Friday, May 20, 2011

Hop, Hop, Hippity Hop(s)!

Hello all, and welcome to Novel Addiction, my own little corner of Bloglandia. My name is Amanda, I'm 23, and work in a library in Southwestern Ohio. I'm quite the book nut, and I love almost anything, though romance (especially paranormal romance) and young adult (most kinds) are my favorite. I'm currently in a musical with my local community theatre group ("Urinetown, the musical"), and it ends Sunday, so.. I'll be a little while returning follows (since I have to do it between shows) but I will get back, promise! That also explains why my posts have been a bit spotty the past couple days, and might be so until at least the middle of next week - I'll be playing catch-up with reviews and posts.

Anywhoodles! If you'd like to follow me (Novel Addiction) on Twitter, you can find the button on the left side bar. My Goodreads profile page is there as well. And should you be so inclined..  my blog button is on the right sidebar.

So, on to the hops!


Tell us FIVE quirky habits or things you do:1. When nervous or doing some deep thinking, I tend to twist and pull on my lower lip. No, I'm not sure why.
2. I can't have the radio playing when I have a friend in the car with me, because I'll automatically pay attention to the song playing instead of what said friend is saying.
3. I obsessively catalog and organize my DVDs. Books are always my series, but DVDs MUST be in alphabetical order, and every since DVD in my house is listed on a spreadsheet (also in alphabetical order).
4. I much prefer the freezing cold temperatures of winter to the hotness of summer. So it's a good thing I don't live on my own, or else my house would constantly be a chilly temperature (and therefore I'd have a HUGE heating/cooling bill).
5. I have weird visions of myself. For example, when I had to take some articles home from work and read them, I envisioned myself curled up on my couch, studiously reading and highlighting (like a good worker!) while drinking a steaming mug of tea. In reality, I was drinking a soda (for the caffeine), and quickly skimming the articles because I procrastinated and was sleepy. Ha! XD

Book Blogger Hop
If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fiction world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?Oooh, great question! Also, a tough one.. Hmm... I think it would have to be the Night Huntress world.. so I could seduce Ian or Vlad for myself. Oh, Bones is my favorite - but he and Cat are so good together that I wouldn't want to come between them. But Mm mm Vlad is just as good!

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Did you set a reading goal this year?I did not... I don't think I could keep track of it anyways. Though now that I've starting using Goodreads, it's a little easier! I like being able to organize the books I've read in a year (but I only started at the end of February, so I missed a bunch of bookies).

That's it this week. Thanks so much for visiting! And as I said, I will return follows, just give me a couple days!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

"Book of Lost Souls" WINNERS

The Book of Lost Souls Thanks to author Michelle Muto for offering TWO copies to giveaway.. Now, onto what you're all here for, the winners announcement!

CONGRATULATIONS....

************** DIANA *******************

************** WE FANCY BOOKS*********

Congrats, guys! I'll be sure to email the author with your information, and she'll get back to you as soon as she can.

Again, a BIG THANK YOU to Michelle for the giveaway!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Q & A with Lori Foster, and GIVEAWAY!!

**********GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU! ***********************

A Q&A WITH LORI FOSTER…
When You Dare, May 2011 (Now on sale!) Trace of Fever, June 2011 ● Savor the Danger, July 2011


Much of WHEN YOU DARE is set in Kentucky. What part? Why this setting? Does the area have special meaning for you? For your family?

I rarely specify a “real” area when writing books, because I find that too limiting. However, when I set stories in Kentucky, I’m usually thinking of Williamstown because that’s where I spent most of my summers growing up. Being on the lake, boating, skiing, swimming, sunning myself and just plain having a great time, are some of my best memories. My parents had a fishing cabin there—one bedroom, small but open space for eating and sitting—and I loved it. No air conditioning, no heat, but who cared? I learned to ski when I was six, and our routine was to put on our jammies for bed, and in the morning we changed back into bathing suits. Not much else was needed.

Being on a lake makes everything better—especially coffee in the morning. You stand on the deck and watch the fog rise off the lake, and peace just settles around you. It’s perfect.

