Guest Post with Sebastain, Aspen & Nyrae from What A Boy Wants!

Today I’m stepping out of the way to let Nyrae Dawn, author of the wonderful debut YA novel - What A Boy Wants, her characters Sebastian (AKA: the Hook-up Doctor) & his lady love Aspen have a chat. 


I’m wondering how well Aspen & Nyrae hold up during this conversation with the irrepressible Sebastian. lol


To find out more about What A Boy Wants, read my review here.



*Sebastian plops down in a chair and rubs his hands together*
Sebastian: “Let’s get this thing started! This is going to kick ass. I’m stoked to share my expertise.”

*Aspen elbows him*
Aspen: “Geez, Bastian! Rude, much? Thanks for chatting with us, Nyrae. We appreciate it… and as you can tell, we have a few things to sort through.”

*Aspen eyes Sebastian*

*Sebastian holds up his hands*
S: “What did I do?”

A: “How much time do we have for me to tell you?”

Nyrae: “Okay, you two. Break it up. We’re here to talk about the advice Sebastian used to give as The Hook-up Doctor.”

S: “Awesome, wasn’t it?”

A: “You think it was so awesome. Seriously, Sebastian. You thought you knew a lot more than you really did. Do you remember what happened toward the end of the book?”

*Sebastian crosses his arms*
A: “You’re pouting”

S: “Only real men can pout without losing their masculinity, remember?”

A: “Don’t worry. We all know you’re the man, Bastian.”

S: “Is that sarcasm, I hear?”

A: “Never.”

N: “Okay, we’re getting off track here guys.”

S: “Oh yeah. We were talking about The Hook-up Doctor. Okay… I can admit things might have gone a little crazy there, but I fully stick by my advice. My record speaks for itself.”

A: “Okay, what about the ‘pretend you’re not interested in him and he’ll coming running thing’? I mean, that can get pretty exhausting after a while. You’re supposed to spend how long pretending you don’t care?”

S: “You’re taking it out of context, Woodstock. Remember at first you’re supposed to pay attention to him and then pull back. Who doesn’t miss something when it’s gone? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, once you giveth, if you taketh away, we totally want it again. That’s kick ass advice if you ask me.”

A: “Maybe… I guess, I can kind of get it, but again, you can’t do that forever.”

S: “You’re not supposed to. It’s just to get their attention. Listen, I’m man enough to admit we don’t get it half the time. That’s not to say part of the problem isn’t because girls aren’t confusing, but that’s another topic. I’m taking one for the team here and all, but look at me, for example. I’ve gone out with a lot of girls—I mean a lot of girls and—”

A: “Hold up. I have to stop you right there. We have to get something straight. You were not the player you think you were, big guy.”

S: “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

A: “I’m serious! I’m not saying you’re an angel, because, hello? Anyone who’s read the book or talks to you for two seconds knows that’s about as far from the truth as you can get, but underneath it all, you are and always have been a softie.”

*Aspen gives him a big smile*

*Sebastian frowns*S: “No guy wants to be known as a softie, Woodstock. You pretty much just have me free reign on at least five obnoxious things to earn my manhood back. And I definitely know how to play the game, when I want to. I just don’t want to anymore.”

*Sebastian looks satisfied with himself*
A: “What would you do if a guy hurt me or Pris?”

S: “Kick their ass.”

A: “Who’s the most important person in the world to you?”

S: “I totally know what you’re doing here and it’s not going to work.”

A: “I’m not above bribery, Bastian. Remember that.”

S: “Are we talking the kind of bribery I’m going to like here?”

A: “Maybe”

S: “Arg… You had to go and play dirty, didn’t you?”

A: “I learned from the best.”

S: “HA! You just admitted—”

A: “I take it back! Now stop stalling and answer the question.”

*Sebastian looks around like he’s making sure no one else is in the room*S: “My mom,” comes out behind a fake sneeze.

A: “And?”

S: “And you… Jaden… Pris. That’s different though. I mean, Jaden’s my boy. He always has my back just like I’ll always have his. It’s like a code of honor or some shit. And you and Pris? I mean, we’re a group or whatever. That’s what people do. They’re there for the people who matter. There are way too many fake people out there to not be down with the ones who are real.”

*Aspen’s turn for a satisfied smile*

*Sebastian groans*
S: “Not cool, Woodstock. Thou shall not hustle your boyfriends, or whatever. I’m pretty sure that’s a rule.”

A: “See? A softie… but that’s not a bad thing, ya know? I mean… guys with a big heart? Even one buried deep, deep under all that bravado? Totally hot.”

S: “And sexy… You called me soft. I’m thinking that deserves a sexy too.”

A: “Yes Sebastian.”

S: “And cool… not to mention it entitles them to get their way at least 95% of the time.”
*Nyrae looks at Aspen*

N: “Is he always like this?”

A: “Always.”

S: “What do you mean? I’m the one who just got played here. I thought we were doing this whole chat thing to talk about my skills as the Hook-up Doctor?”

A: “Oops! What do you know? We’re out of time.”

S: “Not cool, ladies. Not cool.”

N: “I have one last question before, you guys go. You had a pretty good life before the book took place. The girls, your Hook-up Doctor job… If you could go back to how it was then, or keep things the way they are now, which would you choose?”

S: “Oh, man. You’re seriously trying to embarrass me, aren’t you?”

N: “Maybe.”

S: “Things were cool then, but they’re nothing like they are now. I mean, have you seen my girl? Did you hear how she just played me? I might pull a few bonehead moves, but I’m definitely not stupid. I know a good thing when I have it.”

N: “I think I have to agree with Aspen. You have a big heart in there, Sebastian Hawkins.”

S: “Just don’t tell anyone… this stays between the three of us, right?”

N: “Absolutely.”

Karen: Thanks for stopping by Nyrae, Aspen & Sebastian! I think you girls managed to hold your own (perhaps gang up on) Bastian. I have to agree with them. Despite all your swagger, you have a big heart. <3


Find Nyrae: Blog | Twitter






The Hook-up Doctor himself is now on Twitter – Sebastian would love to hear from you!




