Sunday, June 24, 2012

Happy Birthday to me GIVEAWAY!!! $15 (US) Amazon GC!




My birthday is coming up soon (July 19th) So, I figured why not celebrate it by posting a $15 (US) Amazon Gift Certificate GIVEAWAY!!


I figured I'd post this ahead of time so hopefully alot of people get a chance to enter.

Rules: 13 and older please
The winner will receive the Amazon GC via email
The winner will have 72 hours to respond to the winning email or another winner will be chosen.

If Memories Overtaking Me gets to 650 GFC Followers and/or 350 Networked Blog and/or 350 Linky followers before the giveaway is over, I will raise the amount to $20 (us) (and possibly higher)

The giveaway will end the day after my birthday on July 20th

To avoid any confusion July 19th is my (Brianne) actual birthday- and not my blog's birthday :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads/Amazon-

"Doomed loves, failed families, nixed dreams, someone else's leftovers are heaped on our plates the day we come into this world."

"This emotional and evocative novel explores the lives of three young women. Madeline, Desiree, and Ariel who narrate alternating chapters may live in separate decades, but they struggle with issues that transcend time and place. Madeline is worn down by caring for her alcoholic mother and has been teased since childhood for being overweight. Angry, foul-mouthed Desiree will do anything to avoid her neglectful mother and the unwanted advances of her mother s boyfriend. And sensitive Ariel struggles with the pressures of taking AP classes and coping with a domineering boyfriend. As the girls individual stories progress, the truth unfolds that they are actually three generations of one family. And when the tales ultimately intersect, present-day Ariel s breakthrough is also a triumph for her mother and grandmother. Beautifully written and impossible to put down, Blue Plate Special offers teen readers a fresh look at familiar topics, while also imparting a powerful message about self-respect, empathy, and forgiveness. "


*I bought and read this a few months ago on my kindle and I just had to do a post about it. I absolutely LOVED this book. Blue Plate Special is the first book in a very long time that made me cry like the niagara falls! I was just blubbering away, scaring my husband. He thought something was wrong with me. 

This was written wonderfully and had great characters. The way it was written was unique and intertwined extremely well. It also made me appreciate what I have in my life, especially my mother.

Superb read, 5 out of 5 stars. recommend to Mature YA and older.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Black Satin by Rae Hachton



Blurb via Goodreads-
"What if you weren’t who you thought you were?
What if your whole life changed in an instant and you were released to a new identity?
What if you were forced to kill the one you love?
What if everything you knew wasn’t real, and you awaken to a new world?
What if love could take you to unknown places? How beautiful is death really?

Marcus Marble has disappeared from Ellie’s life, and she needs answers to questions and he’s the only one who can answer them. How is her sister back from the dead, and why is Ellie still alive? When Ellie realizes Marcus isn’t coming back, she is forced to move on with her life the best way she can, in hopes of finding the answers herself, but when people at school begin to be viciously murdered, and Giles reveals to her a life changing secret, she decides to investigate the possible truth of it. What she discovers is more than she thought she would. The only time Ellie feels normal is when she’s around Walter, the new guy at school. And normal is how she wants to feel, now that Marcus is gone from her life. But Walter may not be all that he seems, either, and she just might spiral in to an even more dark world, she never thought possible. And when it occurs to her that Marcus has made the decision to pass on through to the afterlife, during the Risorgimento, she races against time to stop him, while knowing she has feelings for Walter, too.
Will she make it in time to stop Marcus from passing through, and if she does, what will she tell Walter? Her heart will have to make the final decision. But will the choice be worth dying for?"


Review:

I loved Black Satin! This was a perfect sequel to Pretty In Black and the beginning was written wonderfully with Marcus' point of view of details that happened in Pretty In Black. I do however recommend reading Pretty In Black first because you will miss out on other important details. I love Rae's writing style and the imaginative dark world that she has created. The characters were interesting, however Marcus wasn't in this book as much as I liked. Ellie remains to be a wonderful character and grows throughout the book. This is a fantastic series and I can't wait to read more!

5 out of 5 stars.


