Northern Bites Quotes Contest

To celebrate the release of Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2), Nikki Jefford is giving away gold and other goodies to three winners (INT) who successfully complete the multiple choice "Who Said It?" form below this teaser.

“What’s the matter?” I asked Noel.

“I don’t know what’s going on. Gavin is being so cold to me tonight.”

I raised a brow. “He’s a vampire.”

“Ha, ha,” Noel replied. “What about Fane? Is it true he broke up with Valerie?”

“He says they were only together a day.” I slumped forward. “He was rather cold, too.”

Noel sighed. “Why can’t we like normal guys?”

“Because we’re not normal girls.” I followed Noel’s gaze to the window. From that vantage there were no city lights, no buildings, no land. Just ocean. During the day, Cook Inlet looked about as gray as the overcast sky. At night it was as black as oil. Anchorage didn’t have beaches. We had mudflats. The fine glacial silt turned to quicksand any time an unwary victim ventured too far and became stuck in the mud.

Win Goodies & Gold!

• Real 24 carat gold flakes in liquid pen
• Women Who Behave Rarely Make History sticker
• Reading is Sexy sticker
• Northern Lights Alaska bookmark
• Aurora Sky “Do Not Disturb” door hanger
• Polar Bear Smooch peppermint chocolate
• Berry Fairies Blueberry Lip Bliss

Check out all six stops to find the rest of the answers:

• Ginger-Read Reviews
• Talk Supe
• The Demon Librarian
• Michelle’s Paranormal Vault
• Rally the Readers
• The Readdicts

WIN a Northern Bites ebook!

Love bites. Probation sucks. Thanks to Dante's recklessness, Aurora is now partners with Valerie: the redheaded, backstabbing vixen. Dante is in full flirt mode. Fane's tactics are more ruthless. Something carnal has awakened in Aurora and neither boy is helping tame her cravings. When a member of the unit's team is found dead, Aurora and Valerie are sent after a vampire in Sitka, but Aurora suspects the killer's much closer to home.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Sony

Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

Leaving Alaska after graduation is no longer an option for eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky once government agents pull her from the wreckage of a head-on collision. In exchange for her life Aurora must serve as a vampire hunter. Basically she's a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis before she has to finish the job by hand. Aurora's dark mood is attracting the wrong kind of attention—namely that of Fane Donado's. He's a prince alright. The dark prince of temptation.

"Full of action from the very first page, Aurora Sky is a book that will have the reader hanging onto every word, staying up late into the night to find out just what is going to happen next!" — Examiner.com

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Coming soon to Sony, Kobo, and iTunes.

About Nikki Jefford

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt. She married Sebastien, the love of her life while working in France. They now reside in Friday Harbor, WA on a small island without a single traffic light.

Jefford writes mature teen/new adult urban fantasies, including the Spellbound trilogy and Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter series. She loves hearing from readers.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Poison
By Bridget Zinn
Publisher: Hyperion

To Sum It Up: Kyra was very happy in her life as a master potioner until the day that she tried to assassinate Princess Ariana, the heir to the throne and Kyra’s onetime best friend. Now a wanted criminal and on the run, Kyra continues to search for Ariana and finish what she began. According to a vision Kyra once had, the Kingdom of Mohr is doomed because of the princess, and Kyra is the sole person who can save it, even if it means killing someone who once meant so much to her.

Review: I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “cute” to describe a book before, but that’s what first comes to my mind with Poison. And yes, it has a lot to do with the adorable little pig on the cover (That’s Rosie, by the way.). This was a quick, fun read that packed plenty of action into slightly less than 300 pages.

Kyra was a great main character, stubbornness and all. All she ever wanted to do was be a whiz at potion making, and here she is on the wrong side of the law, labeled a would-be princess killer. Kyra is not only super smart at whipping up all kinds of poisons, but she’s also resourceful when it comes to evading the royal soldiers who are after her. Rosie the pig is her assistant in finding Princess Ariana, and I loved how Kyra grew to care for her little helper. She was so skeptical of Rosie’s tracking ability and viewed her as a nuisance to life on the lam at first, but Rosie slowly worms her way into Kyra’s heart. I did mentally say, “Aww!” a few times while reading this book, but I couldn’t help it. Rosie was too cute!

I was really enjoying reading Poison, but when the mysterious Fred made his first appearance, the novel became even more entertaining. Fred is just traveling about with his dog, Langley, whom Kyra mistakes for a wolf, when he and Kyra meet under some hilarious circumstances. Fred is a serious charmer with a wry sense of humor, and yeah, I loved him. He and Kyra trade the funniest quips, too. The story of how Fred winds up calling Kyra “Kitty” had me laughing long after I’d moved past that page. Oh, and I was going, “Aww!” yet again over how Langley and Rosie became best friends.

The plot here isn’t overly intricate, but it still managed to surprise me in a few places. The world-building is also on the basic side for fantasy, making this more fantasy lite. It was more than sufficient, however, to get me hooked on the story, and Poison was a very charming and delightful read.

