Audely Bensen Writes

Summer is strange. After months of back-to-back writing challenges, there's... nothing. Bright mornings, long evenings. Normally every other weekend would be filled with weddings, graduation parties, barbecues and potluck lunches. It would make writing hard. No one wants to plan an event during the time of the year when most of us are busy relaxing and visiting family. It makes this summer extra strange. After months of pushing myself, I have two WIPs, a bucket full of free time, and no one to hold my nose to the grindstone. My first WIP is closer to a manuscript - I'm on my fifth draft of my monster-cave-girl story. I received feedback from my beta readers and have a half-page list of issues to resolve. Once I added those notes in to my individual scene cards, I ended up with 31 scenes to make edits to and one full chapter to rewrite. Once those are done, I'm planning to try the change the font and read-through strategy that I've seen people speak of on twitter. Wh...

I have to start off this review talking about how beautiful this book is. I have never been so enamored by a spine. It's the perfect green! It matches my curtains! I am happy to report that I adored this book, and so it can live in harmony in a prominent place on my bookshelf. Usually YA books move at a heart-stopping pace. This book moved quickly and was full of action, but I didn't read with my heart in my throat, which was a nice change. I could put it down for the night and not need extra time for my heart rate to return to normal. The tension was still there, but every decision didn't feel like life and death. Though the characters were dealing with some really heavy topics, they still had time to watch the carnival, to fall in love and explore gardens and necropolises and a fascinating city. Another piece of this book was was really well done was the character arcs. I loved reading these characters as they dealt with their issues. I thought it was great that Kari...