Sunday, September 30, 2012

Book Blog Tour: Flock by Wendy Delsol / Author Interview + Giveaway!

Hello my lovelies!
Today is my stop on the Flock book blog tour. Flock is the 3rd book in the Stork Trilogy. I will be sharing with my readers a fun author interview I did with Wendy Delsol. As well as a giveaway to win all 3 books in the series. 



Flock (Stork #3)
by Wendy Delsol
Pages: 384 
Published: September 25th 2012 by Candlewick Press
The climactic conclusion of a supernatural romantic trilogy starring a savvy, sharp-tongued heroine who taps into ancient Norse secrets.

After surviving her (shall we say) intense adventure in Iceland, Katla is psyched to be back for a blissfully uneventful senior year of homecoming and fashion explorations. But her hopes of dodging unfinished business are dashed by the arrival of two Icelandic exchange students: Marik, an oddly alluring merman-in-disguise, and Jinky, a tough gypsy girl. It seems Katla not only enraged the Snow Queen by rescuing her boyfriend, Jack, she also was tricked into promising her frail baby sister to the water queen — and Marik has come to collect. What’s worse, Katla doesn’t dare confide in anyone lest she endanger them, so even her soul mate, Jack, is growing suspicious. And now Katla’s stork dreams, her guide for matching babies with mothers, have become strange and menacing as well. Hold on for a thrilling finale as the heroine of Stork and Frost calls on her wits (and her wit) to protect those she loves and face a final mythic disaster.
  To check out more info on the 1st and 2nd book in this series click - HERE & HERE.



Thank you Wendy for agreeing to be interviewed at Bittersweet Enchanctment. It is a pleasure to have you. :)


Tell me something about yourself? Who is Wendy Delsol?

My short bio: born in Canada, raised in the Detroit area, attended Michigan State University,
lived twenty years in L.A., and currently reside in Des Moines with my husband and two teen sons.


When did you know you wanted to be a writer and why?

I didn’t decide to start writing until I was forty. Gasp! Yes, incredibly late. A health scare
(debilitating migraines) motivated me to take a risk on a secret dream.


Where did the idea for your books come about?

The idea came about years ago from, crazily enough, the TV show Unsolved Mysteries. It aired a story once about a very young boy who claimed a pre-birth memory of hovering and choosing his mother. I was fascinated, and it stuck with me for years.


Have you always been into mythology?

I’ve always been intrigued by stories of the paranormal or mystical (which explains why I was watching Unsolved Mysteries in the first place). Because the formula for fiction is conflict, conflict, conflict, I decided my protagonist needed more obstacles than just a new magical ability. I decided, therefore, to make her the new girl in town. I took her from the beaches of L.A. (because that was where I had just moved from) to a small town in northern Minnesota, which made for an extreme shift in both climate and culture. As soon as I selected Minnesota as my setting, the pockets of Scandinavian communities came to mind—as did Norse mythology.


With your upcoming book Flock soon to be released, do you plan on continuing the series or is this the final book?

Flock is the third and final in the trilogy. And I did give the series a definitive ending. I do not expect to return to the characters. I’ve left them in a good place, I think.


Who designed your book covers? Did you have any say in what you wanted them to look like?

Unless you’re a very big name in the industry, publishers maintain contractual control of the
entire jacket: cover art, story summary, blurbs, etc. Candlewick Press, therefore, designed all three of my covers. They were all done from stock photos. I’ve liked all of them. Stork, in my opinion, really captures my descriptions of Katla.


I love the main character’s name, Katla. Where did the name come from?

Thank you. I did a lot of research when selecting names. They’re almost all Icelandic, Katla’s
maternal heritage in the books. Katla actually means little volcano. I thought this went well with my use of the weather and other such natural forces. Her last name Leblanc , which means the white, is a nod to her being a kind of benevolent or white witch.

Describe Katla in 3 words?

Brave. Forthright. Sarcastic.


Tell me more about your writing process. How long does it take you to write a book and where do you do most of your writing from?

I write longhand, meaning pencil and notebook. I have an arm injury which prevents me from holding the typing position for too long. Also, I find this process slows me down a bit and forces me to measure my words. It takes me anywhere from six months to a year to write a book. I write from home in a silent environment. I’m too distractible to go to a coffee shop or listen to music or TV while working.


Do you have a favorite author or an author who inspires you?