Buy the books:
Amazon -
PaperbackE-book

Barnes & Noble -
Nook Book


About the author           Rae Hachton
"Rae Hachton  [pronounced H-ton] is the nom de plume of author Desirae  Hennington. She is the Indie Author of the Gothic Romance series Pretty in Black.  She is twenty-three years old and lives with her Muse and her Ghost.  When she is not composing new novels, she is working on her  cinematography studies, and devouring YA books. Her favorite band is The  Raveonettes, and she is a major fan of Edgar Allan Poe and Ravens and  Crows. Although she is writing Gothic Fiction at the moment, her  favorite genre of all time is Contemporary YA. Favorite contemporary  book: tie between Forever by Judy Blume and the Summer I turned Pretty series  by Jenny Han. Favorite author: David Levithan. If Rae Hachton wasn't  writing, she'd give it one last shot at being kewl, and probably start a band."

I think she is already kewl :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Black Satin tour sponsored by SupaGurl Blog Tours. 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Sound Bites: A Rock & Roll Love Story by Rachel K. Burke



Blurb via Goodreads-
"Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late.

Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way"


Review:
I loved Sound Bites! This was a cute fun contemporary romance. The writing was great, the characters were interesting and I was able to connect with Renee throughout the entire book.  I read  Sound Bites in one sitting because I could not put it down and the end left me sighing and saying "Awwwwh!"   Lately, all I have been reading are YA books (which I love) and I have to say that Sound Bites had a YA "feel" to it but had some adult situations. Great read and I hope to read more from Rachel K. Burke!

5 out of 5 stars  Highly recommend to Mature YA and older


About the author:           Rachel K. Burke

"Rachel was born and raised in Boston, MA. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
She graduated from Bridgewater University in 2011 with a B.A. in Communications and Media Studies.

Rachel's work has appeared in Prevention Magazine, Worcester Magazine and Starpulse News Entertainment."

For more information on Rachel and her upcoming fiction, please visit www.rachelkburke.com

Facebook URL: facebook.com/rachelkburkebooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway
:
Sound Bites Tour Schedule
Click here to see all participating blogs...

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Pretty In Black by Rae Hachton


Amazon / Goodreads


Blurb via Goodreads-
"Some Things are Pretty. Some Things are Black. Love is both.

[Ellie Piper]

She wanted to die. He arose from the grave. He was sent to kill her. She was trained to kill those of his kind. But fate had other plans. He searched for 119 years to find her. & There's no way in hell he's letting her go. Dead or Alive. They're fated.

[Marcus Marble]

How far would you go to be with the one you love? Would you die for her? Would you kill for her? What if the only reason you're still alive is because of her? What if the reason you came back from the dead, was to be with her? But what if your job was to kill her, but you fell in love instead? And now you're being hunted by your own kind?

Destroy? Or be Destroyed?"


Review:

Pretty In Black was a wonderful book. Rae Hachton has a beautiful way with words and the writing was fast paced, yet still well described. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the few similarities to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I wont go into details but I think they weren't necessary. The book was great without them. Ellie and Marcus made a beautifully dark couple, and the story was refreshing.

5 out of 5 stars!

Special thanks to SupaGurl Books  and Rae Hachton for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.    My review for Black Satin (Pretty in Black #2) will be posted on 6.23.2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Tell your father that you love him

Hi everyone!

I just felt the need to make a personal post. I have been having a few personal issues (besides the below information) going on in my life that has made me slow down on my reviews. I hope that everything gets back to normal soon and I can start posting more.

 I really need to get something off my chest, though.  There was a certain sentence in a book that I was reading recently that really bothered me. I wont be providing the book title or author's name because I in no way want to offend the author, I wont be giving a negative review or any review for that matter on this blog or anywhere else I post my reviews. I just want to say to authors- please do research before writing a sentence about medical issues.


Facts:  from http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf

Diabetes affects 25.8 million people

8.3% of the U.S. population

Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death based on U.S. death certificates in 2007. This ranking is based on the 71,382  Death certificates in 2007 in which diabetes was the underlying cause of death.

Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of similar age but without diabetes.

Diabetes was also #7 in the top causes of death in 2010


So, When I read a sentence that stated "I know that diabetes isn't as serious as some illnesses....." I literally threw the book across the room.     

 My father's name happened to be on one of those 71,328 death certificates in 2007.   My father passed away from complications of the serious disease called Diabetes on June 14th 2007.