Buy the book! What a Boy Wants

Giveaway!




Win What A Boy Wants bookmarks and magnet! Just leave a comment with a way to contact you below.

Giveaway ends 5/4/2012 11:59pm EST. Winner announced the next day.

Sunday Ramblings….

This video has been around for a while now but I still think it’s worth watching again….






The wrap-up…..
Review: Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett
AAD Author Spotlight interview with Stacey Kennedy
Review: What A Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn
Guest Post & Giveaway with Justin Gustainis Ends tonight!
Outpost by Ann Aguriire Pre-Order Giveaway! Ends 5/5/2012

Favorite posts from around the blogosphere:
Books, Sweets and other Treats had an insanely easy recipe for Nutella Mug Cake.
Rather Be Reading – EXCELLENT tips for book bloggers attending conferences.
Myra McEntire – Timepiece is now available for request on Netgalley – Myra has the “Quick and Dirty Hourglass Recap” on her blog for those who need a refresher course. Plus the post is hysterical.

What I’m reading:

I read Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell bk #2) by Jenn Bennett – love it!, Tempting the Best Man by J. Lynn – cute but meh, Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story (Divergent #1.1) – It’s Four…so of course it was awesome! Duh!, Insurgent by Veronica Roth – Incredible!, Endurance by Ann Aguirre (Razorland novella) at Heroes and Heartbreakers – I <3 Stone & Thimble.

New Book Arrivals:

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowly – for review. Thank you to Hachette Children’s Books

Zero by Tom Leveen – thank you Lena Addicted 2 Novels (huggle squish!)

Where She Went by Gayle Forman – My good friend Julie My 5 Monkey's went to the YA or Bust Tour & got this book signed by Gayle for me!! Thank you!

Free to a good home Giveaway!

When new books come in – old books must go out. I’ll give away a group of books every week the end of my Sunday Ramblings post.

*This is for US only (sorry but shipping is expensive) Age requirements will be posted depending on the giveaway.
*Winner will be announced in the following Sunday Ramblings post...

*Winner for last weeks’ giveaway is: Mollie W

This week’s books:



Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

All the above books are ARC (advanced reader copies and do not have the final covers)
Fill out the google doc form to enter.

Outpost Pre-order giveaway!

So you guys know that I LOVED Enclave by Ann Aguirre. Did you not know? Then go here to read my review or here to see that it was my favorite book of 2011.

This week brought a flurry of news for fans of the series!

First up a cover reveal for Outpost – book two in the Razorland series.

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Release date: September 4th, 2012

Pre-order: Outpost (Razorland book #2)
Order: Enclave (Razorland book #1)

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Now living topside in a community called Salvation, she has a whole new set of problems. Down below, she was considered an adult, and she contributed to the whole. Now, topside, the people of Salvation think she’s a brat in need of training. She hates school, and she doesn’t fit in with the other girls. They’ve spent their lives learning to cook and sew–suitable woman’s work. Deuce only knows how to fight. To make matters worse, Fade keeps her at a distance, and the band of four has broken into fragments.

Stalker presses for a closer relationship, but Deuce sees him as a training partner, and she’s busy trying to find her place in Salvation. She refuses to accept that she’s wrong for being who she is, but tensions rise as she struggles against the status quo. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Once she’s free from school for the year, Deuce pursues a chance to serve in the summer patrols–those responsible for making sure the growers and planters can work the fields without danger of Freak attack. It should have been routine, little fighting, but things have been changing on surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks are smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it will take a girl like Deuce to turn the tide. ~ goodreads

I was lucky (extremely lucky) to have read an early version of Outpost and it was amazing! AMAZING. Outpost is an emotional roller coaster with lots of swoony moments, character growth for everyone and a few moments so noooooooo worthy that I had to DM Ann & say “You did NOT just do that!!”

Interested now?

Ann is celebrating the big cover reveal on her blog with an awesome giveaway. You can win 1 signed, personalized copy of Enclave & 1 signed, personalized ARC of Outpost – just head over to her website to enter. Winner announced on Cinco de Mayo.

While you’re waiting for Outpost you can read Endurance – a free (for now) Razorland novella featuring Thimble & Stone from Enclave over at Heroes and Heartbreakers. Grab a tissue. These two made me want to wrap them up in a giant group hug. Loved it!

---

Now for my giveaway to celebrate all the awesomeness!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to win a pre-order of Outpost. (You will not receive the book early – this is for a pre-order – NOT an ARC) & do NOT leave your email in the comments section.

*International entries ok if your country is on The Book Depository list

*Must be at least 16 years old

* Ends 5/5/2012 at 12:01am

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest post: Justin Gustainis–“The Horror, the Horror”

I’m welcoming author Justin Gustainis back to For What It’s Worth today to talk about his new urban fantasy novel, Evil Dark, book #2 in the Haunted Scranton series. 

The Horror, the Horror

I write scary stuff – full of vampires, witches, demons, ogres and every other kind of nasty (or potentially nasty) supernatural creature.  And in my books, some very bad stuff happens to people.

My latest book, Evil Dark, is the second (after Hard Spell) in a series of novels set in an alternate universe where the supernatural exists, and everybody knows it.  In my version of Scranton, PA, your next door neighbor might be a werewolf, and the odd little guy down the street could be a ghoul.  It’s a “live and let unlive” relationship.  But when a vampire puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, then it’s a case for Sgt. Stan Markowski of the Scranton Police Department’s Occult Crimes Unit.

And this time out, Stan’s got a real bad mother of a case to investigate.  Someone is using demonic possession to make “snuff films.”  For these DVDs, which are sold only in the underground market, two prisoners are shown, chained to chairs that are surrounded by a large pentagram.  A wizard conjures up a demon from Hell, and forces it to take possession of one of the captives.  Then the possessed prisoner is set free from his chains.  The demon cannot leave the center of the pentagram.  The only human upon whom it can vent its fury is the poor bastard in the other chair.

