The 2016 Reader/Author Get Together! ( #RAGT16 )

So, as long-time readers might remember, I've been going to the Annual Reader/Author Get Together for the past five (or six?) years. It's a great time, with awesome authors, and excellent charity donations. Every year, Lori Foster sells a benefit book, and all the proceeds go to the Animal Adoption Foundation - a no kill animal shelter, and it happens to be where we adopted our sweet little Mattie! And all the proceeds from raffle tickets go to One Way Farm, a wonderful place that helps kids from rough backgrounds learn to accept help and love, sparing them the abuse most of them have suffered in their lives. So of course, I love to go every year and support these great causes, plus just have a wonderful time with fellow attendees and find new authors!

Authors and publishers sponsor meals and boardrooms, and provide goodies or games throughout the conference. Most of the time, there were so many places I wanted to be at the same time, that I couldn't choose what to do! My mother and I attended a session where we used pictures and phrases cut out from magazines to make our own book cover - and my Mom won! She got a free book, which made her super excited.

And speaking of free books - we got 8 free books in our goody bags (every paid registrant gets a goody bag!), and then I got another 5 free books courtesy of the amazing authors that sponsored our different meals! I cannot wait to read them all, plus all the books I won in different raffle prizes. On top of the free books, and books I won, I also bought a small stack of books from different authors that were either new to me, or ones I had seen previously and wanted to finally pick up one of their books.

I'm still just so excited about last weekend that I can barely form coherent thoughts! I won six, SIX, raffle baskets - one basket alone had twenty books in it! All the baskets are sitting on my living room floor, lined up like soldiers, waiting for me to dive in. I did go through and look at everything, and I am blown away by how generous all the people that donated are.There's jewelry, signed books, coloring books, water bottles/mugs, even some Vera Bradley purses! There was one basket in particular that I was hoping to win, but you know what? I wouldn't trade these amazing baskets for that one. I'm already gathering some books and items to hopefully donate next year.

I was hoping to have some pictures to show you guys, but I'm afraid this has been a very busy week, so I didn't get the chance to take any. I will get some, I promise!

And speaking of pictures, if you're interested in seeing what I'm reading, or any bookish stuff that catches my eye, Novel Addiction now has an Instragram! I can be found at, as I'm sure you can guess, @noveladdiction.

I will update more when my life is a little less hectic - you know, if that ever happens.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Kiss my petunia! REVIEW of "Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning

 First up, enter my contest for a copy of "Insight" by Jamie Magee! Link in the righthand side bar. =) Or just click HERE.
Why this book?: Started a Paranormal Book Club for the patrons at work (library!) - "Darkfever" was chosen as book 1.

Disclaimer: I actually won my copy of "Darkfever" eons ago in a contest. So while I did get it for free, it was not given to me in exchange for a review by the publisher/author/etc.

Type: Urban Fantasy, Series, Fae, Sidhe, Unseelies everywhere - oh my!, Glamour, That guy totally needs to loosen up, Series has potential, IRELAND!

About the book: Mac's sister is dead, and the Irish police haven't caught the killer. When the authorities inform Mac's family that they are sending the case to their cold case division, Mac takes it upon herself to fly to Ireland, and she'll make sure she hounds the police until her sister's murder is solved. But things aren't that simple, and Mac finds herself on a search for an ancient text as well. There are creatures in Dublin that not everyone can see, unfortunately Mac can, and it's making her sick. So she turns to the one person that has the information and skills that she needs to find her sister's murdered and the book, Barrons. But there's something not quite right about him...

Review: "Darkfever" was an interesting read, and the beginning of a series that people refer to as crack. Essentially, this means that not only is it a much loved series that people will defend to the death, but it is epic as well as addicting. I did enjoy Mac's character, I like to see characters break out of the regular stereotypes I see a lot of in urban fantasy - most of the female characters are tough, in charge, and never really bother with their hair or nails. Mac cares a lot about what she wears, what she looks like, and disdains dark colors - she'd rather be in bright pink and rainbow colors than dressed in all black leather. And along with all the pink, she has some brains as well. She's incredibly inexperienced when it comes to the magical world she's thrown into, but she's smart enough to learn and develop the skills she needs to survive.

Fans of the book, or at least a lot of female fans of the book, swoon over Barrons. I didn't really understand that obsession. Frankly, I found Barrons incredibly uptight and extremely aggravating, I wanted to tell him to pull the stick from his rear end and loosen up a little. However, he was redeemed a little, at least in my eyes, near the end of the book. I saw some development there, and I hope to see that continue in the future books, and then maybe he will achieve swoon levels.

All in all, the book was alright, and I enjoyed it enough to finish it, and I do plan to continue reading the series. I saw a lot of potential in this first book, and everyone speaks to highly of the Fever series, I want to know why! So if you're a fan, feel free to follow my progress as I move on to the next book. You know, as soon as I get to it.

Cover Loving: My cover is different than the one Amazon has. However, I like both. I'm not sure which I like better, actually. Mine has lightning though - lightning is pretty cool.

Recommendation: This book was enjoyable enough, and I'm recommending to myself that I need to read the rest of the series. I'd say fans of fae myth and urban fantasy will enjoy "Darkfever."

Final Rating: I'm giving "Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning a THREE out of FIVE (3/5). It certainly wasn't bad, but it wasn't something I instantly fell in love with. In fact, it took me until near the end before I couldn't bear to part with it. But I saw some things I liked, so I do plan to continue with the series.

Have you read "Darkfever" and/or the rest of the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning? Or how about her Highlander series? What are your thoughts? Please share them in the comments. Want to pick up a copy of "Darkfever" - get it from Amazon.com via the link to the left.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~