My father was a wonderful person who suffered greatly for years because of this SERIOUS disease.

Now, I will say that the whole sentence was "I know that diabetes isn't as serious as some illness, but I also know that it can do some series damage, it can even be fatal"  So, the end of the sentence is correct and I appreciate that, however Diabetes IS as serious as some illnesses.

Phew ok sorry about my rant, I just had to get that off my chest. 

Happy Father's Day Dad!



Saturday, June 16, 2012

Waterspell-The Warlock by Deborah J. Lightfoot Review/Q&A/Giveaway!

Reading Addiction Blog Tours



Date Published: November 2011

Synopsis:

          "Drawn into the schemes of an angry wizard, Carin glimpses the place she once called home. It lies upon a shore that seems unreachable. To learn where she belongs and how to get there, the teenage traveler must decipher the words of an alien book, follow the clues in a bewitched poem, conjure a dragon from a pool of magic -- and tread carefully around a seductive but volatile, emotionally scarred sorcerer who can't seem to decide whether to love her or kill her."




LINKS TO BUY

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Review:

I absolutely loved The Warlock. It was extremely intriguing and wonderfully written. The descriptions/details were vivid and imaginative. The charcters were fun and interesting. I was hooked right away and loved that I couldnt predict what was to come next. The only thing that I didnt like was the cliffhanger ending! Im not a cliffhanger fan at all, however I enjoyed this beautiful book enough that I can't wait to read more.

5 out of 5 stars!  Highly recommend to young adults and older- especially to anyone who loves fantasy and Lewis Caroll!




Author Bio:
Castles in the cornfield provided the setting for Deborah J. Lightfoot’s earliest flights of fancy. On her father’s farm in West Texas, she grew up reading extraordinary tales of adventure and reenacting them behind tall ramparts of sun-drenched corn. She left the farm to earn a bachelor of science degree in journalism and write award-winning books of history and biography, including The LH7 Ranch (University of North Texas Press) and Trail Fever (William Morrow, New York). High on her Bucket List was the desire to try her hand at the genre she most admired. The result is WATERSPELL, a complex, intricately detailed fantasy that begins with Book 1: The Warlock and Book 2: The Wysard, and concludes (for the present) with Book 3: The Wisewoman. But a legal pad filled with notes and tucked away in a desk drawer suggests a possible Book 4 before the saga may fairly be said to be finished.

Deborah is a professional member of The Authors Guild. She and her husband live in the country south of Fort Worth, Texas. Find her online at www.waterspell.net.


FACEBOOK


Q & A with author Deborah J. Lightfoot

Hi Deborah, Thank you so much for interviewing with me today.

 Thank you, Brianne, for hosting this stop on my book tour and for the great interview questions!

 Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 I’m a country girl. Grew up on a farm in West Texas and studied journalism at a land-grant university. Except for a brief time right after college, I’ve never lived in a city. My husband and I have a few acres outside town, close enough to drive in for shopping but far enough away to feel rural. About the only time I willingly become part of a crowd is during the State Fair of Texas!


What inspired you to be an author?

Growing up in a semi-isolated rural environment, I read a lot. Books brought me the world. And more. In the pages of books I toured distant galaxies and traveled through time. The first book I bought with my own money was Daybreak 2250 A.D. by Andre Norton. Cover price: 60 cents. I loved Norton’s science-fiction and fantasy novels but also devoured classics like Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, all things Poe, and of course The Lord of the Rings.

 In college I majored in wildlife science and didn’t make the switch to journalism until my junior year. My first job after graduation was as a copyeditor for a Texas newspaper. It took me a while to work up the courage to try my hand at the genre I most admired: fantasy. I really wanted to write an intricate, multilayered trilogy. The three books of WATERSPELL took me more than a decade. I had to re-educate myself as a writer.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I make my living as an editor for a national nonprofit organization, working on projects that tend to be long and complicated. They take serious concentration and attention to detail. To rest my work-bruised brain, I like long walks in the woods. I’ve been on nearly every hiking trail in every nature preserve or state park within driving distance. Most times, I take along a camera. Nature photography is a hobby. Not that I’m particularly skilled at it, but I enjoy capturing the great outdoors in pictures. You can see a couple of shots from the Big Thicket of East Texas on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Waterspell

 My husband and I like to travel to beautiful places in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and England. We also like movies when we can find time to watch.