The people making the video (who are, in their own way, as much monsters as the demon they’ve conjured), have thoughtfully provided an array of tools for the Hellspawn to use.  This includes knives of various sizes, a hammer, needle-nose pliers, and a blowtorch.

In describing what happens next, I have some choices.  I can show the torture of the captive in excruciating, gory detail, recording every torment and scream.  There’s even a genre name for this kind of thing – splatter punk.

This is what I did, instead.  Here’s Stan Markowski, watching one of these snuff films for the first time.  He describes the setup, much as I just did.  Then he says, “What happened next went from zero to unspeakable in very few seconds, and then it went quickly beyond unspeakable, to a lever of horror there are no words to describe.”

I approached the scene that particular way for a couple of reasons.  One is, there’s nothing scarier, in my view, than the human imagination.  Instead of describing what torture the demon inflicts on its victim, I provide the setup and let your mind fill in the blanks.  Think of the most horrible scene possible – and that’s exactly what you’ll see in your mind’s eye.  The horror has jumped off the page, and gotten inside your head.  Mwahahahahaha!

The other reason I don’t rub the reader’s face in the viscera is that I don’t see a lot of art involved in doing so.  It’s kind of like the sub-genre of horror movies that some have dubbed “torture porn.”  Such films employ start-of-the art special effects to portray acts of torture and mutilation as realistically as possible.  Whatever plot there may be exists only to serve as the framework for the torture scenes.  In my opinion, that’s not art – it’s high-tech virtual sadism.

Give me a chance, dear reader, and I’ll scare you – but I’ll do it by messing with your head, not making you sick to your stomach.  

Author: website
Buy the book!
Hard Spell (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation) Book #1 
Evil Dark: An Occult Crime Unit Investigation

Giveaway!

-Justin is giving away one copy of Evil Dark. 

-This giveaway is open to international entries. Winner receives their choice of format: signed print copy or digital.

-To enter please leave a comment & fill out google doc form.

-Ends Sunday 4/29/2012 11:59pm EST - winner announced Monday

- Do you prefer your gore to be graphic or does your imagination make it scarier?
Personally my imagination is usually scarier than anything the writer can come up with. Once the gore starts being described in vivid detail I find myself laughing (inappropriate I know) or finding holes in the logistics of the torture. What say you?



My name's Markowski. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.
A series of seemingly motiveless murders of supernatural creatures points to a vigilante targeting the supe community. Markowski wouldn't normally have much of a problem with that, but his daughter may be next on the killer's list...
File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Unnatural Law | Thicker Than Water | The Bite Stuff | Duty Calls ]

This giveaway has ended. The winner is Midnyte Reader.

Review: What A Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn

Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…

With the last girl he would expect…

Totally not in his game plan.

Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.

But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it. ~ goodreads

Review:
I picked this book hoping for a light, quick read based on Jen's (What's on the Bookshelf) Must Read Monday meme reccomendation. Plus it was a boy POV – my favorite!

I started it around 9:30 pm to get a few chapters in before i drifted off to sleep and ended up reading until 2 am! What a Boy Wants was definitely the fun book I was looking for.

Sebastian Hawkins, the Hook-up Doctor, is giving internet advice to girls on how to reel in the boy of their dreams so he can earn cash to buy a new car. For his part Sebastian is pretty jaded when it comes to relationships after watching his mom choose the wrong guy over & over again.

In fact he doesn't guarantee you can keep the guy  - just that he can help you get him. Bastian doesn't believe in love. He just hooks up with all the pretty girls and moves on. Again - no promises made so he really doesn't think he's hurting anyone.

What is most important to him are his best friends. Jaden, Pris and Aspen. The group of two guys and two girls have been together forever. Friends always come first to Sebastian. No girl drama ever gets between them ….until it does.

Sebastian's world is rocked when he starts seeing Aspen in a new light. As he starts to fall in love with her his whole hook-up only rules are shattered. The relationship expert is suddenly reduced to spying and petty jealousies.

Sebastian could come off as a total arrogant ass and off putting but he doesn't. He believes he's God's gift to women with all the answers but we also get to see his underlying sweetness, loyalty & vulnerabilities.

Aspen is the perfect counter point to him. She's an honest friend who sees the good and potential in Sebastian but she in no way let's him get away with his BS.

Despite Sebastian’s cocky swagger he's definitely the guy you want in your corner if you're in trouble. When he falls - he falls hard. It's pretty funny to watch this guy who thought he had all the answers scramble so he doesn't lose the one girl who means everything to him. It got a tad wacky near the end when Sebastian was trying to win Aspen over but the story is so funny & cute it's a very minor complaint. Jaden and Pris rounded out the foursome perfectly and I bet we haven’t seen the last of them.

Rating 3.5 out of 4 If you're looking for a fun, fast, romantic read but one that still has character growth and a whole lot of heart then give What a Boy Wants a try. Bonus - Sebastian looks exactly like that cover model as written in the book! Swoon!

*Check back Monday April 30th when Sebastian, Aspen and Nyrae stop by For What It’s Worth for a chat.

Author: Blog | Twitter
Sebastian: Twitter
Source: Purchased
Buy the book! What a Boy Wants

AAD Author Spotlight with Stacey Kennedy

Please join me in welcoming author Stacey knnedy to For What It’s Worth as part of my AAD Author Spotlight series.

Karen: Hi Stacey! Welcome to For What It's Worth.

Stacey: Thank you for having me!

K: Tell us a little about yourself and your books.
S: I love paranormal romance/urban fantasy and erotic romance, and love a series more. Nothing can hook me in more than an adventure and one that keeps on going. I love a page turner, one that keeps me up late into the night and makes my eyes burn because I can’t stop reading.

Witty characters, dominant men, danger, action, romance and hot sex―oh my!

My urban fantasy romance novels are lighthearted fantasy with heart squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and even give a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll find fast paced action, emotions we can all relate to, life threatening moments and a big bad villain that needs to be destroyed.

