Saturday, December 22, 2012

GIVEAWAY: Confessions of an Avon Addict!

Welcome to The Romance Reviews first post-Apocalyptic post!

I, for one, can’t say I’m complaining.  Because I was realizing today as I heard everyone cracking jokes about The End Times that there were still things to do!  People to meet!  And, honestly, I think we can all agree—more books to read!  Especially now.  Because a few months back, I had the insane good fortune to be named an Avon Addict. 


What, precisely, is an Avon Addict?  Well, the official line is:
A special program designed for die-hard romantics, who are treated to a monthly package of reading-related happiness: book swag, author goodies and most importantly, copies of some of Avon’s great books and upcoming releases.  There’s also an unspoken law that states that the packages always seem to appear on rainy, grumpy days, and immediately make everything right again. 

In truth, it also means that I have met some of the smartest, most supportive and most enthusiastic readers I could have hoped to encounter.  A group of ladies who refer to characters as if they were family, and whose energy and insight make this program so much more than about the books.  I’m having a blast during my tenure as an Addict, and part of this blog hop is to share that fun with you!

Thus, with these sensational new books arriving, I have a whole new list of reasons for the world to go on spinning.  I’d love to hear what is one everyone else’s Reading List for 2013, Post-Apocalypse Vacation, or otherwise.  Here’s mine!

One Good Earl Deserves Another, Sarah MacLean
Sarah MacLean has been a favorite author of mine for years (ever since I found out we are alumni of the same college, which I share at every occasion), and her first Rule of Scoundrels Book, A Rogue By Any Other Name was one of my very favorite reads of 2012.  Now, we have the treat of reading about Penelope’s younger sister, Philippa, a brilliant young woman who is about to settle into a quiet, complacent and thoroughly respectable marriage…but before that she is going to spend the next two weeks to experience all the life she will be missing, and with none other than the secretive and seductive Cross, creating a touching romance, and a chemistry that is utterly incendiary.

Wild About You, Kerrelyn Sparks
I have no good excuse for why I haven’t read Kerrelyn Sparks’ works until now.  On the one hand, I am realizing now that I’ve been deprived of a wonderfully funny, charming voice in the world of romance, but on the other, it’s such a treat to begin here, with the story of the shapeshifter Howard and his utterly adoration of Elsa, the star of a home-improvement show whose skill with a sledgehammer is unparalleled.  Sparks has a rare talent for making swoon-worthy romance and giggle-out-loud sarcasm go hand in hand, and this book has made me an eager, if somewhat belated, fan of the Love at Stake books—and with twelve other books in the series before this one, I’m rather pleased by the amount of catching-up I get to do.

Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman, J.B. Lynn
This is one of the terrific perks of being an Addict.  I don’t think I would ever have picked up J.B. Lynn’s series by myself, but when this book, and the second in the series, Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman arrived in my package, I realized I was missing out on an author with genuine talent and imagination.  Anyone who thinks their family is a little crazy needs to meet Maggie Lee and her more than memorable aunts; add to that her ability to hear her pets speak and her under-the-table job as a hitwoman to help her orphaned niece, and you have the perfect recipe for combating the winter doldrums.   

Hope you find some inspiration in these titles, and be sure to share yours, as well!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS
There are books available to two lucky commenters:
A Holiday Package:
A Cowboy for Christmas by Lori Wilde &  A Season of Angels by Debbie Macomber.  




A Steampunk Package:
Tarnished and Gilded by Karina Cooper 



Mechanics:

1. You must be a follower at this blog.
2. Post a book (or books!) you are looking forward to reading in the coming year.
Contest Deadline: December 31, 2012

Winners Selected and Contacted: January 1, 2013
Two winners will be selected via Randomizer.org.

Happiest of New Years to every one!

