. Reading is a subjective thing. A book is only bad if you didn’t like it. Yet, the young girl you saw on the bus or in the grocery store the other day may think that same book is the cat’s meow. You’re both right. A book can be bad, average, good, or even great all at the same time.

You are you, and your taste in books is unique. In this, society is wrong. Next time a nose-in-the-air reviewer scorns you for liking a book they didn’t enjoy, look them in the eye and tell them they’re wrong. They are entitled to their opinion, and so are you.

Any book you enjoy reading is a great book. It doesn’t matter what the critics say. All that matters is that you’re reading. So, next time you look at that ‘bad’ runaway bestseller on your shelf and feel guilty, don’t.

I enjoy bad runaway bestsellers, too. I know lots of people who do, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Read what you love, not what society tells you that you should love. There is magic to be found in the pages of a book appealing to your interests. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.


About the author:

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband, and obeys the commands of Tsu Dhi, the great warrior fish.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.

Find out more about RJ's books here

Title:  Tales of the Winter Wolf Onmibus
Series:  Tales of the Winter Wolf #1-5
Author:  R.J. Blain
Publication Date:  September 23/15
Length:  491pgs
Genre:  paranormal
Shelf:  review
Rating: ★★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

Long before Nicolina Desmond manifested her powers as a wizard, she was a Normal girl with extraordinary circumstances. In order to prove herself and escape her father’s chokehold on her life, she’s determined to get on the fast track towards an independent life. 

However, she never anticipated how meeting Richard Murphy would change her life… 

Tales of the Winter Wolf follows the adventures of Nicole and Richard. These short stories and novellas contain spoilers for Witch & Wolf #2, Winter Wolf.

My Review:

Blain once again held me captive with the tip of her pen and this fantastic set of companion novellas to her Witch & Wolf series. She has created a cute & sweet look at the lives of the characters in Winter Wolf that drew me even closer to them. I was enchanted by the way that Blain mixed the sometimes dark aspects of her stories with a lighthearted writing style to create an intimate whole. These short snipits into the lives of these characters had me hooked throughout. The stories within gave great insight into the characters while also being fast paced, intricate & intimate tales that also develop her world as a whole. I love the independence that we see in Nicolina throughout. Richard’s vulnerability and strength clash with one another, allowing us to see who he is, was, and could be. I love how much more in-depth these characters get with each and every story. With every novella & short story I feel like I’ve discovered a new aspect of who they are.

Blain’s world of Witch & Wolf comes to life in unmistakable and unimaginable ways throughout these stories. She takes the world of Witch & Wolf and develops it further for her readers. The same vibrant writing and larger than life descriptions bring this story out in an unforgettable way. Blain has once again created an imaginative and creatively brilliant work. This is a must read for all those who 
enjoy the series.

Book Links 

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