I like a lot of authors, and I read in multiple genres. Some of my favorite books are: The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve, The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, and all of the Harry Potter books. In the YA genre, I’ve enjoyed Divergent by Veronica Roth, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, and What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook. The author who inspires me is Jane Austen. I know it’s an unoriginal answer, but she wrote in an age when women were discouraged to act or think for themselves. Plus, her wit and character development have stood the test of time.


What hobbies do you enjoy?

I’m a tennis nut. I play, not well but I sure have fun out there. My younger son is pretty good, so I get to be an avid tennis mom. And I follow the professional tour. Roger Federer is my favorite player.


Do you have any other plans for another series or book?

I’m working on something in the speculative-fiction /dystopian genre right now. It’s a little too early to discuss, but I’m enjoying the new characters. It will be a stand-alone.


What is your favorite fairy tale? Explain your choice.

That’s an easy one: The Snow Queen by HandsChristian Andersen. So much, in fact, that my book Frost is a modern retelling. In the 60’s and early 70’s (I’m dating myself, I know), there was an animated TV movie that I just loved.


Thank you for being here today, Wendy. Do you have any final thoughts for my readers?

Mostly just a big thank you! I’m so appreciative of the YA blogging community. The support
and enthusiasm of avid readers is wonderful. And humbling. You guys rock.


Aww, your most welcome Wendy. YOU rock too!







Find Wendy @
Website / Goodreads / FB / Twitter
Wendy Delsol is the author of a young adult trilogy: STORK (2010), FROST (2011), and FLOCK (2012). The books are inspired by Norse mythology, adventure and Icelandic folklore. STORK was one of 25 titles out of over 1000 to receive a 2010 VOYA Perfect Ten and one of ten to win a 2011 Westchester Fiction Award. Delsol’s adult novel, THE McCLOUD HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, was named an August 2011 Barnes and Noble Pick of the Week. The book is set in Iowa and tells the story of three generations of women and the secrets that bind them. Wendy has an undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and a graduate degree from California State University, Long Beach. She was born in Canada, grew up in Michigan, lived in Los Angeles for 20 years and now resides in Des Moines with her husband and two teen sons.


Use the rafflecoptor form below win a print copy of ALL 3 books in the series. 
The first entry requires that you must follow MOD PODGE BOOKSHELF via GFC, not Bittersweet Enchanctment. Although I would love any new readers to my blog to follow me as well. Thank you!



Tour Schedule

9/25 Giveaway @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf 
9/26 Guest Blog @ Chapter By Chapter 
9/27 Review & Interview @ Coffee, Books & Me 
9/28 Guest Post @ Catch the Lune 
9/29 Guest Blog @ The Little Book Owl 
9/30 Interview @ Bittersweet Enchantment 
10/1 Review & Interview @ Moosubi 
10/2 This or That @ Kindle & Me 
10/3 Review @ Sara Through the Looking Glass 
10/4 Interview @ OMFG Books
10/5 Review @ Book Briefs
10/6 Review @ Stiletto Storytime
10/7 This or That @ The Busy Bibliophile
10/8 Interview & Giveaway @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer


Saturday, September 29, 2012

In My Mailbox (#30) + Stacking The Shelves (#7)

 A weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we post about all the books we have received whether in the mail, if we purchased it, or got it from our local library.

Stacking The Shelves ( hosted by Tynga's Reviews ) is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


Books I have received for Review:
Wicked Sense by Fabio Bueno (paperback)


Books I have won:
Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett 
The Dark Unwinding bookmark 


Books I have got from the library:
None last week



Books I bought:
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
By A Thread by Jennifer Estep
Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep


Thank you for stopping by. Be sure to leave your mailbox links so I can come check out your posts or just leave a comment of what books you got last week? 


Hope everyone has a nice weekend and Happy reading! 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Guess The Book Cover & Win a prize!

Hello everyone! 
Today I am trying something new on my blog and if you read back a week ago I wanted to begin playing some fun games to win books and swag. So this is the first game you all will be playing called Guess The Book Cover. You may have seen this games being played on other book blog so some of you will already know how to play. If not here are the rules:


  1. There is 12 images below. Each one is a piece of a book cover. 
  2. All 12 peices are Young Adult novel from 2012.
  3. To find hints you may use Goodreads, or other websites to search for the covers.
  4. Do not leave any comments with your answers below or share you choices with other players.
  5. For each guess you will need to use the rafflecopter form below. You can obtain a total of 14 possiable entries (1 being a freebie + Tweeting the giveaway) I ONLY need to know the TITLE of the book.
  6. The game will be open for 2 weeks. This will give time for everyone to play.
  7. The game and giveaway are both open to everyone!!


