Sweet Temptation Blog Tour: Love Letter to Kaidan Rowe + A Giveaway!

Today I have the pleasure of slipping into complete fangirl mode as part of the promotional tour for Sweet Temptation, the fourth book in the outstanding Sweet series by Wendy Higgins. I couldn't love this series (or Wendy!) more if I tried, and most of that love is dedicated to one Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, drummer for the band Lascivious, and the man responsible for all the drool marks on the pages of my books. To honor my obsession with Kaidan (and to convince all of you who have yet to meet him to pick Sweet Temptation up immediately) I decided to write him a letter. Gushing will commence in 3, 2, 1....

Dear Kaidan,

Today is my 8th wedding anniversary, and instead of writing this love letter to my husband, I'm writing it to you. I think that says a little something about the depth of my feelings where you're concerned. (Don't read this Kevin!)

We met 3 years ago (and by we I mean I met you, you were somewhat distracted by Anna at the time which I'm going to choose to ignore in favor of my preferred delusion wherein you love me instead) and there was no looking back. You're the type of boy that never fails to tie me up in emotional knots; a fundamentally good guy forced into a bad position, continually riding a razor's edge where the slightest of movements could tip you over and send you plummeting to a place redemption can't reach.

You'd probably read this and laugh at me for calling you a fundamentally good guy, and then you'd follow that up with a suggestive comment (or twelve) to try and prove how much you love being the son of the Duke of Lust, but we've spent too much time together now for me to fall for it. (Though if you want to turn on the charm and flirt me into an embarrassingly deep blush, don't let me stop you.)

While you undoubtedly have enjoyed many of your assignments (I block these out - see aforementioned preferred delusion), I know there are some that haunt you, that have left their indelible mark and eat away at you in those quiet moments when the echoing drumbeats of Lascivious have long faded into the night. It's that mark that makes me love you. It shows that you're a fighter; stronger than the darkness of the Dukes hammering you from all sides. It's proof that who you've been isn't all you can be, and it makes me indescribably happy to know that my love (or Anna's, whichever) has helped you see that there's more to you than a legacy of lust.

With all my heart,

Jenny

• • • • • • • • • • • •

SWEET TEMPTATION

Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.

Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.

Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.

Sensual and swoon worthy, this companion volume to the acclaimed Sweet Evil series from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, told from the perspective of the irresistibly sexy and mysterious Kaidan Rowe, gives readers revealing insights into his struggle, his intense connection to Anna, and most of all, the true emotions that drive him.

Amazon • B&N • The Book Depository • iBook • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

WENDY HIGGINS

After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, I taught high school English until becoming a mommy. I've always had a heart for teens, and writing YA stories gives me the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal years before adulthood.

I live in Virginia with my husband, daughter, son and doggie Rue.

Website  • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Two lucky winners will each receive a complete set of the Sweet series (4 books)! To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US/Can only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week 1:

9/7 - Stuck In Books 

9/8 - Reads All the Books

9/9 - Curling Up With A Good Book

9/10 - Reading W/ABC 

9/11 - Jenuine Cupcakes 

Week 2

9/14 - Little Red's Reviews 

9/15 - Supernatural Snark 

9/16 - A Reader Under the Sea

9/17 - Krista's Dust Jacket

9/18 - The Irish Banana Review

Sweet Reckoning Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Today I'm beyond excited to kick off the promotional tour for Sweet Reckoning, the third and final book in the Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins. This series has been on of my very favorites from the moment Kaidan Rowe stepped on page in Sweet Evil (I so enjoy Anna as well, but...Kai. *flails*), and while I'm more than a little sad to see my time with Kaidan come to an end, these books will forever have a prominent place on my shelf of favorites. Wendy was nice enough to answer a few questions for me, and she's also generously offered up a fantastic giveaway, so be sure and check the bottom of the post for all the giveaway details and the full list of participating blogs!

Let’s say Lascivious is on the last stop of their worldwide tour. What’s the title of the final song (either original or cover) of their encore performance?

I can totally see them doing a throwback cover of “Sex and Candy” (originally by Marcy Playground)

Kaidan and Anna have certainly not had an easy road in their relationship, and sometimes misery loves a little company. What one other fictional couple might make Anna and Kaidan feel a bit better about their lot given the difficulties the other couple faces?

Oh, gosh, so many YA couples have been through the wringer and can sympathize with the dangers of forbidden love and people wanting to keep them apart: Layla & Roth/Layla & Zayne from White Hot Kiss, and Rose & Dmitri from Vampire Academy come to mind.

You decide to take Kaidan with you on a multi-city promotional tour for Sweet Reckoning. How many phone numbers would you estimate he would walk away with when the tour was said and done? How many would Kaidan estimate?