 What project are you working on now?

My work in progress is called “Out of Mind.” It’s a story of the paranormal set in the American West of the far future. Eventually, too, there may be a WATERSPELL Book 4. I’m mulling over the threads from the trilogy that could weave a framework for a fourth book.

What is the best writing advice you can give?

JUST WRITE IT! I can’t tell you how much time I wasted, tinkering with Chapter One of Book One. Looking back on it, I see how the editorial half of my mind kept intruding itself into the creative process. A rough draft should be just that: Rough. But my editor mindset kept wanting to polish up the draft. I was tripping over myself at the beginning. But finally I forced myself to move ahead. For me, “Just Write It” meant finishing Book One, then Two, and eventually Three. THEN came the time to go back through and give the whole saga a deep, detailed, painstaking edit.

 I’ve known other writers who got hung up on Page One of Chapter One. They kept worrying that they weren’t doing it “right.” Over time, I’ve come to realize that the first draft doesn’t need to be anywhere NEAR right. The important thing is to write the story. Just capture the idea. The words of the first draft may be only a rough approximation. That’s fine! It’s only possible to rewrite and revise a book that EXISTS, however roughly. A book that doesn’t yet exist because the writer can’t manage to “Just Write It” is a book with no future.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

 Blue Bell’s Banana Split: sliced bananas, crushed pineapple, diced maraschino cherries and roasted almonds in vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce and chocolate sundae sauce. To die for!!!

Thanks, Brianne, for a fun interview.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


DISCLOSURE –
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Sunday, June 10, 2012

On The Day I Died by Candace Fleming

Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads

"The phenomenally versatile, award-winning author, Candace Fleming, gives teen and older tween readers ten ghost stories sure to send chills up their spines. Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860's to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters"

I am a huge fan of  Urban Legends and Ghost stories so this was a fantastically spooky read. I loved how the author presented the stories, a few were familiar, however they were written well. This is a perfect "around the campfire" read and a great way to introduce ghost stories to the middle grader or high schooler. The authors note explaining her inspiration was a good addition to the book.

Great read! 5 out of 5 stars

Special Thanks to Random House Children's Books and Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Putting Boys On The Ledge by Stephanie Rowe

Amazon / Goodreads

Putting Boys on the Ledge is about 14 year old freshman Blueberry Walker (a.k.a. Blue) and her three friends who are just getting into the dating world. When Blue tries out for her high school musical she meets the handsome senior, Heath.

Putting Boys on the Ledge was a cute fluffy quick read. I guess I am getting old because I was bothered by the age difference. I think Blue and her friends should have dated boys more there age, however I guess I have no room to say anything because I always went for the older guy!   I liked Blue's hippy parents but what I didn't get was that she had siblings with normal/non-fruit related names. Putting Boys on the Ledge is definitely written for the younger teen, however I would have liked to have some sort of "don't grow up too fast/enjoy being a kid" message.Oh, how I wish I could be 14 again! The other characters were fun and the story was written well.

Over all I enjoyed Putting Boys on the Ledge, it was cute and I'd read more in the series.

4 out of 5 stars.

Special Thanks to TKA Distribution and NetGalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins


Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not"

So, I have to say that my husband and I have been recently watching a lot of documentaries and reality shows about the Amish. I honestly have no clue why, I guess there is nothing better to watch. Anyways, so when I saw this on Netgalley I thought "oooh oooh perfect!"

Temptation is about an "english" (a.k.a. non-Amish/ modern) teenage girl named Rose. Her mother recently passed away and her father moved the family to the country. While they are moving into their new home, their Amish neighbors decide to great them. Rose meets Noah and *poof* love  starts brewing!