My erotic romance novels are just that…erotic. There is nothing better than taking the dominant men I love and watching them do wicked things to their women. I make the stories as hot as I possibly can and usually the characters take it a step further to even make my cheeks blush. But I just can’t write without a little humor added into the mix so that’s always a must have in my stories. And of course what’s a story without a big dose of emotional characters, too.




K: The main character, Tess, from your Frostbite series can see ghosts and help them pass over. Is this a talent you would like to have? Do you think you would help them or try to avoid them as Tess does with Kipp in the beginning? (although Kipp is rather hard to ignore!)

S: Heck no! I’m such a chicken when it comes to the supernatural. Sure, I find it so interesting, which is exactly why I write about it. But you’d never catch me joining in on a ghost hunt. I’m perfectly content with watching television shows like Ghost Hunters where I’m safe and not actually searching for ghosts in the dark.

But I suppose if I had the talent, then I would help them. I can, though, understand Tess’s frustration. I think it would take a while to get used to such an ability, and furthermore I would find it annoying if I never had a moment to myself. Plus, it wouldn’t be much fun for everyone to think you’re crazy if they see you talking to yourself!

K: Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you follow before writing?

S: I need coffee! It’s as simple as that. I cannot write a word if I don’t have a coffee next to me. It gives me an extra bit of oomph in my energy levels, and it’s a great way to take a break if I need to think something over.

K: What are you most looking forward to at AAD in August? Have you been to NOLA before?

S: I’ve never been to NOLA, and that’s what makes me most excited. When I was deciding what conference to go to this year, hearing that AAD was in NOLA was one of the reasons I picked it. I’ve always wanted to go to NOLA. Add that to how much fun it’s going to be, and it wasn’t a hard decision.

I’m really looking forward to meeting everything face-to-face that I’ve gotten to know through Twitter and Facebook. But I’m also pretty darn excited about all the events AAD has planned. It’s going to be a blast!!

K: Who are your favorite authors? Is there one that has influenced or encouraged your writing?

I’m a huge fan of Keri Arthur, Jeaniene Frost, and Katie MacAlister. They’ve all influenced my writing because it was their books that hooked me on urban fantasy romance. If it hadn’t been for them, I never would’ve fallen head-over-heels for the genre, and am now addicted to it!

K: Can you give us a little sneak peek at what's in store for Tess & Kipp in Demonically Tempted (Frostbite book 2)?

Tess & Kipp’s next journey, Demonically Tempted released on April 13th! And I suppose the most important thing I can say about their second book is that Tess will get answers that she’s been longing for. But just because she has found answers doesn’t mean a whole new set don’t rise.
This book was always planned to be a transition book. It’s stepping deeper into the paranormal elements, and is full of tension. There is a huge cliffhanger at the end of this book, which leads into the third book, MYSTICALLY BOUND, which releases in Fall 2012. And that book has always been the one that I’ve been dying to write. So, I cannot wait to get started on it!

For now, here’s a look at Demonically Tempted!

Tess Jennings, now a member of the Memphis Police Department, is on her first cold case. The suspected suicide of Lizbeth Knapp ten years ago isn’t a theory her family accepts—they believe she was murdered.

But the case is only one of Tess’s worries. Ghosts are talking, and word of her abilities rapidly spreads. A dark ghost is terrifying the spirits of Memphis, and she must force the entity to cross over.
Tess doesn’t have to do this alone. Not only does she have her ghost-lover, Kipp McGowen, but the department has brought in a medium. Dane Wolfe might answer all her questions, but he also brings a world of trouble. Will Tess finally have all she’s ever wanted, or will everything she’s vowed to protect be ripped away?

EXCERPT & BUY LINK - Demonically Tempted

Website | Blog | Facebook |Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page


Stacey Kennedy’s novels are lighthearted fantasy with heart-squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and they even give you a good chuckle every now and again. But within the stories you’ll also find fast-paced action, life-threatening moments and a big bad villain who needs to be destroyed. Her urban fantasy/paranormal and erotic romance series have hit Amazon Kindle and All Romance eBooks bestseller lists.
Stacey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her at www.staceykennedy.com.
Thank you Stacey!

Review: Kindling the Moon (Arcadia Bell, #1) by Jenn Bennett

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time. goodreads

Review:
It's pretty difficult to blow me away with something original in the UF genre these days but Kindling the Moon did just that. If you're looking for a fresh spin on urban fantasy then look no further.

Arcadia (Cady) Bell, a powerful self taught magician, has been in hiding for the past 7 years under an alias after her parents were accused of three gruesome murders that made headlines because of their ties to the occult. They faked their deaths and separated from Cady for her own protection. Cady now co-owns/bartends at Tambuku Tiki Lounge; a bar that caters to Earthbound demons. Cady has honed her magic and is able to create binding spells to break up fights between the customers. She's carved out a pretty good life but it's lonely since she can't reveal her true identity or form any attachments for fear of endangering herself & her parents.

Once the media discovers that Cady's parents are alive . A magical order called the Luxe demands Cady's help in finding them for retribution for the murders. If they are not delivered within two weeks Cady must take the punishment in their place.

Cady is put in touch with Earthbound demonologist Lon Butler to find the one rare demon that may be able to prove her parents  innocence.

I admit I don't usually enjoy books with magic. It actually took me a little while to even understand those elements in Kindling the Moon but once I stopped trying so hard to remember each type of sigil/spell and demon and just went with the flow everything came together and made sense.

While this series contains all the usual elements of urban fantasy; demons, Imps, binding spells, as well as tossing in loads of cool pop culture references and pygmy hedgehogs (I may be a tad obsessed with Mr. Piggy) Jenn Bennett does something special and gives us the most relatable characters that I've read in a very long time. And a mature, adult relationship. Hallelujah!

Cady is the perfect UF protagonist but unlike most from the genre. She's smart, tough yet vulnerable and willing to ask for help. Hallelujah x's 2! I want to be her friend. I want to hang out with her. I will pet sit Mr. Piggy for her while she's banishing imp's. And just maybe I will try to steal Lon from her…….