Where have you lived? How long?

I’ve lived in Ohio all my life. My husband and I grew up here, went to school here, got jobs here, and now we’ve raised our sons here. Actually, though hubby and I didn’t meet until the 3rd day of our sophomore year of high school, we always lived near each other. I love Ohio, especially the suburbs with the small town vibe. I can’t imagine ever moving away from my family. We’re all pretty close—and I like it that way!

Did you enjoy school?

I was not a great student. That is, I got good grades, but never, ever enjoyed school. As an energetic daydreamer, it was an almost painful thing to have to sit still during class. When I hit high school and could pick most of my own classes, I had several writing courses like horror fiction, humor literature, and composition. And I went nuts on art class. Every study hall or free period was spent in the art room. I had an amazing art teacher– a wonderful artist and an eclectic teacher, which was perfect for me.
Have you had other jobs in addition to your writing?

I’ve worked as a cashier at Kroger where one of my jobs was also to clean the break room and bring in carts from the lot—through rain and snow and blistering heat. I worked on an assembly line at Procter & Gamble. I’ve also been a babysitter and house cleaner. In comparison, writing is a dream come true! Sure it’s difficult at times, and it really soaks up the hours, but always, with past jobs as a comparison, I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love, to share it with others, and to be compensated too!

Motherhood—you were able to stay home with your children. How important was it to be able to do that?

I’m one of those women who would have gone stark raving mad if I’d had to turn my kids over to someone else. I’m the supreme mother hen and a world-class worrier. When I think of what other mothers have gone through—many who didn’t have the same opportunity to stay home with their children—it breaks my heart and again, makes me feel so fortunate and blessed. When the kids were younger—before I’d ever published—my husband and I lived on a very tight budget to make it possible for me to be home, but I’ve never regretted that.

Do you ever “steal” attributes from your boys or your husband and give them to your characters? What, if anything, have your learned from living in a houseful of men that has helped you develop your male protagonists?

My kids are hilarious—they get that from their dad. They’re also very physical guys, athletic and protective and outspoken. Alphas for sure. So yes, I’ve often stolen lines, actions, or attitudes from them to use in books.

Living with all guys...well, our house drips testosterone, but it’s so fun! They’re forever amusing, and give me the perfect opportunity to witness “guyness” and to appreciate male traits for how they differ from mine.

The family you grew up with—do you have brothers, sisters? If so, are you close? Do they live nearby?

I have an assorted family—which maybe helps explain the less-typical families I write about. I have a sister, step-sister, and a half brother, but none of us thinks in those terms. My stepfather—who passed away recently—was my Dad in every sense of the word. I miss him terribly.

Hubby and I are all about keeping family together and close, so most of the family gatherings happen at our house. We get both sides of the family together as often as we can, which is usually four or five times a year. Depending on nieces and nephews, who has a date and who doesn’t, we can get upwards of 60 people at a time. And we love it! You can never have too much family.

What attributes do you share with Dare and Molly? Of course, Molly is a successful writer, so you have that in common. Anything else?

Molly actually came about because of some reader mail I’d gotten—threatening me. I know readers get very invested in stories, and I’m thrilled that they care so much. Occasionally they write me with their frustrations over something that didn’t go quite how they wanted it to, or because they want a character to have a book, but I don’t have a book for that character. That’s fine—I enjoy hearing from them. But threats? Well, I’ve had a few that crossed the line. That’s not the typical reader, and it can be worrisome.

After one particular threat, the idea for Molly and the elements of the storyline dealing with one of her readers as a suspect took shape in my mind.

I love hearing from readers, whether they liked a book or not. But, just like Molly, I think my privacy is important, too.

How did the first Reader & Author Get Together come about?

Dianne Castell and I wanted to do a “thank you” to the community of readers and writers, and we envisioned it as being very small. We thought if we got a dozen people, we’d be happy—but our first year, we got around 100 attendees.

