Monday, July 2, 2012

Guest Post- Bitten Shame by Olivia Hardin

I’m an eclectic reader. My tastes run the gamut and if I’m not into something, I find that I just can’t finish reading it. My brain shuts down, goes partially comatose. So when I say I love a book, I really, honest-to-goodness LOVE it. Today I thought I’d share with you my top five favorite books. 5. House of Gold by Bud MacFarlane, Jr. This is the sequel to another book by MacFarlane. I had developed a lot of affection for the cast of characters, all struggling with their own personal demons and trying to live their lives as best they could – all Catholics looking for answers in their faith. So when the second book released I had a pretty strong attachment to Buzz, Sam and Ellie. House of Gold tossed those beloved characters into the Y2K crisis. The world shuts down and complete societal collapse occurs – and you sometimes wonder if the mystical beliefs of these stalwart Catholics can sustain them. 4. Craved by Stephanie Nelson When I began considering Indie publishing I met some fabulous ladies. When I thought I was ready, I answered the call to Beta read this book for Stephanie Nelson. Gwen Sparks, the smart-mouthed and feisty witch who tries to solve a murder while being pursued by a very sexy vampire. The story was fabulous, Stephanie is now a close friend and beta reading that book was my first step on the road to publishing my own book. It was such a thrilling experience. Craved will forever be connected in my heart because of all of those things. 3. The Velvet Series by Jude Deveraux This is actually a set for four books, Velvet Promise, Highland Velvet, Velvet Song and Velvet Angel. Ah, the Montgomery Brothers. It was so hard to decide which one I loved best. You really couldn’t separate one from any other. Gavin, the strong stoic head of the household; Stephen, the brother who finds his identity when he becomes a part of his bride’s clan; Raine, the defender of the oppressed with a lovely gift of song; and of course Miles, the baby brother and lover of all things female, young and old. Not only do I love these books, but I love that I share them with my mom. I remember not long ago we sorted through her enormous stash of paperbacks and stopped to fondly finger the worn and earmarked pages of each of the Velvet books. 2. Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen I happened upon this book several years ago when a friend loaned it to me. How could I ever have imagined how Barbara would imprint onto my heart? Even as a child she has always loved the man she will eventually marry, but intrigue and secrets try to tear him from her. In the end he returns to her, but the story is so bittersweet that I still cry each time I read it. The emotion, passion and spirit evoked in the 18th century historical make you feel like you’re really there living it. I can only hope that my stories might manage to affect another person the way this one affected me emotionally. 1. Aztec by Gary Jenning This novel was required reading in an Aztec history course I took in undergraduate school. I was a history major and had taken a class on Native Americans which I enjoyed, so I thought this one might supplement that. I became completely enamored of the rich and vibrant history of the Aztecs. I am fascinated beyond words by almost every aspect of their lives. I was told by my professor that this novel is well-researched and gives an almost complete picture of their lives pre-conquest. The book is an epic tale full of humor, love, sex, heartache and despair – in other words, Life. No matter what kinds of books are to your taste, cherish your favorites. A good book forever becomes a part of us. Happy Reading! ~Olivia

Find Olivia's books:

Witch Way Bends is Available at Amazon

Bitten Shame is Available at Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble ~~~ Smashwords

You can also get autographed paperbacks of both books from Olivia’s blog.

Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement. With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she's generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A nativeTexasgirl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband Danny and their puppy Bonnie.
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