Lon - The "enigmatic demonologist" Swoon…….Now this is my kind of guy. He's got the brooding, wounded, slightly snarky vibe (did I mention he looks like a sexy pirate? or that's he's an empath so he can sense just how to please you? ). Lon's also a little older than your typical hero. He's in his 40's so I don't feel so pervy liking him, lol. He's a dad to a 13 year old hyperactive teenager (oh no!! a kid?? In my gritty UF!!!  Don't roll your eyes - I'll get to Jupe in a minute)  and he takes that very seriously. He doesn't just welcome any woman to his bed or into his life.. His first priority is his son. Call me an old fuddy duddy but these days I like my guys hot but responsible. Lon is both.

Cady and Lon have incredible chemistry but the nice thing about them is that because there is a kid involved they have to proceed with caution. Lon has been burned by his ex-wife and Cady hasn't let anyone close to her since her parents. There is enough sexual tension between the two to steam up the pages rather than a constant state of lust and sexually explicit scenes. This is one of the best relationships I've read in a loooooong time.

On to the kid….Jupe. I hate reading about kids in books. They ruin everything!! Damn whiny kids. BUT Jupe! This kid is awesomesauce with a cherry on top! He's a smart ass and unbelievably pure of heart. Where Lon is all brooding and reserved for fear of being hurt or in protection of his family - Jupe wears his heart on his sleeve. He forces the plot forward by saying things only a kid would say out loud and it was so refreshing rather than having everyone dancing around and misunderstanding each other for three books.

Add in a fast paced, downright creepy, twisty plot and you've got yourself one promising series on your hands.

As soon as I finished reading this book I went to Jenn Bennett’s website to see what other books she had out so I could go on a shopping spree and I was stunned to find that this was her first book. The writing is just too amazing for that to be possible! This series makes it to the keeper shelf.

Rating: 4 out of 4 Excellent fun filled, gritty debut but what really stood out to me were the characters and the relationship dynamics. I don't think I've ever fallen in love with so many characters of a book so soon in a series. As soon as I put the book down I was bereft and dying for book 2.

Author website | twitter | Pinterest (cool character/places inspiration drawings and photos from the series)
Publisher: Pocket
Source: Bought
Buy the book! Kindling the Moon: An Arcadia Bell Novel

Book trailer for Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell book #2)

Source: youtube.com via Jenn on Pinterest

And for something a little extra check out Cemetery Cat designs for Cady’s Moonchild Necklace. This is actually how I found out about the book – after buying the necklace. You should check out Cemetery Cat designs if you’re a fan of  PNR/UF. She has several collections from all the popular series – BDB. VA and more….

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to spotlight what books we've received for the week.

Won:
Summoning the Night (Arcadia Bell #2) by Jenn Bennett – goodreads – I never win anything so yay! but double… triple yay because I LOVE this series and I get to read this book a week early after winning it on Jenn’s blog. Thanks Jenn!

Borrowed:
Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth – goodreads THANK YOU for sharing this book with me Julie!!! Visit Julie’s blog ---> My 5 Monkey's She’s part of Team Abnegation & is truly selfless! Love you Julie!

Out My Mailbox Giveaway!

So when new books come in – old books must go out. I’ll give away a group of books every week after my IMM post.

This is for US only (sorry but shipping is expensive) Age requirements will be posted depending on the giveaway.

Winner will be announced the following Saturday in the next week’s IMM.

Winner for last weeks’ Out my Mailbox is: Ephrielle!


This weeks books:

There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews


All three books are unfinished ARC copies.




 This giveaway has ended. The winner is Mollie!

AAD Author Spotlight with Cynthia Eden & ARC Giveaway!

Please join me in welcoming one of my favorite authors to the blog today! Cynthia Eden writes steamy paranormal romance with sexy shifters, vampires, demons and fallen angels as well as romantic suspense stories. I had a chance to meet Cynthia at a book singing and she is just THE nicest person. PLUS she brings chocolate to her signings!

**Winner of the ARC of Angel Betrayed is CYP @ Bookalicious Story!

Take it away Cynthia……

Hi, everyone!! I’m so excited to be chatting with you about New Orleans today (a big thanks to Karen for inviting me over).

The first time I visited New Orleans, I was nine years old. And, yes, at age nine, I became addicted to the city. ;)

There’s just a special feeling in New Orleans, an energy that seems to throb in the air. The jazz music drifts on the breeze, the scent of beignets teases your nose, and, if you look closely enough, you just might find a few ghosts looking back at you. Ah, New Orleans! Love!

So I wanted to share a few of my “Must-Do” spots in New Orleans with you.

First up…okay, this is obvious, but you should NEVER visit New Orleans without getting beignets.  Go to Café du Monde, sit yourself down, get a cheap plate of beignets, and let that powdered sugar cover you. Trust me, you won’t regret the indulgence. 

Next…Jackson Square.  (The Square is right in front of St. Louis Cathedral, another must-see stop for me). I love the Square because on its exterior, you will find dozens of street artists, performers, and fortune tellers. For $15, you can get tarot cards read, you can have a psychic gaze into your future, and you can find out just what good things might be waiting for you.  Then you can stroll over to the Cathedral and see the beauty inside or you can take a stroll down Pirate’s Alley and imagine what life was like 100 years ago…

Ready for a scare? On the next stop, be sure that you don’t travel alone. Actually, I’ll just go ahead and say, for safety’s sake, I don’t think anyone should ever visit one of the cemeteries in New Orleans without companions. So—go with buddies and have a group scare.  I’d start with the St. Louis Cemetery (this is where you can find Marie Laveau’s tomb—ahem—is she actually in there? Not according to locals, but that’s a story for another time).  Travel inside the cemetery and you’re bound to get some good inspiration. Well, I do, anyway.

I used all of these New Orleans scenes in my Fallen books for Kensington Brava. I was so excited to have the chance to write about the city that I love so much! And, hey, how about a giveaway?  I’ll give one commenter an ARC of my July 2012 release, ANGEL BETRAYED (featuring all of these New Orleans scenes). To win, just tell me why you’d like to visit New Orleans.