I really loved Temptation. I could not put this book down. Even though there was instant love, the romance was "swoon-worthy"and the forbidden aspect made it more intriguing. Karen Ann Hopkins knows how to write good kissing scenes! The book over all was great and had good realistic characters.  The only problems I had was the ending, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Rose and Noah needed to communicate better and they also needed to grow up. I loved Noah in the beginning but towards the end he was a tad disappointing (I'm trying so hard not to give spoilers) The book ending does let you know that there will be a sequel, and I definitely will be reading that!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Special Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing and e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Four In The Morning by Christi Goddard



Amazon / Goodreads

Blurb via Goodreads-

"Kathleen Hayson thinks her biggest problem is her mother. The only runner up—her mouth. With a wit sharper than her mother's perfectly manicured nails, her clever remarks create more problems than they solve.

But it's not her clever remarks landing her knee-deep in trouble. This time, Josh Colby is to blame. Kathleen's former childhood friend has become the school's most stuck up jerk. Before, she'd have told him to piss off and write his own stupid letter to the town slut/minister's daughter. Now Kathleen's escalating problems at home force her to reevaluate how flexible her principles are. She agrees to write the controversial letter Josh has requested.

Enter Rigel, a smartass magical creature who invades her room one night, promising he has come to help. When a boy Kathleen hates turns up dead and her mother goes missing, the letter becomes a key piece of police evidence—implicating Kathleen. As she fights her way out of a web of lies, the trust she has in those closest to her shatters. In the end, she's pushed to a terrible choice: who lives, and who else dies."


First, I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Rebecca Hamilton (author of The Forever Girl) for offering Four In The Morning in exchange for a review. I am so glad she did because I absolutely LOVED Four In The Morning!!

When I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it because I have a weirdo cat named Rygel. (I'll go into more about Rygel later)  What I didn't expect was how much I loved Kathleen. She is my new idol. Her snarky attitude was written perfectly. I also highly enjoyed Rigel and AKA, I loved what their characters brought to the story.  The mystery aspect of the story was great and the book was well written. The ending was perfect, not a disappointing cliff hanger but it does leave you guessing that there will be a sequel...and I wish I had that in my hands right now! I want more!

Four In The Morning was enjoyably different, weird, dark, and hilarious- a breath of fresh air to my world.

5 out of 5 stars-  recommended for mature YA and older

Once again, Special Thanks to Rebecca Hamilton for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.


About my cat Rygel,

Rygel is my wierdo dork cat..actually he's my husband's cat. Rygel was saved from the streets by my husband when he was a kitten. He is the most interesting cat I've ever known. His hobby's are watching the toilet and playing fetch with his dad. (my husband)





 Clearly we need to get a lock for our liquor cabinet.
just kidding!!


The Binding by L. Filloon




Amazon / Goodreads


Blurb via Goodreads-
"Two nights after her eighteenth birthday, Lily is attacked while out jogging, but is saved by Tharin Lunar, a Sidhe prince. When she discovers that her attacker is her own brother, Lucas, who disappeared four years ago, Lily refuses to believe that her brother would truly hurt her and becomes determined to find Lucas and bring him home. Lily finds that Lucas’ disappearance is somehow tied to Tharin; so when he informs her that she is his betrothed and must return with him to Velesi, fulfill a treaty between their families and unite the two strongest clans through their marriage, Lily agrees. However, she’s not going to Velesi for a wedding, but to bring home her only family, Lucas.

On their journey to the borders of Velesi, the realm of the Thirteen Clans, they’re pursued by a Sidhe assassin group call the Ange, meet with an ogre crime lord that ends badly, deal with a sleazy troll motel manager, and when they discover that there’s a bounty on their heads, they must keep one step ahead of every assassin, bounty hunter and low-life criminal in Velesi.

Protecting Lily has become the biggest challenge of Tharin’s life. Lucky for him he has help in the form of his twin brother, Tolan, Lily’s best friend Julia and his three bodyguard cousins."



The Binding was a great read! I enjoyed that it had two points of view. (Lily & Tharin) Lily was a strong heroine and Tharin was the  "love but hate" kind of character. All the characters in The Binding were well written and interesting.  There wasn't as much romance as I prefer, however the action and the fun characters made up for that. I can definitely see The Binding becoming a great series. The cliffhanger ending was a tad of a disappointment, however It did leave me wanting more!

5 out of 5 stars!

Special Thanks to L. Filloon for providing an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel



Amazon / Goodreads

Dust Girl is about a 1930's Kansas girl name Callie. Helping her mother run a small hotel during the constant dust storms. When Callie's mother goes missing, she discovers that there is more than dust storming the town.