I think his pockets would be stuffed full like a chipmunk’s cheeks—hundreds. Kai would probably just chuckle and shrug, as if it were no big deal. I doubt he bothers to keep track.

Anna has shown a great deal of growth throughout the series. What are a couple of things about the Anna at the end of the Sweet Reckoning that make you particularly proud of the woman she’s become?

Like a proud mama, I’m just glad that her heart has stayed big and strong through it all. She’s learned to drink like a champ and party like a rockstar, throw knives with killer accuracy, and face down Dukes who want to see her suffer and die. But she does it all for love.

I once asked Kaidan what scene he would ask you to write from his point of view knowing Anna would be the only one to read it. If he could instead ask you for one scene from Anna’s point of view, which one might he like to see through her eyes?

I think Kai would want any scene where Anna really looks at him—where she sees past his hardened façade and sexy talk to the lost boy underneath it all. I think Kai wants to know that she knows him, the real him, and still loves him.

Sweet Reckoning is the final book in the Sweet Trilogy. What single book or series has your favorite ending of all time?

Two very different series come to mind – the Lux series by Jen Armentrout, and the Harry Potter series, LOL! :) Loved both of those endings. *sigh*

Looking forward to future projects, what piece of advice do you think Kaidan would give you (if asked) as you take new characters on their journeys?

I think Kai would say, “Let them be sexy, luv. Don’t hold back on us.” Haha.

*I LOVE YOU KAIDAN!!! Ahem. Sorry. That just slipped right out...

• • • • • • • • • • • 

SWEET RECKONING

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N • Book Depository

• • • • • • • • • • • 

WENDY HIGGINS

After earning a bachelors in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Evil is her debut novel.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Wendy, I have a really exciting giveaway to share with you all today! Lucky winners will receive either:

• A Kai Prize Pack (3) - leather bracelet, drumstick pencils, Lascivious Tour pass, Kai button, and signed bookmark/bookplate

• A Bookmark Bundle (10)

Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

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Be sure and follow along on the tour for more interviews, guest posts and chances to win!

Monday, April 28th – Supernatural Snark  - Author Interview
Tuesday, April 29th –  Bewitched Bookworms - Guest Post
Wednesday, April 30th – Jenuine Cupcakes - Character Interview - Anna
Thursday, May 1st – Krista’s Dust Jacket - Author Interview
Friday, May 2nd – Two Chicks on Books   - Guest Post

Monday, May 5th - Curling Up with a Good Book - Author interview
Tuesday, May 6th – Parajunkee - Guest Post
Wednesday, May 7th – fiktshun - Character Interview - Kaidan
Thursday, May 8th – Bookcrush.in - Guest Post
Friday, May 9th – Alice Marvels  - Character Interview - Belial

Fire and Ice Blog Hop: Character Interview with Kaidan Rowe + Giveaway

Today I'm going to attempt to not hyperventilate over the fact that I have Kaidan Rowe, the oh-so sexy and charming love interest from The Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Evil sits atop my list of favorites from last year, you can read my review here) joining me on the blog. Did I also mention he's the son of the Duke of Lust? Yeah. Anyone who has been following this blog for a while knows my interest in Kaidan borders on unhealthily obsessive, but I like to think of it more as adorably fixated. I enjoy deluding myself you see. But, enough about me! Today is all about Kaidan, so for those of you who have yet to meet him, I hope this interview makes you want to do so, and for those of you who have, well, I hope this tides you over a bit until the release of Sweet Peril in April!

This interview is part of the Fire and Ice Blog Hop hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings, Love of Books, Cambria Hebert, The Caffeinated Reviewer, and Mostly Reviews, so be sure and check out all the participants here so you don't miss out on all the reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaways!

Since this is our first time “meeting”, I figured we should just start things off with a nice icebreaker; something to help us get comfortable with one another. So, here goes. Hypothetically speaking (of course), should I brazenly make a pass at you and put all my feminine wiles (which are obviously legion ;-) to use, what kind of reaction could I expect?

Well, luv, if you were to do that we’d have to pause this interview for a bit, yeah?  ;)   

If you could ask Wendy to write any scene from Sweet Evil from your point of view knowing that Anna would be the only one to read it and be privy to what you were thinking, which scene would you choose?

My first reaction is to say “none” because I’d rather not have the vulnerability of anyone knowing my thoughts. But at the same time it would be interesting for Anna to see herself the way I see her. So I’ll say the night of our first kiss. She has no idea how bleedin sexy she is when she’s not even trying.

What genre of fiction best describes your life (horror, mystery/thriller, etc.)?

Ha. Is there such thing as Horrotica?

