Quick question...

Has anyone else had trouble with their Google Friend Connect box not showing up? This has happened to me a couple times. If anyone has any similar stories or suggestions - PLEASE comment.

Blogger has been my friend for years, but in the past few months it seems to be one problem after another.

Thanks, guys!
~ Amanda

Reader and Author Get Together Wrap Up Post!

Well, Saturday night saw the end of the 7th Annual Reader and Author Get Together. And I'll admit, I am so sad to see it end! I had a wonderful time, and I participated a heck of a lot more than I did last year, and talked to tons of authors, I did my best to say hi to all the authors at the signing.

So much happened, I'm not sure I can mention it all in one post! So let's just talk about the books I got, because I am SO excited! First up, each year, The Reader and Author Get Together has raffle baskets donated by authors, reading groups, etc. Any money the Get Together receives from the sale of raffle tickets go to local good causes (And they raised over $8000 this year!). I bought over 20 dollars worth of tickets, mostly just to contribute to the cause, figuring I wouldn't win anything - BUT I DID! I won a basket donated by The Lexy Booktramps Bookclub, donated in memory of their founder.

In the Lexy Booktramps Bookclub Raffle Basket:
Tote Bag
Eye Candy (Merlot wine)
Girl's Night body cream
Cookie Cutters
THE BOOKS:
"Eternal Rider" - Larissa Ione (Met her last year!)
"Demon's Prefer Blondes" - Sidney Ayers (I believe she was here!)
"Whisper Falls" - Toni Blake
"Explosive" - Beth Kery
"Three to Tango" anthology
"Behind Closed Doors" - Shannon McKenna
"The Princess in His Bed" - Lila DiPasqua (heard excellent things)
"Revenge Wears Rubies" - Renee Bernard
and a Gourmet Cookie Cookbook!

Also pictured: I won a pretty little bracelet in a heart shaped velvet box, from an author's mini raffle. She was so nice! She called me, and before I left after claiming my prize, she hugged me  and said she hoped I had a great time. =)

Next are the books I bought/was given during the signing or at the Barnes and Noble mini-store they had set up in the hotel. I am seriously super-de-duper excited about all of these books, yay!

Received (either given or got in my goody bag):
"Slave to Sensation - Nalini Singh - excited to start this series, AND it's signed now!
"My One and Only" - Kristan Higgins - I've heard amazing things!
"Sinful Sensations" - anthology - snippets of recent releases, signed!
"The Maverick Prince" - Catherine Mann - signed!
"What A Goddess Wants" [ARC] - Stephanie Julian - signed, this looks sooo good.
"Having Hope" - Sherry Burkett - signed, I will be reviewing this, so look for it!

Bought:
"Rafe's Redemption" - Jennifer Jakes - we sat at the table with this author, and she is SO nice. After chatting with her through dinner and more, I had to find her book. I can't wait to read it!
"Raeliksen" by Renee Vincent - I met this author last year, and wanted to read her book, but didn't manage to find it. Then I saw her again at B&N a couple months ago, and alas, they didn't have her book then either! I told her I would find her at the RAGT, and I kept my promise. She was soo sweet.
"Caribbean Scot" - Kimberly Killion - I saw this book on Kimberly's newsletter, and I said "I NEED that!" Thankfully I found her and her book, and she signed it for me.
"Unbridled" by Beth Williamson - COWBOYS! Also signed, says "Read a book, ride a cowboy" - yes ma'am!
"The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess" - Leanna Renee Hieber - Of course I had to buy this! I love the Percy Parker books, and Leanna is a wonderful person. She grew up around here, and I've actually known her for years, but somehow managed to forget. But we sat down and chatted before dinner on Saturday, and it was a great time. I chose "The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Percy Parker" as my next book for the paranormal book club at work, and she gave me her contact information so she can answer any questions the patrons might have about her book.
"Angels and Demons" anthology - THAT COVER! My goodness. Had to buy it, you know I love Angels!
"Three to Tango" anthology - Yes, I know I have two of these.. I bought it, then won it.
"Demonfire" - Kate Douglas - I won a book by her recently, the third in the series.. so I figured I'd get the first one, too! Met her at the event!

Well, that's it for today. I also got a bunch of swag I'll show you tomorrow, as well as actually talk about what happened while there, lol.