Dust Girl was a uniquely refreshing read. I enjoyed that it had American history mixed with fantasy however the story was original..and a little confusing at the same time.  It did take me quite sometime to really get into the story and at some points I was left with the "What!?" feeling.  The characters were realistic and a certain character named, Jack played an excellent role in the story.

Overall I did enjoy Dust Girl. I recommend it for younger teens.

3.5 out of 5 stars


*Oh and the girl on the cover isn't exactly what I envisioned Callie to be- however doesn't she look like Mila Kunis?


Friday, June 1, 2012

Guest Post & Giveaway!: Nikki Jefford- The Spellboung Trilogy Tour



Entangled Amazon     Entangled Goodreads  

Duplicity Amazon       Duplicity Goodreads
Duplicity Barnes and Noble
(Entangled is available for ebook at amazon. It will return to Barnes & Noble and Smashwords once KDP select ends July 15, 2012.)

 
 Today I am extremely happy to have the lovely and talented Nikki Jefford stop by my blog!

She is the author of The Spellbound Trilogy: Entangled , Duplicity, and (the not yet released but highly anticpated) Enchantment!  

***Click on Entangled & Duplicity to check out my reviews**


Guest Post: Bringing Back the Fun

"When I was little I loved writing stories about magic and reading series like The Baby-Sitters Club, Nancy Drew, and The Saddle Club. In my early teens I began sneaking regency romances into my mother’s shopping cart at the supermarket.

Somewhere along the way I decided that to be a serious writer I needed to write literary fiction. In 1998 I began attending workshops and conferences. The students in workshop were intense and very serious about their craft.

I spent the next six years stressing over vocabulary, symbolism, and meaning. Then one day it hit me that I should write a historical romance. The world opened up from there. For the first time, I was having FUN writing.

There are always people who will view you as a hack writer. I’ll never forget the snotty librarian a friend brought to dinner who put down my reading and writing choices in my own home. Then at dinner I asked her what she liked to read and she point blank said, “Anything except for romance. I don’t read that crap!”

She was the stereotypical stogy librarian with the burlap sack skirt and hair pulled back in a tight bun.

I remember looking at her thinking, ‘If anyone needs to read romance, it’s you.”

I didn’t think it could get better than historical romance until I delved into paranormal YA a year ago. I wrote the first in a vampire slayer series, which I plan to release this fall. Entangled was a complete surprise. I never thought I’d write about magic and witches.

In some ways I feel like I’ve come full circle. As a child writer, my first interests were love and magic. Life is serious enough. I’m all about the fun.

Thank you to Brianne for hosting me at Memories Overtaking Me. Brianne was the first reader to go out of her way to request a review copy of Entangled. (She was the only person who responded to a twitter announcement/blog post I put up looking for reviewers.) She is an enthusiastic advocate for indie authors and I am so happy to have met her.  "

*Nikki- Thank you so much!! I'm so glad that I answered that tweet, and I'm so happy to have meet you too!  *hug*


Don’t miss the Cover Reveal of book three, Enchantment, at designer Najla Qamber’s review site: Unputdownable Books on June 7th.
http://unputdownablebookies.blogspot.com/


Entangled book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZnDgYFCVVw

Duplicity book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwY_Mj_Syk





About Nikki Jefford:

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands where she is, once more, neighbors with Canada. She has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Alaska Anchorage and was a reporter before returning to her first love: fiction.

After a whirlwind romance in France, Nikki married Sébastien in March 2000. They reside with Cosmo the wonder Westie.

Find her at:
http://nikkijefford.com
http://twitter.com/NikkiJefford



Enter to win the SPELLBOUND SWAG PACK (International)

·         Evil Eye Amulet and Bracelet: In Duplicity, Gray wears an evil eye pendant, also known as a nazar, to protect herself from a spell that’s causing havoc over the witches and warlocks in her coven. The evil eye (a Turkish amulet) is used for both luck and protection against envy.

·         Two Headed Quarter: Two Grays are better than none and two heads are better than one, especially when flipping over who gets to choose which movie to watch with a trick coin. Adrian returns in Duplicity and opens a magic shop.

·   Entangled bookmark