From there, it’s grown like crazy! We love to visit with other readers and authors, and we know they enjoy it too, so we’ve worked hard to keep the laid-back, easy atmosphere of the event so that lots of chit chat is possible, while at the same time doing something really worthwhile—like donating our raffle money to great local charities and bringing in agents and editors so newer authors can pitch their work to them in person, and longtime readers can get questions answered.

By dipping into our own pockets, and thanks to donations from publishers and agencies, we’ve kept the price a very affordable $50. This year is our seventh Get Together here in the Cincinnati and Dayton metro area and it will benefit One Way Farm’s Children’s Home. Information is on my site and registration ends May 19th. If you’re reading this in time and want to attend, hurry! And Saturday’s big book signing is open to the public. Come by and see us! http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php
















***************GIVEAWAY*********************

Want to win a copy of "When you Dare" by Lori Foster? See the rules and form below!!

RULES and GUIDELINES:
~ Fill out the form below to enter (comments are lovely but do not count as an entry!)
~ Contest ENDS THURSDAY May 5/26 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner announced Friday morning, 5/27.
~ US and Canada only.
~ No P.O. Boxes (publisher rule, sorry!)
~ You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
~ Novel Addiction is not responsible for books lost in the mail, or publishers/authors failing to deliver prizes.



Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

REVIEW: "Kiss Me, Kill Me, a Paranormal Anthology."

Kiss Me, Kill Me (A Paranormal Romance Anthology) Why this book?: One of the authors (Lori Brighton) gave me this book in exchange for a review. Buy it! It's only 99 cents AND all proceeds go to charity! Go HERE for more formats.

Disclaimer: Book was given to me in exchange for a review.

Type: Anthology, Charity, Paranormal, Series (sorta, some stories are continuation of series), Weres, Vamps, Magic, and more

About the book: Voyage into the realm of the paranormal with this nine author short story anthology. Sink your teeth into stories from: H.P. Mallory, Zoe Winters,Susan Bischoff, Lori Brighton, M.T. Murphy, Kait Nolan, Toni LoTempio, Daniel Arenson and Stacey Wallace Benefiel. All proceeds will be donated to GreaterGood.Org charity.
My Review: It's kind of tough to review anthologies - especially ones with so many authors, and therefore a lot of stories. I enjoyed the book, and it was the perfect choice for light reading in between busy moments of my life (which is every moment, currently). I'm not a huge anthology and short story fan, but "Kiss Me, Kill Me" provided some great entertainment, as well as helped me find new authors and series to pursue. A couple of the stories that really stuck out were "Wild Passion" by Lori Brighton - I do so love thieves and conmen, "The Sacrifice" by Toni LoTempio - the story was only so-so for me until the ending (especially the epilogue) and it just felt so delicious and right, and "Until the Breaking of the Day" by Daniel Arenson - this story absolutely blew me away, a beautiful, dark classic fantasy story.

Some of these stories are actually continuation of series, or a short spin-off of presently running series, and I found them to be a great starting point - I looked up several of the authors in this anthology to find the rest of their books after I finished reading their short story. I definitely want to look up "The Talent Chronicles" by Susan Bischoff after reading that story, as well as more Mirus stories by Kait Nolan. That said, I also liked that some stories stood alone - makes it a little less overwhelming since you don't feel left out by not knowing all the backstory. So all-in-all, this was a great anthology - very entertaining, and perfect for curling up on the deck in the (suddenly) warm weather and reading. Be sure to check it out!

Cover Loving: Good choice for the cover. Since there are some stories that would appeal to readers of either gender, I think it could have been less pink, but it generally fits the book.

Recommendation: Fans of paranormal will love it, as well as fans of the authors featured. If you're looking for some new authors to try, get "Kiss Me, Kill Me," it's an excellent way to try out authors, and help a charity at the same time!

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE (4/5). Fun, good read.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda ~!~

Whatcha Got Wednesday #29 and Carolyn was Randomly Kind to me!