AVON ADDICTS BLOG HOP:
Avon Addict Blog Hop Stops:
12/1 – Pure Textuality
12/2 – Toot's Book Reviews
12/3 – Deborah Brent
12/4 – Save Your Money for Books
12/5 – SOS Aloha
12/6 – Ramblings of Kristibug
12/7 – Alpha Heroes
12/8 – Tempting Reades
12/9 – Books Like Breathing
12/10 – The Book Cellar
12/11 – TBQ's Book Palace
12/12 – Romancebookworm's Reviews
12/13 – Romancing the Readers
12/14 – Welcome to My World
12/15 – Poisoned by Rationality
12/16 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More
12/17 – Unwrapping Romance
12/18 – Seduced by a Book
12/19 – Starry Skies Romance
12/20 – Mom on the Edge
12/21 – The Book Vixen
12/22 – The Romance Reviews (That's us!)
12/23 – Words of Wisdom from the Scarf Princess
12/24 – Blithely Bookish

Congrats to our winners, May and Donnas!  Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year!

18 comments:

Kim in Baltimore said...

Aloha! Just hopping over to support my fellow Avon Addict! I have to wait 'til April to read Cathy Maxwell's THE DEVIL'S HEART - the final book in the Chattan Curse series!

Mele Kalikimaka!

Unknown said...

Personally I am looking forward to Immortal Ever After of the Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands, I have fallen in love with the series and want to continue the good reading.

Betty Hamilton said...

I am very much looking forwar to "The Hunter" by Monica McCarty.

Amy C said...

I am so looking foward to the third book in Cathy Maxwell's Chatten series. Thanks to Avon I got the first two books and I am DYING to read the third.

Nice job on your blog!

girlygirlhoosier52 said...

I'm looking forward to the latest in the Outlander series: Written In My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon.

Elizabeth H. said...

I'm looking forward to so many but the two that I'm most looking forward to is Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian and Lover at Last by J.R. Ward! I've been waiting for the latter for a VERY long time!! Thanks for the great giveaway!!
GFC Follower - Elizabeth H.

ehaney578 at aol dot com

Happy Holidays!!!

kipha said...

I'm waiting for Gilded by Karina Cooper and One Good Earl Deserves a Love by Sarah MacLean!! There are so much I'm looking for this next year that there are to many to name off at the top of my head.
Thanks so much!
GFC kp_kazamei

kp_kazamei(at)yahoo(dot)com

Ashlea said...

This year I'm really going to read Wolf Hall. But first, I'm going to read Courtney Milan's new book.

ashleaharvey @ yahoo.com

May said...

The next YA book by Cynthia Hand!

Anita Yancey said...

I am looking forward to reading A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller. Thanks for having this giveaway.

Follow on GFC as Anita Yancey

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Unknown said...

Definitely looking forward to Jeaniene Frost's Twice Tempted...her books are insta buy for me!
follow on GFC Penni Freels
fantasy_angel381(at)yahoo(dot)com

jmcgaugh said...

I'm looking forward to Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost.

jmcgaugh (at) semo (dot) edu

Kamla L. said...

There are so many books that I'm looking forward to in 2013. I'll just list a few:
-The Seduction of Elliot McBride By Jennifer Ashley
-The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
-Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost
-Kiss of Temptation by Sandra Hill
-One good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
-Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands
-The Mistress Memoirs by Jillian Hunter
-A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson
-The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett
-Crown Conspiracy by Michael J Sullivan
-The Decent by Alma Katsu

I could keep going...no really, I could:) Books are like food, air, and water to me. I 'need' them to live.

Wishing everyone a wonderfully joyous holiday season!!!

Kamla L. said...

Oops, forgot.
GFC follower: Kamla L.

kaladata2(at)gmail(dot)com

Joanne said...

Lover At Last by J R Ward. We've all waited so long for this story.
GFC- Joanne B

e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

donnas said...

I am looking forward to Lara Adrian and Jeaniene Frosts new books.

gfc follower

bacchus76 at myself dot com

JB Lynn said...

Hi Bridget,

So glad to hear you're enjoying the Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman books. Thanks for the kind words!

Di said...

I'm looking forward to Stephanie Lauren's next Cynster story 'AND THEN SHE FELL'.
GFC - Diane Sallans
sallans d at yahoo dot com

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