Did you go to the Reader/ Author Get Together? Share your stories!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

GIVEAWAY: "Gotta Love A Cowboy" by Sandy Sullivan [BLB]

************** CONTEST CLOSED, THANK YOU! *******************

Please welcome author Sandy Sullivan as she breezes through via her Book Lovin' Bitches ebook tour! Sandy has graciously offered up TWO ecopies of her book "Gotta Love a Cowboy!"

You know how we feel about cowboys here! *Fans self* Well, let's learn a little more about the book, shall we?

About the book: Ann Marie needs a horse trainer to ready her prized stallion to run for the money. When hunky horseman Travis Brooks answers her ad, she knows he’s the man for the job. But is she willing to let go of her husband’s memory and open up her heart to Travis?


Travis Brooks knows horses. But women? He can take ‘em or leave ‘em—mostly leave ‘em—especially since his divorce. Ann Marie pushes all his buttons and he’s not quite sure what to do with her.


Can a stubborn horseman and one feisty rancher find love in the heat of the Texas Plains?Be sure to check out the rest of Sandy's books. Plenty of hunky cowboys to go around! And on that note, here's some helpful links for finding Sandy on the web!
Website: Romance Story Time
Blog: Sandy Sullivan, Romance Author
Facebook: Sandy Sullivan

RULES and GUIDELINES
~ Fill out the form below to enter. Comments are lovely, but will not count as an entry.
~ Contest ENDS Thursday 6/16 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be announced Friday morning, 6/17.
~ Open internationally.
~ You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
~ Novel Addiction is not responsible for any items lost in the mail, or authors failing to deliver prizes.



Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

[RAK] Random Acts of Kindness - JUNE

It's JUNE! Which means another month for Random Acts of Kindness - started by the awesome bloggers at Book Soulmates. RAK is an awesome concept - bloggers and readers post a wishlist, and they just might get something special in their mailbox a few weeks later. And don't forget, it's not just about receiving, but giving as well! And don't forget our international friends - Book Depository has free shipping!

MY WISHLIST:
- "Fourth Comings" by Megan McCafferty
- "A Hundred Words for Hate" by Thomas Sniegoski
- "The Demon Trapper's Daughter" by Jana Oliver
- "How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf" by Molly Harper
- "Ascension" by Sable Grace
- "Awakened" by Ednah Walters
- "The Throne of Fire" by Rick Riordan
- "The Goddess Test" by Aimee Carter
- "Abandon" by Meg Cabot
- "Unearthly" by Cynthia Hand
- "Angel Burn" by L.A. Weatherly

Ha, not much right? I can't help it! There's just so much out there that I want to read!
Here's hoping someone is randomly kind to you!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Reminder - I'll be at the Reader and Author Get Together this weekend!

Hey all! Just a reminder that I will be away this weekend for the Reader and Author Get Together held here in Ohio! I'll be attending workshops and meeting with authors such as Virna DePaul, Lori Foster, Leanna Renee Hieber, Donna Grant, Kate Douglas, and more!

I will still be able to check my mail, so I'll be around, just even more silent than usual! I'm hoping to do an update post on Monday or Tuesday about the convention fun.

If you're also going to the Get Together, be sure to drop me a line ( at glowsnoveladdiction AT gmail DOT com ) and we'll try to meet up. I'm also hoping to actually make use of my twitter account and update all twitter followers with the goings on, so if you're interested, follow me! @Novel_Addiction

Since I won't be around much, I decided not to participate in the blog hops this week.. But I will be back with force next week! Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

WINNER of the Raven's Kiss giveaway!!

My contest for two copies of "Raven's Kiss" by Toni LoTempio ended last night, so it's time to announce the lucky winners.

First off, a huge thanks to Toni for donating two copies to giveaway!

Now, congratulations to...

********************** SQUIGGLES87 ******************************

and

********************** JESSICA CROSS ****************************

Yay! Congrats you two! I'll email Toni with your contact information, and you should get your book within the next few days.

Didn't win?
Purchase the book at Smashwords: Raven's Kiss

Have a great weekend!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Mrrowr. Or rather, Rawr? REVIEW: The Art of Seducing A Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

Why This Book?: I loved the first book, "How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf," and despite not originally liking Maggie, I went ahead and picked up the second book. Also... it was due back to the library so I had to hurry up and read it. ;)

Disclaimer: Library book! I do not own this book, and I did not receive it in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own, etc.

Type: Romance, Series, Werewolves, Paranormal Romance, Hot Nerds, Pack Trouble, Crazy Men, Humor, Quippy remarks.