  • There will be TWO winners in this game. 
  • Prize One: 1 print copy of Beg for Mercy & 1 print copy of Waiting for Mercy 
  • Prize Two: 1 ecopy of Beg for Mercy & 1 ecopy of Waiting for Mercy
  • Winners will be chosen through rafflecopter form. Any wrong guesses will not count. 


  • Good luck everyone and if you do have any questions of comments please e-mail me or comment below. 

    I do not take any credit for the idea behind this game. Game is used purely for fun.


    A HUGE thank you goes to the wonderful Shannon Dermott who is the author of the Beg for Mercy & Waiting for Mercy. She has donated both sets of books for the game. Before you leave be sure to check her out and find out more about her novels. 

    Buy Beg for Mercy:

    Buy Waiting for Mercy:


    Thursday, September 27, 2012

    Book Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

    Title: Temptation
    Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
    Number of Pages: 383
    Published: June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
    Source: Author (paperback)
    Genre: Contemporary
    Reading Level: YA



    Your heart misleads you That's what my friends and family say.  
    But I love Noah. And he loves me.  
    We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be   
    ROSE & NOAH   
    forever, easy.  
    But it won't be.  
    Because he's Amish. And I'm not.


    Temptation is your classic boy meets girl love story. Only in this story falling in love is forbidden. Noah and his family are Amish and are custom to the simple things in life. Rose was your big city gal until her Father decided to uproot her to live out in the country. On the first day as her family is moving into their new home some unexpected visitors arrive welcoming them to town. Noah a boy from a nearby Amish community is among them. Noah and his family is like nothing Rose has ever seen. Noah and Rose get to know each other and quickly begin to fall in love. Love at first sight truly is real and both seem to be feeling the same thing about each other. Noah understand that it is forbidden to love someone like a Rose, a outsider, a English girl a non-amish. While Rose comes to find out that Noah should not be with someone like her. This only makes them want each other more. Rose and Noah will now need to find a way to be with each other even if that means risking everything for true love.

    I have always been quite fascinated by the Amish culture. I love how simple there lives are and how they have such strong family values. My understanding about how the Amish live has always been kind of hazy. I admit I have never really looked into this subject so it was very refreshing reading my first book about it and learning more. Author Karen Ann Hopkins did a wonderful job of not only writing a beautiful romance but having a unique background for the book to be set in. I honestly enjoyed learning more about Amish people and their lives. Temptation really pulled on my heart strings many times during the book and the ending had me in tears. I so felt bad that Rose and Noah had to hide what they were feeling and betray their families in the process. 

    The romance in the story between Noah and Rose is so sweet and unconditional. I really became attached to how they had such a pure love for each other. I did have a couple issues as well I would like to address. One, I did feel that even know the love between the couple was real it happened to fast for my taste. I felt they should have gotten to know each other more, inside and out before falling so deeply in love. Two, Rose was a little to pleasing for my taste. At times during the book Noah would remark on things he thought Rose should do or how she should act according to what he was raised to believe. Rose never really got to mad at him for saying so. 

    All in all I really did adore this book. I liked it a lot more than I though I would have. I feel the main things that make Temptation to be such a great read is the pure yet innocent love between the main characters and of course the setting of the story. The author Karen Ann Hopkins has written a lovey debut novel. Her writing style just flows off the page. 

    So, would I read the next one? Yes! Definitely. For anyone who enjoys reading YA Contemporary novels I would so recommend Temptation. 

     Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.


    Wednesday, September 26, 2012

    Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry | Character interviews w/ Noah & Echo + GIVEAWAY!



    Hello everyone! 
    Today I would love to share with my readers a amazing character interview with the stars of the book, Pushing The Limit by Katie McGarry. I recently posted a review for the book and after chatting with the author Katie McGarry within the last few days she has agreed to be feature on my blog. Her book is taking the book world by storm and is by far the greatest contemporary novel I have read. Here is what's in store:

    A This or That character interview with Noah & Echo.
    A Giveaway to win a free hardcopy of Pushing The Limits

    Please help me in welcoming, Katie to my blog. Thank you for being here.




    Title: Pushing The Limits
    Author: Katie McGarry 
    Number of Pages: 384
    Published: July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen
    Genre: Contemporary
    Reading Level: YA

    No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.