You have the ability to look at a woman and know exactly what she needs to see/hear/feel in order to fall into bed with you, thus making the job you do for your father a bit easier. If Anna had a variation of this ability wherein she knew not what it would take to get you into bed, but rather what it would take for you to fall in love, what might this gift show her about you?

I believe you’re stealthily trying to get in my head, but I forgive you because you’re beautiful. However, I still can’t answer this question. The whole idea of “falling in love” is...beyond my scope of understanding. I was raised to see love as a weakness, and frankly it’s difficult to get past that mindset.

Aside from Anna, has any other woman ever resisted the temptation that is you?

No. I’ve had some tough cases that required me to pull out all the stops, but resistance is futile.

If things were a bit simpler for you and Anna and you were able to take her on a date, what would your ideal evening with her consist of?

She’s quite easily impressed and it’s entertaining to watch her be dazzled. I’m thinking dinner overlooking water—something beautiful where I can sit back and just watch her reactions.

For those of us dying a little each day as we wait for the release of Sweet Peril, please take pity on us and describe what we can expect in the sequel using only the title of a song (or songs).

How about “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett. There’s an uplifting little teaser for you, eh?   

Last question, and it’s very serious in nature, so please prepare yourself. When you hear the name “Jenny”, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind?

Sex. Definitely sex.

*Jenny falls down dead*

I'm sorry everyone, I'm not sure I can run this blog any longer because my entire body just liquified and I've taken up permanent residence on the floor. It's been lovely knowing you all ;-)

A huge thank you to Kaidan for stopping by the blog and answering my, ahem, probing questions! More information on Kaidan, The Sweet Trilogy and Wendy Higgins can be found here:

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Sweet Evil Buy Link
Sweet Peril Buy Link

SWEET PERIL (releases April 30th from HarperTeen)

Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she'd never do the work of her father--polluting souls. She'd been naive to make such a claim. She'd been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school's party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there's Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

  

 GIVEAWAY

In celebration of Kaidan and his ability to warm up these cold winter nights, I'm giving away either a copy of Sweet Evil for newcomers to the series or a copy of Sweet Peril for those of you who are already in love. Sweet Peril will be a pre-order, I do not have an advanced copy to give away. To enter, please fill out the rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Sweet Peril

Some of you may remember a few weeks back (months back? Time is flying by.) I entered a cover design contest for the sequel to one of my favorite reads of the year, Sweet Evil. During my shameless campaign to encourage votes, I somewhat obsessively went on and on about my love for one Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust and ultimate bad boy to heroine Anna's good girl. After finishing Sweet Evil, my love for him was deep, but thinking about him made my heart ache because at the time the sequel to Sweet Evil had not yet been picked up by the publisher. I was less-than amused by this discovery. I needed more of Kaidan. More of his badassery. More of the delicious pain his impossible relationship with Anna caused me. So it was with a heavy heart and mostly bitten-off nails that I awaited any news on Kaidan's fate.

Why am I telling you all this you ask? Well, my heart has lightened considerably recently. Not only has book two been picked up by HarperTeen, but book three has as well which means there is much more Kaidan Rowe in my future. And even better? The official cover for book two, now titled Sweet Peril instead of Sweet Hope, has just been released along with the blurb:

Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.
 
When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

SO EXCITED! And nervous. There's a lot of black on this cover, and I feel like we're getting a little foreshadowing through the literal use of shadow, indicating dark times are clearly ahead. I'm going to need to take deep, soothing breaths before I pick this one up!

If you haven't read Sweet Evil yet, I hope you guys give it a try, and definitely mark your calendars for the release of Sweet Peril from HarperTeen on April 30th, 2013. More information on the amazing Wendy Higgins and her books can be found here:

Website
Facebook
Wendy on Twitter
Kaidan on Twitter
Goodreads
Sweet Evil Amazon Buy Link
Sweet Peril Amazon Buy Link

Sweet Hope Cover Design Contest: Final Round

Hey Everyone!

I know I've talked a lot about the Sweet Hope cover design contest over the past several weeks and I promise this is the last time I'll post about it:) I just wanted to thank all of you who voted for me in the first round, I found out this morning the above design made it to the top 6! *hugs all of you*

The final round of voting begins today and runs all week, so if you're interested in seeing which other covers made it to the final and placing one last vote, you can do so HERE. I'm in very fine company! Thank you all so much again, and *fingers crossed* that my dream of appearing in ink next to Kaidan in the second installment comes true ;-)

Sweet Evil Sequel: Cover Design Contest

 

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I'm excited to share with you some details about an EPIC contest going on at the moment. Wait till you hear. Before I give you all the juicy details though, I want to confess to you my love for a little book called Sweet Evil. I first stumbled across this book on Goodreads and thought it sounded like something I might find enjoyable. Wrong. This book was not one I simply found enjoyable, but rather one that absolutely blew me away with its beautifully painful romantic tension and emotional turmoil, and I fell completely in love with Kaidan Rowe, son of the demon of lust. THE DEMON OF LUST! I feel the need for a cold shower coming on just thinking about him.