About the book:  Generations of werewolves have been secretly residing in a secluded valley a stone’s throw from Grundy, Alaska. So when a snooping Outsider comes to Grundy to investigate rumors of lycanthropic shenanigans in the area, the valley’s pack alpha, Maggie Graham, resolves to chase him away, even if doing so takes a quick bite on the butt. What a pity that researcher Nick Thatcher turns out to be so drool-worthy, and that his kisses make Maggie want to sit up and beg. Maggie just can’t seem to convince Nick to leave and even worse, she can’t convince herself to stay away from him. Cross-species dating is problem enough for a harried alpha female, but on top of that, a rival group of werewolves is trying to move into the valley. With interpack war threatening, Maggie can’t afford to be distracted. Combining romance and a career can be tough for anyone; for a werewolf in love with a human, it may be disastrous...

My Review: First off, I would like to mention that I am a huge fan of this author's writing style. "How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf" was the first book I have ever read by her, but it definitely caught my attention. Molly Harper blends steamy romance and side splitting humor into one deliciously wonderful book. I really, really disliked Maggie's character in the first book, but Harper still managed to make me fall in love with her, just as much as her hero. And I was overjoyed to see the characters I loved in book one return as side characters in this novel - and stay true to how they acted in book one.

As for the plot of "The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf," I was entertained the whole way through. I'll say it, I kind of saw the ending coming, but the journey was well worth it. I may have correctly guessed who was behind the attacks, but all the other subplots were still a completely mystery to me, and there were a few times I was thrown for a loop by something that happened.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Art of Seducing A Naked Werewolf," and I know it will find a home on my keeper shelf. Maggie was a unique heroine, and Nick was just the type of nerd I love and would fall for. Maybe I did a little, :). Be sure to check out both this book, and the first in the series, "How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf," featuring the ever-lovely Mo and Cooper.

Cover Loving: Very good. Fits in with the first book of the series. And I think the art looks just like the characters - except for the clawed feet... maybe.

Recommendation: Readers that want some chuckles with their romance should definitely check out both "The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf" and the other novel "How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf." And if you love a true alpha female character, definitely read Maggie's book.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE (4/5). Good, fun book. Maggie is a tough chick, and pitting her against Nick was an excellent show. Definitely a series to check out!

Have you read "The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf" or "How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf?" Share your thoughts in the comments! Want to pick up a copy? Head on over to Amazon.com!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Whatcha Got Wednesday! #30 and some fun/excellent news!

Welcome to another edition of Whatcha Got Wednesday! WGW is my own little weekly meme where I talk about what I bought or received in the past week. I don't do this to brag, but to spotlight books that I might not get to for a while, or might not review at all - Such is the case with my Romance Review Today books, since I don't review those here.

Well, let's get to the books!

Half Price Books was having a Memorial Day sale all weekend, so I went to finally buy some of the books I've been holding off on, mostly because two of them are re-prints.

BOUGHT:

"Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend" by Katie MacAlister/Katie Maxwell. - I already own the older, smaller Goth Faire books, but Ben and Fran are my favorite Dark One couple - I couldn't help but buy this version!

"Fallen 2 (Aerie and Reckoning)" by Thomas Sniegoski. - I already own these too! But it's been stated that Sniegoski will write another book for this series (YAY), and that it will match the covers and sizes of the re-releases. Plus, I love these books so much, it's totally worth it.

"When I Fall In Love" by Lynn Kurland. - I had the opportunity to read and review another book in this series, and loved it. I'm a sucker for a series that follows a family, as well as TIME TRAVEL! Especially the time travel. ;) So when I found this, I dove on it.

I feel like I forgot something, and I probably did *Sigh*. Well, if I did I'll include it in next week's batch!

This weekend is the Reader and Author Get Together, and I'm getting super excited! I've started working on some business cards for my blog, and I have my stack of books all ready to pack up for autographs. If anyone else is going, comment or drop me a line (my email is in the "Want Novel Addiction to review your book?" section) and we'll see about coordinating a meetup!

I'm starting to plan a big blog extravaganza to celebrate over 200 followers, my blogoversary, AND my birthday! My plan is to get a line up of authors to interview, have a giveaway every day, as well as a grand prize giveaway at the end. I'll include more details as things start falling into place.

And don't forget! Only two days left to enter to win "Raven's Kiss" by Toni LoTempio! Go HERE to fill out the form!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~