All in All: Poison has a fairytale-esque vibe to it, and I think that was part of its appeal for me. It’d been a while since I’d read a really good story like that, and Poison fit the bill very nicely.

Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Eve (The Eve Trilogy #1)
By Anna Carey
Publisher: Harper

To Sum It Up: After the plague that has decimated the population claims her mother, Eve is left orphaned and grows up in an all-girls school. Now ready to graduate and about to spend the next four years learning a trade, Eve is looking forward to the next phase of her life. But when she discovers the horrifying truth about what really becomes of the young women who graduate, Eve runs away. After years spent in the confines of her school, she must face whatever awaits her outside of it as she tries to make her way to what she hopes is refuge in a place called Califia.

Review: Eve comes from the line of dystopian novels in which a plague has devastated the population, and there’s an appalling plan afoot to replenish it. Orphaned girls are sent to schools in which they’re taught to fear men; little do the girls know that once they graduate, they’ll be sent to another facility where they’ll spend years birthing baby after baby. Meanwhile, orphaned boys are put into labor camps. Like a few other dystopians I’ve read with a plague-based premise, Eve falters on the world-building.

What was once the United States is now the New America, and it’s ruled by the mysterious King. Who is he? You don’t find out, at least in this book. All you do learn is that he’s after Eve, and his soldiers are out looking for her. As for the plague, it’s the catalyst that plunged the country into chaos, but it’s only mentioned when necessary to remind you that you’re reading a dystopian novel and it’s the reason why Eve was orphaned. Most of the book focuses on Eve bumbling about in a world that’s completely alien to her because she spent all those years sheltered in her school. Speaking of the school, its curriculum was all over the place. The girls take courses with titles such as “Manipulation and Heartache” and have to take a “Dangers of Men and Boys” exam, but they also read works like Anna Karenina and The Great Gatsby. Supposedly the goal of the anti-male education is to pretty much condition the girls into not wanting relationships, making them more compliant with the King’s Repopulate New America plan. Yet they’re allowed to read classic literature? In my mind, the two formed an odd combination.

Someone who did end up being extremely naïve due to the cloistered nature of her schooling was Eve. Oh dear. Okay, I understood that her ignorance of the outside world was central to the story, but some of her actions really made me cringe. Thanks to what she “learned” in school, when she first meets Caleb, a young man living in the wilderness with a group of other orphaned boys, Eve fears that he’s going to throw himself at her. And then she’s insulted when he doesn’t. Eve might not have even run into Caleb if he hadn’t decided to rescue her from an angry mama bear who didn’t like Eve petting her cub. Eve remembers being taught in school that bears are dangerous animals, but this knowledge doesn’t stop her from thinking of the cub as Winnie the Pooh and wondering if she could keep him as a pet. I didn’t have much patience for Eve, and that was before I started noticing a pattern of Eve doing what was best for Eve, even if it meant other people getting hurt, which they did. So no, I wasn’t a big fan of hers.

I did think Caleb and Arden, also an escapee from Eve’s school, were okay. I liked Arden quite a bit because she used common sense and was infinitely smarter than Eve was. Despite the world being fuzzy with the details and as much as I disliked Eve, the story itself was actually well paced. The writing was also solid. I believe, however, that one book about Eve’s escapades was enough for me, and I’ll be leaving the series here.

All in All: Meh. Eve got on my nerves too frequently, and it’s tough for me to like a book when all I can think about is how much the main character annoys me. The world also didn’t quite add up, which is my number one pet peeve when it comes to dystopian novels.

• Ally's Review of Eve

A to Z Bookish Survey

I'd seen quite a few of these posts in my reader, and this survey, created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner, looked like a lot of fun, so I've decided to join in!

Author You’ve Read the Most Books from:

According to Goodreads, it's Sherrilyn Kenyon (13 books).

Best Sequel Ever:

My favorite sequel that I've read recently is Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.

Currently Reading:

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Usually water, sometimes tea.

E-reader or Physical Book?

I finally caved in and bought a Kindle Fire last week because of the irresistible price, and I LOVE it! It's so much easier reading on an actual eReader than using the Kindle app on my laptop or phone. But—my heart still belongs to print books, and it always will.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Hmm . . . so many book boyfriends to choose from . . . . I'd say Jared Lynburn from Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan. Our senses of humor are a perfect match, and if I ever fall down a well, Jared is really good at that type of rescue.

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. Contemporary fiction and I don't always get along, but I really liked this one.

Hidden Gem Book:

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. Incredible novel about Richard III and the Wars of the Roses.

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

It sounds laughable, but picking up and reading Twilight. I never would have started reading regularly again as an adult if it hadn't been for that book.

Just Finished:

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

I rarely read crime/mystery novels. They've just never been my thing.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin (1177 pages).

Major Book Hangover Because of:

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare left me wrecked for a few days.