    Noah - 

    Sports car or motorcycle? My best friend, Isaiah and I drag race sometimes, so I’m a fan of sports cars. Isaiah digs Mustangs, but I’m partial to Corvettes. Especially the one Echo owns. 

    First Date: A loud exciting party or a candlelit picnic with a walk on the beach under the stars? I first connected with Echo at a loud party, but I prefer to be alone with her. I’ll take the beach. 

    Boxers or briefs? Boxers. 

    Favorite school subject: Math or English? Whichever class Echo is in.

    Love at first sight or lust at first sight? I’ve never done the love at first sight thing, but I knew I wanted to kiss Echo the moment I first met her.


    Echo - 

    Movie buff or reading a good book? When everything came crashing down around me and I became a social pariah, I became a fan of books. I like escaping into them.

    Warm home-made cookies or Chocolate covered Strawberries? Cookies. 

    Winter or Summer? Winter. That way I can hide my scars without anyone looking at me like I’m strange for wearing long sleeves.

    High heels or ballet flats? High heels. It’s the only way to go!

    Hard Rock or classic? Hmmm, I’m more of a hip hop girl. Before the accident, I used to be on the dance team. 


    Personal Note from me: Noah in boxers! 0_o YUM!
    Thank you Katie!




    Find Katie McGarry @ 

    KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.




    Time for the giveaway!! If you have been dying to get your hands on a copy of Pushing The Limits then here your chance. Harlequin Teen has most graciously offer one hardcopy of the book for a giveaway on my blog. ONE winner will take home this amazing novel.

    The Giveaway is open for US and Canada readers only.
     Use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
    Giveaway will close: Oct 17th | 3 weeks

    Thank you for stopping by and Good luck!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Tuesday, September 25, 2012

    Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs: FREE!


    Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls #2) by Tera Lynn Childs has just recently been released. Katherine Tegen Books (a imprint of HarperCollins) has lowed the price of the 1st book Sweet Venom to FREE! Now that an awesome deal! If you have not read this series then now is your chance to download your free copy. I myself adored Sweet Venom!


    To Download your copy:


    FREE on Nook  /  FREE on Kindle   /  FREE on Kobo








    Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #2)
    by Tera Lynn Childs

    Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

    Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

    Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

    These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.




    I am not sure how long this deal with last but I would so take advantage of this great offer.
    I just ordered Sweet Shadows and I can't want to read what happens next.




    Top Ten Tuesday (#11) + Teaser Tuesday (#32)


    Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

    This week's Top Ten is: 



    Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished


    I am not very fond of this series. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I have heard the next books are better but still have not picked them up just yet.





    I am so bad, I know it! I own ALL of the books in this series but have not had time to read the next one. It's kind of sad because I LOVE Cat and Bones!


    Love this series and I have read book 1 and 2. I own a ARC of the last one but keeping putting if off. :(



    Okay, don't shoot me but yes I have not read the next books in the series. I NEED to and very soon. I loved Paranormalcy and I am sure I will enjoy the next book but again I keep putting off reading it.



    Honestly, I am not sure why I have not read Burned yet. I guess maybe because I felt I needed a break from Zoey. 0_o

    I really don't care for this series. Yes, I know a lot of you do but I felt like I was forcing myself to read the books. I love books about Faries but just not this series.

    I read Matched last year and really loved it. I took Crossed out from my library the earlier this year and really could not get into the story. I will try again later on. 



    Ah, yes this is one I just did not care for. I read the first and second book but decided I was pretty much done with them.

    I really enjoyed the first book in the series. Ally Carter is one of my favorite authors but I just have not made time to read the next book in the series. 
    I so wanted to like Moon Called but unfortunately did not. 

    So that is my list. Most of the book series I chose I was end up reading again in the future but with so many new and upcoming books now on the market it is hard to read/finish the series I have already started. So how about you, what book series have you not finished?


    Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
    Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

    The Rules:
    • Grab your current read
    • Open to a random page
    • Share two (2) or so “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
    • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
    • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

    This week's teaser comes from Awaken written by Kate Kacvinsky.






     I chatted with Justin a few nights ago. I printed out our discussion because I miss his words. They remind me of who I want to be. Or maybe who I've been all along. 


    Take from page: 139








    Please share with me your Top Ten or teaser for this week. I will be sure to come by and see what books you have chose. :)

    I really am enjoying Awaken, a lot more than I thought I would. Has anyone else read the book?

    Thank you for stopping by and Happy Reading!


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