Since I'm so madly in love with Kaidan and Sweet Evil, imagine my excitement upon discovering a contest over at Bewitched Bookworms to design a cover for the sequel. Your imaginings of my excitement cannot possibly live up to the real thing, as I may have spastically danced around my living room before leaping into my desk chair to sketch out possible designs. And what does the winner get you ask? Nothing big really, just a character named after them in book two.

*Jenny falls down dead*

Let's just take a moment to think this through. If I win, my name (in all its hugely imaginative glory O_o) will appear next to Kaidan's in the sequel. Clearly, the proximity of our names in ink will lead to a whirlwind romance wherein he abandons Anna and professes his undying love for me, the new girl he just can't keep his hands lips body eyes off of. Obviously. I think Wendy will thoroughly appreciate my suggestions for the new direction of the second installment's romance ;-)

I hope any of you who want to try your hand at designing a cover for the sequel, titled Sweet Hope, will enter! And for those of you who are perhaps not so artistically inclined, fear not, you can still enter to win copies of Sweet Evil, all the specifics are available at Bewitched Bookworms.

Each person can enter up to three cover designs, so below are my three submissions. The contest runs through August 22nd with voting taking place August 24th. Be sure and check out the Bookworms' post to see all the current entries, I've got some seriously stiff competition!

COVER #1

COVER #2

COVER #3

SWEET HOPE (from Goodreads)

Anna Whitt promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win, will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues that have formed between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Summer Fun HarperTeen Style: SPF9 Epic Giveaway

Who's excited for summer? *raises hand* Though it's not quite as exciting as it was when I was in school and summer meant 3 months off, I still love this time of year, and the people over at HarperTeen are trying to make it even better with some amazing giveaways and opportunities to experience their books. Love it.

Before I get to all the giveaway goodness though, HarperTeen has a few other things made of win I wanted to share with you. First up:

See the art.

Spread the love.

Join the Resistance

Love is not a disease.

Follow the above link to join the Resistance from Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium by sharing some beautiful posters with your friends to help encourage recruitment.

EPIC READS

Have you heard of Epic Reads? No? Well HarperTeen has recently launched EpicReads.com, a central location of awesomeness for all of HarperTeen's books, and now we can all officially join. Yay! The people at Harper can explain it a bit better than I can, so I'll let them give it to you straight from the source:

EpicReads.com is the new hub for all of HarperTeen’s books. We’ve also launched two channels, for readers who prefer particular genres. If you’re a huge fan of paranormal or dystopian fiction, PitchDark.com is the channel for you! Rather read about romance than werewolves? Then you should definitely explore the StoryCrush.com channel! Each channel has its own blog, contests, polls, quizzes and forums – so there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, win free books, & chat with authors!

I just registered this week, I hope to see you guys on there!

YA CRUSH TOURNAMENT

This tournament isn't related specifically to HarperTeen but I wanted to include it because it should be a blast. The YA Sisterhood is hosting their Crush Tournament in which all our favorite book boyfriends go head to head to see who's the hottest crush of the year. It's nomination time again, and now through June 19th you can nominate your top 10 YA crushes and see who's already topping the list.

Topping my personal list this year is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer's Noah Shaw, followed closely by Kaidan Rowe of Sweet Evil. The fabulous Michelle Hodkin is offering fans extra incentive to add Noah to their lists (as if we need it) by offering up a special scene of our choice should he receive enough nominations. Maybe it will be another scene from his POV! You can find all the details on Michelle's Blog.

SPF9 GIVEAWAY

Last but not least, I have the SPF9 Giveaway (from HarperTeen):

Did you know… books provide excellent shade? HarperTeen is giving you the chance to sample your very own Sun-Proof Fiction with nine of our most fantastic summer reads in paperback. During the month of June, we’ll be tweeting our favorite beach reading photos with #spf9 hashtag, giving away books and more on HarperTeen’s Facebook, and spreading the word that books can be better than sunglasses.

To enter the giveaway, just visit HarperTeen's Facebook Page.

WAIT! Before you run off and enter (because this giveaway is unbelievably awesome), HarperTeen has given me the privilege of hosting a separate giveaway here on the blog. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below and you'll be entered for a chance to win. Giveaway is open to US residents only, good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway