Let It Snow Books: Interview with Kate Evangelista + Giveaway

Welcome to Day 12 of Let it Snow Books 2012, where for the next three weeks you have the chance to read some really fun holiday posts from some of your favorite authors, both here and at Ex Libris.

Today, we welcome author Kate Evangelista here at Books to Brighten your Mood with a festive post and you will have the chance to win a copy of Taste and Reaping me Softly. Kate's debut novel took me by surprise with how fresh and well written it is and needless to say that after reading her second novel, Reaping me Softly and falling in love with it as well, Kate is on my auto-buy list :)
You can read my review of Taste here and that of Reaping me Softly here.

-Since this whole event is about the Best Books we read in 2012, could you share with us some of your favorite titles you read this year?
Kate: I've actually gotten into all the Brazen Books of Entangled. Anyone of them is a great read. As for my very favorite title this year? Lisa Kleypas can never go wrong for me. I loved Dream Lake.

-Is there anything special you usually do for the holidays?
Kate: My family and I have lunch at out favorite Chinese restaurant. In my world, it's the little things that make us really happy. Opening gifts, eating at Pecking Garden, then a little shopping. The sales are awesome in the tropics during the holiday season.

-Do you have any favorite holiday themed stories (movies or books)?
Kate: I love Santa Claus--the one with Tim Allen. It's hilarious.

-Could you share with us your favorite holiday meal/dessert/candy?
Kate: I love the peppermint Frappuccinos from Starbucks.

-What’s one of the best gifts you ever received/gave for Christmas?
Kate: I think the best gift I ever got is the laptop my mother gave me. Fred really started my road to getting published.

-Christmas/the holidays wouldn't be the real deal without...
Kate: Christmas wouldn't be the real deal without our giant tree with lots of presents under it.

-You’re holiday shopping, name a few things you’ll buy this year.
Kate: I'm buying my mother a scarf (because she specifically asked for it). For my brother, it's noise cancelling headphones. And for my dad, he wants fancy chocolates. I love them all to death.

-Do you prefer an angel or a star on top of your tree?
Kate: We have an angel.

-Let’s say you have the chance to spend the holidays with a fictional character, who would that be and what would you be doing?
Kate: Luka. Don't tell the other characters in my head, but he's my favorite.

-What would you ask Santa to bring you this year?
Kate: A GT500 Mustang. *wiggles eyebrows*

Thank you Kate for stopping by today and Happy Holidays!

About the author

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing.

Visit Kate

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

About the Book:
Title: Taste
Author: Kate Evangelista
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Length: 259 pages
Release Date:April 30th 2012
Purchase Info: Book Depository, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans. When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kate has generously offered a paperback copy of Taste for one lucky commenter and an e-book of Reaping me Softly for another. (Open Internationally.) All giveaways end on January 5th.

~Fill the forms below to enter ~

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Blog Tour: Review of Reaping me Softly by Kate Evangelista + Giveaway!

Today I'm really excited to be one of the next tour stops in the Blog Tour of Reaping me Softly by Kate Evangelista which is hosted by ATOMR Tours! You can click the button of the tour above to check the full schedule. And check at the end of the post for a giveaway :)

Reaping me Softly by Kate Evangelista

Publication Date:October 30th 2012

Publisher:Omnific Publishing

Paperback, 220 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

After reading Taste by Kate Evangelista I have to admit that I was "stalking" the author for her next release. I loved so much Kate's debut novel and her writing style is right up my alley, so I was certain that there's no way that she could write a story I wouldn't love. And after reading Reaping me Softly, I'm glad to say that I couldn't be more right about this author!

Kate Evangelista is an amazing storyteller, an author with a unique voice and a talent to create different worlds, worlds that suck you in and completely mesmerise you. Worlds that are magical but hold a certain dark quality along with a distinct threat. A threat that everything pure and beautiful in this world can shatter any minute while there's also a promise that this pureness can overcome any darkness. All those elements are perfectly balanced in Evangelista's work and that is maybe what makes me love her stories so much. Well, one of the reasons anyway!

Reaping me Softly is the story of Ariane and Niko, a human and a Reaper, who meet and fall in love against all odds. But this is so much more than a teen paranormal romance story. Evangelista also deals with death and grief in her newest novel, along with the hot topic of bullying. And all that wrapped in a sweet and incredible love story.

I won't say anything about the plot. Only that it's even paced and keeps you turning the pages of this book until you reach the last one. The character development is pretty good with both main and secondary characters being explored. Especially those glimpses into Death's thoughts were priceless!

The ending just left me wanting for more. Seriously, there was no need for things to end that way and make us wait for so long until the second book is released... I'm kidding, the way things turned at the end and the ending, even if a little bit cliffhangerish, is just perfect.

All in all, Kate Evangelista is among the authors I discovered this year and whose work I will stalk because simply, I love everything about it! From Taste to Reaping me Softly, this author proves that she's is here to stay!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AToMR Tours are also hosting a big giveaway in celebration of Reaping me Softly's release. Enter the form bellow to enter:

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Cover Reveal: Reaping me Softly by Kate Evangelista

Reaping me Softly by Kate Evangelista

Publication Date:
October 30th 2012

Publisher:
Omnific Publishing

Summary
Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

Kate Evangelista's newest release with Omnific Publishing, Reaping me Softly, has finally a cover!!! And what a cover! Isn't it gorgeous? After reading Kate's first published novel, Taste, I just couldn't wait for her next book and with that cover, I just can't wait even more :)

Also, a big thank you to AToMR Tours for hosting such a fun event :)

Guest Post: Zhamvy Mythos by Kate Evangelista and Giveaway!

Today I'm really excited to welcome author Kate Evangelista here at my place to celebrate the release of her debut novel, Taste. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to read and review Taste as a member of Book Lovers and as soon as I finished reading it, I was so in love with it that I just couldn't pass the opportunity to work with Kate a little more. After all, I was so intrigued by the Zvamvy myth, I just wanted to know as much as possible about it and its inspiration. And what better way that let Kate explain everything herself. So, please welcome Kate Evangelista and don't forget to check at the end of the post for your chance to win a copy of Taste.

Zhamvy Mythos

by Kate Evangelista

Before I discuss how the Zhamvy mythos evolved, I first need to share with all of you the genesis of Taste.

As many of you might have read from several interviews, I used to teach high school. And at one of the schools I used to teach at, there is this practice of ringing a bell in the afternoon to signal to the students still on campus that they have to wait by the gate to be picked up by their parents. This meant no students should be on campus at a certain time.

The practical reason for this has to do with the nuns who run the school being at prayer and cannot be disturbed.

In my head, something happened on campus at night that the students during the day shouldn't know about. I imagined corpses rising from the ground and going to school. This is the beginning of Taste.

When I'm writing something new, I keep the research to a minimum to avoid cross contaminating my creativity with information already out there. This meant I didn't really look into the zombie myth as much.

At the time I was writing Taste, vampires were all the rage. Twilight was hot. So, I thought to myself that I wanted to go a different route. Zombies came to mind since they weren't the trend. I guess, since Taste took a while to reach readers, the trend of Zombies over took me. *laughs*

But I digress.

To be honest, I never thought of the Zhamvy as zombies. They are more like a race of apex predators. In real life, humans are the apex predators because nothing eats us. So, I thought: what if there are creatures that are very similar to humans but live off human flesh? That's how the Zhamvy were born. They are essentially the hunters of humans. An evolved, better, more long-lived version of the humans.

But, as with many great civilizations, something happened that forced them underground. I would spoil the story of Taste here by mentioning what that thing is.

So, if they are not zombies, then where did the idea of zombies come from? You might ask.

The basic definition of a zombie is an animated corpse. Now, depending on who you believe, these creatures attack and eat humans. At least that's what happens in some capacity in every zombie apocalypse movie.

The walking dead.

Well, in Taste, the Zhamvy essentially become the walking dead for a different reason. Their civilization is dying, and the only reason they've held on for so long had to do with the underhanded tactics of Dray, the Zhamvy bent on saving them and the humans too.

I love the Zhamvy. Their society is based on a caste system without the extreme prejudice that usually comes with castes. They segregate themselves based on their hair and eye color, and they are bred for specific tasks. Through Luka's and Demitri's descriptions, I've had the privilege of exploring their world, which I hope you will do to by reading Taste.

At the end of day, the Zhamvy were born from the simple idea of ringing a bell in the afternoons. When I'm asked what inspires me, I always say anything and everything. If you're open to everything, anything can inspire you. If it weren't for my experience of teaching, I wouldn’t have come across the ringing of the bell. And if it weren't for that, Taste would never have been written.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me today. To learn more about the Zhamvy, please grab your copy of Taste. It's not your typical paranormal romance. I really want you to meet Demitri, Luka, Dray, Calixta, Yana, and the rest of the Zhamvy. Happy reading!

Thank you so much Kate for stopping by today :)

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing.

Visit Kate here:

Goodreads~Website~Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans. When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Kate has generously offered an e-book of Taste to one lucky winner. (Open Internationally)

Guidelines

~ The contest is open Internationally.

~ You must be 13 years old or over to participate.

~ The winner will be chosen via Random.org

~ The prize is submitted by the author/publisher and I have no responsibility whatsoever over it.

~ The contest will be open until August 5th

~ The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to confirm his/her e-mail address before a new winner is selected.

~Fill the form below to enter ~

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REVIEW: Taste by Kate Evangelista

Taste by Kate Evangelista

Publication Date:April 30th 2012

Publisher:Crescent Moon Press

Paperback, 259 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Review originally posted at Book Lovers Inc

I have to admit it, when I first read the premise of Taste, I thought that I should expect something like Vampire Academy. I don't know why but something about the fact that the story is set in a strange school, something about the name Demitri, and I just assumed that Taste would be a more or less typical YA story. Boy I was so wrong and I couldn't be happier about it!

Taste is so unique, so new a story that all my previous thoughts of any resemblance between Kate Evangelista's story and Vampire Academy or anything else for that matter scattered away really soon! I won't say why, believe me not knowing what mythical creature this story is about or anything else for that matter, made it all the better for me! Taste is a surprise of a YA novel!

Kate Evangelista's voice is strong and fresh and she has a remarkable ability to create so intricate worlds that it would be safe to say that we should expect great things from her. I strongly believe that she has much more to give and that in the future we will see stories of her become quite the sensation. I mean her world building is unlike anything I have read so far, fully detailed but not boring even for a single minute, and most of all understandable. Evangelista's writing is efficient and straight to the point. Not even for a single minute was I bored and as soon as I started reading this story, the surprises kept coming one after the other.

And for starters, the fact that from the premise I again assumed that the story would take place in school grounds. But again Evangelista surprised me with the way she presented her story and well, as I said in the beginning of this review there's nothing typical about Taste and nothing is exactly as it seems to be. From the narration to the world building everything screams awesomeness!

And the surprises don't end here. The ever present in so many YA titles nowadays love triangle doesn't make it's appearance! You heard me right. There might be two hot guys in this story, there might be some light flirting, just enough to spice things up, but at last, this is a story that doesn't deem necessary for its heroine to "struggle" to decide between two perfect guys when more important things in the story happen. As I said, Taste is fresh :)

And last but not least, I'd like to mention the heroine, Phoenix, a special character that will stick to my mind for a number of reasons. Evangelista did a splendid job describing her, the way she always felt lonely even in the middle of a large group of people, a girl who's deprived of love and attention, who may occasionally act in an impulsive way to get, her father's mostly, attention but who has a pure heart, who's brave and caring and everything good at heart.

All in all, Taste is a YA novel that took me by surprise with its freshness and its amazing and intriguing world building. Totally recommend it.

*This title was provided for review courtesy of the author

And don't forget to check back tomorrow to meet Kate Evangelista and learn more about Taste as well as have a chance to win a copy of this amazing book :)