*Answer Cynthia’s question with your email or twitter handle in the comment section by Sunday April 22 11:59pm EST. I’ll pick a winner Monday April 23rd. Open internationally.

Thanks for checking out my post!
Best,
Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
ANGEL BETRAYED—06/26/12
When you betray an angel, there’s hell to pay…

Description - Angel Betrayed: Sammael–call him Sam–was an angel once. An Angel of Death. But the dispassionate, watch-from-above thing just wasn’t working for him when it meant watching evil torture innocent souls day in and day out. It might have cost him his wings, but these days he gets to apply the direct method on the bad guys. Problem is, what’s making his life difficult is a bad girl…

Seline O’Shaw needs protection, and with the hounds of hell on her tail, she’s not going to quibble too hard about where she gets it. Sam’s virtue is questionable, but he’s smoking hot, massively powerful, and owes her a favor. So what if she’s getting a little case of angel lust? There are some damn deadly sins after her hide…

Karen: Thank you Cynthia. AAD will be my first time visiting NOLA and I can’t wait to check out all the places you mentioned, especially Café do Monde for beignets. I can’t believe I’ve never had one.

SHINE Pre-Release Party - Giveaways & my thoughts!

In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart. ~ goodreads

My (non-spoilery) thoughts:

Shine, the conclusion to the Shade trilogy, will leave your heart breaking one moment and have your heart soaring in the next.
Your questions will be answered, and your heart will melt when fans get their long awaited castle scene.
As a rabid Logan fan I was so happy with his overwhelming presence throughout this book. Jeri handled Logan's journey in a way that had me in tears but left me completely happy & satisfied.
There are a few new characters to love and some surprising twists to old relationships. O_O
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Dylan. That boy almost stole the show! I do believe he needs his own book or maybe a novella!
Definitely a satisfying conclusion for fans of the series!

Source: Copy provided by the author.

Now it's time to party!!

There are less than 12 days left before SHINE – the third and LAST book of the Shade Trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready makes it way into the world and the Kilt and Keeley website (of which I’m an administrator with the lovely girls from Fictitious Delicious, Brooke Reports and What’s On the Bookshelf) are having a month long party to celebrate.

You can join in the the fun by stopping by every day for Shade/Shift/Shine themed discussions or enter one of the two BIG giveaways!

First up is the SHINE Preorder Giveaway! If you preorder (or already have preordered) Shine then enter right HERE. EVERY pre-order will receive an exclusive ZOGAN trading card!

Then you will be entered into the BIG giveaway. The more pre-orders they receive the bigger the prize pack gets!




If you want to help spread the word about the giveaway and win some pretty swanky Team Kilt merchandise then go right HERE for for the Help us SHINE Giveaway. Everyone can join in this giveaway! If you can blog/tweet/Facebook or Google you can enter!


Aaaaand last but certainly not least - Jeri is planning a HUGE SHINE birthday celebration dedicated to ALL the fans! Check out her blog for all the details events & awesome giveaways that she has planned.

Get ready to SHINE on May 1st!

Review: There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff

Meet your unforgettable protagonist: God, who, as it turns out, is a 19-year-old boy living in the present-day and sharing an apartment with his long-suffering fifty-something personal assistant. Unfortunately for the planet, God is lazy and, frankly, hopeless. He created all of the world's species in six days because he couldn't summon the energy to work for longer. He gets Africa and America mixed up. And his beleagured assistant has his work cut out for him when God creates a near-apolcalyptic flood, having fallen asleep without turning the bath off. There is No Dog is a darkly funny novel from one of our most delightfully unpredictable writers. goodreads

Review:
This is such a fun, whimsical story that unfortunately never quite fully delivers on it’s premise.

God is really a 19 year old boy named Bob who basically got the job because no one else wanted it.  Bob's a horny boy that falls in love on a whim and creates floods, famine and general world destruction when it doesn't work out the way he wants. Every girl is "THE" girl…..until the next girl.

Despite creating all of the Earth's wonders in six days, it's really Bob's assistant Mr. B that keeps things in order. Mr. B pours through the files, deciding which prayers to answer, which conflicts to interfere in. He tries to direct Bob to do the right thing and take care of all the creatures he has created. That's hard work when Bob confuses Africa with America and instead of stopping a drought in the former, creates biblical floods in the latter.

The pressures are piling up for Bob. He's now in love with a zookeeper named Lucy but doesn't know how to get her to have sex with him without using his Godly sway. No one is helping him anymore and his mom lost his pet Eck gambling. Now the the Goddess Estelle is annoying him while she tries to save Eck.

So far so good right?

There Is No Dog is written in alternating POV's but I felt like I was being told what happened rather than getting lost in the story. The reading experience felt more observational than immersive. The book asks the big questions about God and life but never attempts to make us think any further than if Bob gets the girl and hoping that someone finally smacks that brat upside the head.

Each individual character is interesting, especially poor Eck, a penguin like creature that is the last of his kind (and supposedly quite delicious when cooked - EEP! Poor Eck). I just can't say I was too invested in what happened to anyone.

Rating: 2 out of 4  I didn't dislike the book and I was happy I read it but I can't say it made too much of an impact on me. Which is fine I guess but with the subject matter, satirical elements and the promise of  a “darkly funny novel” I guess I was looking for more.

Author: website
Source: Review copy received at ALA from G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Young Readers Group)
Buy the book! There is No Dog

Cover reveal and Book Trailer for Taste by Kat Evangelista

I’m happy to be part of the big cover reveal today for Taste by Kat Evangelista.


At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Publisher: Cresent Moon Press | goodreads

Taste excerpt:

I sat up and followed Calixta’s gaze upward. I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t know what I was seeing at first. A statue? My brain refused to snap together coherent thoughts.  I didn’t realize I’d fallen so close to one of the garden benches until I stared up at the boy that sat on one. He was strikingly beautiful. His tumble of blonde hair curled just above his sculpted cheekbones. He wore a silk shirt and a loosened cravat, like he’d become bored while dressing and decided to leave himself in disarray. His ivory skin and frozen position was what had me mistaking him for something carved from marble by Michelangelo. Then he sighed—a lonely, breathy proof of life. If I had to imagine what Lucifer looked like before he fell from heaven, the boy on the bench would certainly fulfill that image. My brain told me I had to look away, but I couldn’t.

“Luka,” Calixta said again, her voice unsure, almost nervous. It no longer contained the steel and bite she had threatened me with, which made me wonder who the boy was.

He leaned on his hands and crossed his legs, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the night sky. His movements spoke of elegance and control. I’d encountered many people with breeding before, but his took on the air of arrogance and self-assuredness of someone used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it.

I only realized I’d been holding my breath when my lungs protested. I exhaled. My heart sputtered and restarted with a vengeance. Luka tore his gaze away from the stars and settled it on me. I’d expected pitch-black irises, like the other Night Students, but blue ice stared back at me.

“Human,” he whispered.

He reached out, and with a finger, followed an invisible trail down my cheek. I stiffened. His touch, cooler than Demitri’s, caused warm sparks to blossom on my face. He lifted his finger to his lips and licked its tip. He might as well have licked me from the way my body shivered.

Luka’s curious gaze held mine. “Leave us,” he said, but not to me.

“But—” Calixta protested like a spoiled child.

He spoke in a language I hadn’t heard before, remaining calm yet firm. The words had a rolling cadence I couldn’t quite follow, like rumbling thunder in the distance. They contained a harsh sensuality. The consonants were hard and the vowels were long and lilting.

Footsteps retreated behind me.

Luka reached out again.

It took me a minute to realize he wanted to help me up. I hesitated. He smiled. I smiled back timidly and took his hand, completely dazzled. Even with my uniform soaked from melted snow, I didn’t feel cold—all my attention was on him and the way his callused hand felt on mine. Without moving much from his seated position, he helped me stand.

“What’s your name?” he asked. He had a voice like a familiar lullaby. It filled my heart to the brim with comfort.

I swallowed and tried to stop gawking. “Phoenix.”

“The bird that rose from the ashes.” Luka bent his head and kissed the back of my hand. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

My cheeks warmed. My head reeled, not knowing what to think. I couldn’t understand why I felt drawn to him. And the strange connection frightened me.

From behind, someone gripped my arms and yanked me away before I could sort out the feelings Luka inspired in me. I found myself behind a towering figure yet again. Recognizing the blue-black silk for hair tied at the nape, relief washed over me. Calixta hadn’t come back to finish me off.

Demitri’s large hand wrapped around my wrist. Unlike the night before, no calm existed in his demeanor. He trembled like a junky in need of a fix. The coiled power in his tense muscles vibrated into me.

“What are you doing here?” Demitri asked.

I didn’t know he’d spoken to me until I saw his expressionless profile. I sighed.
“Phoenix.”

I flinched. The ruthless way he said my name punched all the air out of me. “You owe me answers,” I said with as much bravado as I could muster.

“I owe you nothing.” He glared. “In fact, you owe me your life.”

“I don’t think so.”

Ignoring my indignation, he faced Luka, who’d remained seated on the bench during my exchange with Demitri. “Why is she with you, Luka?”

“I wasn’t going to taste her, if that’s what you’re implying,” Luka said. “Although, she is simply delicious. I wouldn’t mind if you left us alone.”

There it was again. Taste. The word that kept coming up between these Night Students and I was connected to it in an increasingly uncomfortable way. To taste meant to sample, but what? My flesh? They had to be joking because the alternative wasn’t funny.

“The sins of the father …” Demitri left his sentence unfinished.

Luka’s smile shifted into a snarl. “Obey my command.” His chin lifted. “Kneel.”

Demitri’s stance went rigid. His grip tightened around my wrist.

Okay, weird just got weirder. Why would Luka want Demitri to kneel before him? I thought back to Eli and the others bowing to Demitri when he questioned them, but they didn’t kneel. Seriously? Were they all living on a different planet or something?

“Kneel.” Luka’s detestable smirk made his features sinister rather than angelic. The real Lucifer: a fallen angel.

Without letting go of my wrist, Demitri knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, his free hand flat at the center of his chest. “Your command has been obeyed,” he said formally.

Luka nodded once.

Demitri stood up and pulled me toward the school without telling me where we were going. Not having the time to thank Luka for saving me from Calixta, I risked a glance back. Luka smiled at me. His smile spoke of whispers, secrets, and promises to be shared on a later date.

Song Credits: "Hunger" © Noelle Pico.

Author Bio:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

Author website | Twitter | Facebook 

Book Blogger Confessions #8: Review Requests

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us.

Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions. Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Tiger's All Consuming Media or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Also feel free to offer suggestions for future Book Blogger Confession topics.

Question: Review/Guest post requests:

Do you have a review request policy? Has it changed over time?
I do have a review policy and I update it every few months. I have narrowed the genres that I accept and I no longer guarantee a review after accepting the book. I have also added that I might not be able to read or review the book for up to 2 months.

How do you handle requests that don’t meet your criteria?
If the author obviously hasn't read my review policy or sends a mass email request with multiple spelling errors or gets my blog name wrong I don't always email a response or I politely decline. Otherwise I try to respond to each request.

I sort requests. I decline if it's not a book I would be interested in now or in the future. If a review request sounds interesting but I don't have time to read/review at that time, I let the author know that I may have an opening in the near future and I have a folder for those requests to get back to them.

In the past, what types of "pitches" have caught your attention? Are there any (non-specific) examples of requests that are off-putting to you as a blogger?

*What works: (for me)

-A clear, simple request explaining a little about the author, the book and any author links. Something that shows you've read a few of my reviews to understand my likes/dislikes always helps.
I like links to Amazon and Goodreads to see what others are saying but neither good or bad reviews are a deciding factor in my decision.