Number of Bookcases You Own:

Four. Each only has three shelves, though. My thinking at the time of purchasing them was that I didn't want to use a stepladder every time I needed to reach the top shelves because I'm only 5'0". Now that I'm running out of room, next time I'm just going to invest in some taller shelves and keep the stepladder close by.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding. It never fails to make me laugh.

Preferred Place to Read:

In the open second floor space that I've sort of turned into a book nook.

Quote That Inspires You/Gives You All the Feels from a Book You’ve Read:

"You pierce my soul" from Captain Wentworth's letter in Persuasion by Jane Austen. Best. Letter. Ever.

Reading Regret:

That I pretty much quit reading for fun throughout high school and college. I should have made the time for it.

Series You Started and Need To Finish (All Books Are Out in Series):

Gemma Doyle by Libba Bray.

Three of Your All-Time Favorite Books:

Persuasion, Hamlet, and George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. (Sorry, couldn't pick just one book with that.)

Unapologetic Fangirl for:

Melina Marchetta. She's simply a genius.

Very Excited for This Release More Than All the Others:

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. September 17 is almost here!

Worst Bookish Habit:

Buying books when I know it's not in my best interest economically. I'll tell myself that it's just one book and I have to have it, which is not a good argument at all.

X Marks the Spot: Start at the Top Left of Your Shelf and Pick the 27th Book:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand.

Your Latest Book Purchase:

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta.

ZZZ-snatcher Book (Last Book That Kept You Up WAY Late):

I stayed up until 2:30 A.M. to finish Clockwork Princess the week it was released. Totally worth the lost sleep!

The White Queen Recap: In Love with the King

* Spoilers ahead if you haven't seen Episode 1, "In Love with the King." *

I love me some medieval English history and anything to do with Richard III, so when I found out that Philippa Gregory's novels about The Wars of the Roses were being turned into a TV series, I was beyond psyched and planning to do a weekly recap here on the blog, à la Game of Thrones. After very recently DNF-ing The Kingmaker's Daughter and catching the sneaky airing on Friday night of the first episode of The White Queen, however, I debated going forward with the idea. Episode 1 didn't exactly bowl me over, but Ally had already gone to the trouble of drawing the above awesome graphic for me, and it was only the first episode. Here's hoping that the pacing picks up in the next one. Even if it doesn't, I'll still post a recap on Sundays for the duration of the series, because now I have to see this through. So on with chatting about the first episode!

There Once Were Two Houses

. . . that hated each others' guts and squabbled over the English throne. Edward IV of the House of York currently sits on that throne, and he's about to meet Elizabeth Woodville, the widow of a Lancastrian knight. Translation: she was married to the enemy! Elizabeth's going to ask the King for her dead husband's property, but she's about to walk away with more than that. The moment Edward sees her, it's insta-love, at least on his part. Courtship? Who needs that when you're the King of England?!

And Some Witch-y Stuff Happened

Okay—I'm not a big fan of the paranormal-esque element, and it was a big reason why I quit reading The Kingmaker's Daughter, which was told from the perspective of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of the Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville. In that book, it was as though the Woodville women's witchcraft single-handedly swept the House of York to victory over the House of Lancaster. Strategy and skill on the battlefield obviously played no roles. When she's not trying her hand at imitating Princess Leia's cinnamon roll hairdo, Elizabeth's mother, Jacquetta, is outdoors rigging up some kind of intricate fate-predicting thingy using fishing lines. Jacquetta is a smart, calculating woman, I'll give her that, but between her scrying and Elizabeth going all Professor Trelawney with her visions, well, I wasn't quite sold on that.

Craster and Cromwell Are Alive . . . and Staring Each Other Down

Hey! That's Craster from Game of Thrones as Elizabeth's father, Richard Woodville, and Thomas Cromwell from The Tudors as Warwick! They're both looking pretty good for what they went through on their previous shows.

Fancy Meeting You Here

I understand there are quite a number of important characters to introduce, but I thought Margaret Beaufort's entrance was a little awkward. It looked like she just happened to be milling about when Jacquetta passed by. Now I can't wait to see how Margaret of Anjou, queen to Henry VI and despised by the Yorkists, makes her first appearance. It'd be great if she stormed into the palace dining hall and literally flipped a table while demanding her fancy chair back from Elizabeth.

Warwick the Matchmaker Kingmaker

Poor Warwick. He goes to all that trouble to broker a marriage between Edward and a French princess, and Edward is all like, "But I'm already married!" The life of a Kingmaker is hard. Very hard.

Enough of All These Woodvilles, Where's Richard?

This episode was rather Woodville-centric and not very compelling TV for me. I kept waiting for a glimpse of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and that's all the first episode showed of him—a glimpse when Edward introduced his two brothers upon Elizabeth's arrival as Queen of England. So I shall wait until next Saturday in the hope that he'll actually have a line in the next episode.