Reality Hero Book Review

July 12, 2013 / 14 comments

Reality Hero Book ReviewReality Hero by Ashlynn Monroe
Published by Self-Published on June 17th 2013
Genres: Fantasy
Format: eARC
Source: ARC
Purchase @ AMAZON  or  BN
Add to Goodreads

Can reality TV handle a reluctant superhero bachelor, ten attention-seeking women, and one evil villain?

Dina Dell's career as a television producer has hit bottom. Desperate to save her job, she comes up with the idea for a reality show called I Want to Date a Superhero. But the only superhero bachelor she knows is the only man she's ever loved—Zane Blair.

Zane was once a normal human, but a traumatic childhood incident mutated him, along with Dina's sister and their friends. Dina was the only one who escaped without any superhero abilities. And while she might be the "normal" one, that only left her feeling like more of an outcast.

Her lack of powers put Zane in danger. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before someone used her to get to him, she left, breaking both their hearts in the process. After all the pain she caused him, will he be willing to help her now?

Then an old enemy emerges, putting Dina's plans on hold. When her superhero friends are the ones who need help, Dina just might learn that sometimes little Miss Average can be a hero too.

Liezel’s Thoughts:

I’ve never read anything written by Ashlynn Monroe before and I must say that she just gained a new fan.
This isn’t one of my usual reads but after reading the book description I was curious about the concept and decided to sign up for this tour. Good thinking on my part because I absolutely loved it. It was a pretty quick and easy read and had a good balance between reality, humor, fantasy/sci-fi and of course romance. When  have you  ever read a story that broad?
I did have my doubts about the  Dina in the beginning of the story. Originally I thought she was greedy and egotistical to put Zane in that position just for her career but as the story carries on I found that she was totally the opposite of who I thought she was. She sacrificed so much  to protect her friends. I enjoyed Zane’s character as well and loved how altruistic he was. The chemistry between the two was unmistakable. It took him awhile to realize that it was the right time to pursue Dina but when he did he made it worth the wait.  The supporting characters were impressive as well. I am really excited to  read more into this series especially  Ella and Caspian’s story.
In my opinion, I thought this was a very good summer read. There is no doubt in my mind that after you read this one you will be signing up for the authors newsletter just like I did.

The Verdict:

rating-4

Author Interview:

Liezel: First off, I wanted to say thank you so much for stopping by Liezel’s Book Blog  for this interview.  Do you mind telling  us a little about yourself?

Ashlynn: I’m a working mom.  I have two kids. My daughter turns twelve  on July 12!  My son is eight.  I’ll be turning 35 in August.  In October, I’ll celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary.  It’s a busy year!

Liezel : It seems that you have been writing for a while and I want to know, amongst the 50 or so books that you have written which one is your favorite and why?

Ashlynn: That’s a tough question.  Every new release feels like my favorite. Reality Hero and Given are my all time favorites.  I wrote Reality Hero in 2009 and it’s been rewritten, expanded, and improved.  This is one of my longest novels and I love the characters.

Liezel : Can you tell me how you choose the character names in your books?

Ashlynn: I steal them.  I keep a notebook in my purse and every time I see or hear a cool name, I write it down.

Liezel: What is the most positive and unforgettable comment that you received from a fan?

Ashlynn: I have a fan who always buys my books on release day and she reads them right away and emails me to tell me what she liked about the book.  It always surprises me when people tell me they like my books, but having someone who enjoys my books enough to keep buying them is incredibly emotionally rewarding.  It’s wonderful to do something and know that someone appreciates the effort.

Liezel: Can you give me a brief description of your writing process?

Ashlynn: Chaotic.  I have characters and snippets of stories that run through my brain all the time, sort of like channel surfing, and when one takes hold of my muse, I write it.

Liezel: Can you name another Indie author who inspires you and why they inspire you?

Ashlynn: Leanore Elliott and Olivia Starke both come to my mind.  I love their books and I enjoy knowing them as people too.

Liezel: With all the writing that you do, do you still have time to read? If so what was your favorite read this year?

Ashlynn: I am reading Poppy’s Passion by Stephanie Beck.  I’m looking forward to reading He Watches by Cynthia Sax soon.  Every book is my favorite while I’m reading it.

Liezel:  How did you come up with the unique concept for Reality Hero?

Ashlynn: I wrote this book to cheer myself up when I was done.  I think that’s what gives the book such a unique flavor of humor mixed with darkness. The first scenes popped into my head when I saw my first reality show.  The idea bounced around in my head for about a decade before I actually wrote the story.

Liezel: Can you tell me who your favorite superhero is and what characteristics make him or her your favorite?

Ashlynn: Captain America is my favorite superhero.  He knows what it’s like to be the underdog and fights for what he believes and that makes him extra likable.

Liezel:  If you were granted one super power, what would it be and how would do you intend to use it?

Ashlynn: I’d want the power to travel back in time and talk to people.  I’d tell myself what mistakes not to make and save people.

Liezel: Are their specific actors that you see playing the roles of Zane, Ian and Dina?

Ashlynn: The rights are definitely open!  My dream movie cast would be Channing Tatum to play Zane.  Coincidently, I’d pick Ian Somerhalder to play Ian.  Hillary Hindi, a young YouTube parody star, would be perfect to play Dina.

Liezel:  What was the most challenging scene that you wrote in this story?

Ashlynn: This story really flowed for me.  I cannot think of any particularly challenging scene.

Liezel: Can you tell us what you have planned for this series? How many books do you plan on writing? When we can expect the next one?

Ashlynn: I am going to write Ella and Caspian’s story.  If my readers want more after that, I’ll write Bridget’s story too. I’m not sure when this will be available. That will depend on Beachwalk Press’s release schedule.

Liezel: Again, I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule for this and I am really looking forward to reading more of  this series.

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Rafflecopter Giveaway:

 Two Digital Copies of REALITY HERO

a Rafflecopter giveaway

July 12

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About Ashlynn Monroe

Ashlynn Monroe is a busy wife and mom. She enjoys writing about anything and everything paranormal or fantasy related. She spends most of her time daydreaming up her next tale of romance.



14 Responses to “Reality Hero Book Review”

  1. Katherina V.

    This seems like my type of book and I love the cover!! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂

  2. Aimee Duffy

    No Ashlynn, you can’t make Somerhaulden the baddy. Well okay, he’s kinda bad as Damon, but still. . .

    Great interview lovely! You know how much I loved Zane. Still waiting on my t-shirt by the way ;o)

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