*What doesn’t work:

- Hearing about an authors personal life. Unless the book is autobiographical and it pertains directly to the story I don’t like knowing an authors personal details or real life struggles. I may empathize with the authors situation but I'm even less likely to accept the request for fear of offending them with a potentially negative review. (This is the biggest request faux pas IMO - the author seems too emotional and it makes the professional blogger/author relationship too personal right out of the gate) A friendly rapport is great but not too friendly - or personal......just my opinion.

-Trying to “sell” me on the book by including dozens of reviews by people I’ve never heard of. Short review snippets are ok but neither of us has a lot of time to read emails all day so clear and to the point works best with me.

-Promising high traffic or cross promotion if I review a book, host a guest post or author giveaway. That's not how I choose what to read or feature on my blog. If I read a book or host an author it’s because I find the book/author interesting. Traffic is nice but that’s not even close to a deciding factor.

- The “Bloggers are the greatest thing ever – please review my book” mass market email. I appreciate the sentiment and I know it takes time to write individual emails to everyone but those types of requests take too long to read and don’t really tell me anything about the author or their book. A simple thank you for your time & maybe “I appreciate what you do” at the end of an email would be a better approach.

Bottom line. I don't have time to read and review every book that I want to. I REALLY wish I did. A nice cover will catch my eye. A request that is polite but informative *about the book* - one that shows the author paid attention to my review policy will grab my attention more than one filled with pleading or warning me that I’m missing out on something great.

I absolutely HATE sending rejection letters for review requests. Especially debut or self pub authors who take a lot of heat these days. I want to give every book and author a chance. I try go through all the requests once a week. I find almost all authors appreciate a response even if you aren't going to be able to review their book. They took the time to reach out so I try to be respectful of that even if I can’t get to their book yet.

There have been many requests that I turned down but the author was so kind about it that it stayed in the back of my mind and I'll buy the book if I happen to see it on Amazon etc. months later. Goodwill goes a long way.

I'm sure this works both ways in how we treat authors.

Upcoming BBC questions:


Monday – May 7th: Comments. The holy grail of blogging success! What type of posts do you leave comments on? How do you try to encourage more comments on your blog? Do you respond to people who leave comments on your posts? How do you handle negative/spam comments? Do you use captcha?


Monday May 21st: Memes. Love em or hate em? How many do you participate in? Which kinds do you like best? Do you feel like there are too many?

Sunday Ramblings…

Dies of cuteness overload……That’s Mason (the boxer) & his new friend Darby

I have a few giveaway winners to announce!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Hop winner is – Alinka

AAD Author Spotlight W/Abigail Barnette giveaway winner is – Caroline

The weekly wrap-up:

Must Read Monday – My pick this week was the Ghost and the Goth series by Stacey Kade.

Teaser Tuesday – Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett. I LOVE this new UF series. LOVE.

Review of Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson. Really fun new series that blends paranormal & steampunk.

Guest Post with debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer – Advice for Young Adults (the character kind) – If you haven’t yet, check out Jennifer’s excellent (and funny) advice for writing authentic YA characters.

 

AAD Author Spotlight with L.A. Witt – Author of For the Living & What This Woman Wants

In My Mailbox & a new weekly “Out My Mailbox GIVEAWAY!

BLOGGERS!

Book Blogger Confessions is Monday! Get your posts ready. Click here for details. We’re going to be discussing our review policies.

Join the conversation!

Post Easter Cadbury Egg humor – I like this logic.

Source: xkcd

I hope you’re all having a great weekend!

Find me:  tumblr | twitter <--the best place to track me down! | facebook | Google+ | goodreads | subscribe

In My Mailbox (Out My Mailbox)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to spotlight what books we've received for the week.

Bought:



What A Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn – I read this one already and it’s super cute if you want a quick read from the boys POV. I hope to get a review posted for it soon.



Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Calihan This one comes highly recommended from two people I almost always agree with. Author Ann Agurrie and my blogging BFF Tiger

Netgalley:



Chasing Magic (Downside Ghosts #5) by Stacia Kane – Love this series and each book is just as good or better than the last.

Out My Mailbox Giveaway!

So when new books come in – old books must go out. I’m going to try something I’m calling Out My Mailbox. I’ll give away a group of books every week after my IMM post.

This is for US only (sorry but shipping is expensive unless it’s from The Book Depository) Age requirements will be posted depending on the giveaway.

Winner will be announced the follwing Saturday in the next week’s IMM.

Sound good?

This weeks giveaway books:











Bewitching by Alex Finn
The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED. THE WINNER IS EPHRIELLE.

AAD Spotlight: L.A. Witt

Please join me in welcoming author L.A. Witt / Lauren Gallagher to For What It’s Worth as part of my AAD Author Spotlight series.

Describe yourself Twitter style - 140 characters. Abnormal romance author with two pen names and way too many voices in my head.

Use the same format to describe your writing or your latest book. Brainstorm. Outline. Write. Re-outline. Write. Re-outline. Write. Scream. Finish. Edit. Submit. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you follow before writing? Not really, but I do have a hard time getting into my groove if I haven't checked my favorite blogs/websites, don't have my cat on my desk, or don't have my drink handy.

Do you have a favorite snack that you need to have around while writing? Bottled water. Otherwise I'll just munch incessantly, which doesn't help with my attempts to lose weight.

What are you most looking forward to at AAD in August? Hanging out with authors and meeting readers!

Is there a book you've recently read that you would tell everyone to go out and buy right NOW! I am actually woefully behind on my TBR pile right  now, and have mostly been reading Margaret Atwood lately. So...anything by Margaret Atwood!

Thank you for stopping by today! Can't wait for everyone to finally meet in August!

About the author: My real name is Lori A. Witt.  I was born and raised in Seattle, spent five years in Norfolk, Virginia, then moved to Okinawa, Japan, at the end of 2008, where I currently live with my husband and two cats.  In late 2011, we relocated back to the States to spend three years in Nebraska.
author website

Latest releases:

For the Living by L.A. Witt amazon | goodreads
What this Woman Wants by Lauren Gallagher amazon | goodreads