Welcome to another edition of Whatcha Got Wednesday! WGW is my own little weekly meme where I talk about what I got in the mail/bought for the past week. I don't do this to brag, but to spotlight some recent books received for review that I might not get to for a couple weeks (especially with this show! Final week!). And this week, I also bought some excellent nerdy T-shirts that I thought I might share!

First up, the books!


WON: "Starfire" by Kate Douglas. She sent me the book, some swag, and even wrote me a nice note, saying she hopes to see me at the Reader/Author Get Together in June!

GIFT (via RAK): "Master of None" by Sonya Bateman. Blogger Carolyn from Reading Under the Moonlight was super duper kind to me, and got me "Master of None." Yay!! I'm sure Carolyn is sick of my gushing thanks by now.. but... too bad! Thanks so much, Carolyn! The book has already made it's home in a place of honor on my bookshelves. Be sure to check out Carolyn's blog, she's got some great content!


NERDY TSHIRT HAUL: (Blurry, sorry!)
Why yes, that is the TARDIS surrounded by weeping angels. And the banner below says "The Angels have the Phone Box." Fans of Doctor Who will recognize the quote from the episode "Blink." I LOVE Doctor Who!!
And Harry Potter Fans will love the second shirt - Harry Potter Russian stacking dolls! Each doll (starting at the smallest) is a representation of one of the seven Harry Potter books. The 1st year doll is holding the sorcerer's stone, the second year is holding the diary of Tom Riddle, and so on!
The Tshirts above were purchased at Teefury.com, which is probably my new obsession - besides books, of course.

Some Updateyness:We're on the final week of the show! Tonight is Final Dress rehearsal, and I'm so excited to have an audience! The show is wonderful, the cast is fantastic, and I know people will love it. I should be back to a semi-regularly blogging and reviewing schedule come Monday or Tuesday.. probably Tuesday, so I have a day to rest after all the singing and dancing. =)

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Monday, May 16, 2011

GIVEAWAY: "Trinity" by Deena Remiel!

********** CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU! ********************

*******Edit: Giveaway opened INTERNATIONALLY******

Trinity (The Brethren Series) Author Deena Remiel has kindly offered a great prize pack up for one lucky winner! I was chomping at the bit to be a part of this blog tour - this book looks amazing!

About the book: One way or another, terror will reign tonight. School teacher and single mom, Emma Livingston, has been through hell—and back so she thinks. While dealing with the night terrors and active imagination of her five-year old daughter, Hannah, she attempts to lead a normal life. That is, until the demon from those nightmares pays her a visit, too, and threatens both of their lives. Desperate, she reaches out for help—and finds Michael waiting.



Michael D’Angelo is known to everyone in Prophet’s Point, Arizona, as their loving elementary school principal. But to The Brethren, he is the most powerful Protector. Immortal and angelic does not mean he’s without doubts or fears, as protecting Emma and Hannah from Evil tests his ability to fight his tortured past.


As the Trinity is formed, ancient secrets are revealed and faith is tested. When a prophecy is exposed, Hannah becomes the main target and Emma wonders if a normal life will ever be possible again. Hope is like an anchor, but can a mother, her daughter, and an angel overcome the evil determined to annihilate the world?Helpful linkies for all your linkity needs:http://www.deenaremiel.com/

http://brethrenbeginnings.wordpress.com/
http://paraposse.blogspot.com/

http://plotmamas.com/
http://www.decadentpublishing.com/
Facebook: Deena Remiel
Twitter: @deenaremiel
Amazon: Trinity (The Brethren Series)
Decadent Publishing: Trinity

What you will win:
~ One ecopy of "Trinity" by Deena Remiel
~ One fan pack, which includes
     ~ A SIGNED cover flat
     ~ A SIGNED trading card of Michael
     ~ An angel wings temporary tattoo

RULES and GUIDELINES:
~ Fill out the form below to enter.
~ Contest ENDS THURSDAY 5/26 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners announced Friday morning, 5/27.
~ **INTERNATIONAL!***
~ You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
~ Novel Addiction is not responsible for items lost in the mail or authors failing to deliver prizes.



Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~