A Demon Made Me Do It - Indie Love Blog Hop

First of all, I would like to say thank you to Debdatta for allowing me to be a part of this year's "Spread Some Indie Love Blog Hop"

((Make sure you check out the other Blog Hop Hosts for more reviews and giveaways at the end of this post))

I love Indie books.  But I'm kinda guessing you figured that out with my Indie book blog.  Those of you who have visited The Northern Witch's Books before, welcome back.  And those of you here for the first time, welcome - I heavily recommend you stalk a few of my pages and posts, it will give me an opportunity to scare you away with Briticisms and my terrible sense of humour.

Sorry, back on track.  I started reading Indie books tentatively around the time that I was (somewhat naively) publishing my own book.  I hadn't realised these books existed, and it was like opening the floodgates - overwhelming, but ultimately exhilarating!

In June 2013 I started this blog to help keep track of my reviews, because even if I was going to be the only person to read them, I hated the idea of having lost the thoughts and feelings that these fantastic (and some not-so-fantastic) books provoked.

Since then, I have learnt that there is a lot of dross out there (wait for it, the love's coming...), there is a deluge of books that are badly written, or complete perjury of others.  Tip: don't feel like you have to love every book you read to support Indie books, just like you don't have to love every traditional published book (hello, Great Gatsby - bored to tears).
But amongst the flood of books there are gems, better and brighter than anything you can get in Waterstones (other book shops are available).  There are fantastic writers out there that have written the story that they are passionate about; a story that doesn't go through the mill of a publicist and housing firm that trims it to make it more commercial, to match whatever is trending now.
These Indie writers have an original voice, which is never censored or rushed to meet a deadline.

Oh, and in case you aren't sold, the majority of them are absolutely bloody lovely.
I'm not kidding, the number of times that I have been able to have a chat with the authors of some of my favourite Indie books - they all have time for you, I haven't met anyone not happy to answer my inane questions.  Even some of the bigger names - I was so excited I went jumping around room when one major name took the time for a lovely conversation with me (I may have got a funny look from my housemate).

But anyways, I'm going to stop prattling for a moment.
There are two things that I was asked to provide for this Blog Hop:

First, a giveaway.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Shadow Rises

by K.S. Marsden

Giveaway ends February 21, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Well lookee there, that looks like one!
I am giving away 1 paperback copy of The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter #1).  It is open for worldwide entries, and the winner will be announced on February 22nd.
All you need is to be a member of Goodreads, and to click on the button above.
And for those of you that are just too impatient for a possible paperback - visit my Published Works page for links to download the ebook for free.


The second thing, was to provide a review for an author, or a book.  For that, I could have chosen any number of books and authors that I have read, but there is one certain book that has been waiting for a review write up for ages:

A Demon Made Me Do It

by Penelope King

5 out of 5

Synopsis
Some girls share clothes, a bathroom, or a bedroom. Seventeen-year-old Liora Greyson has to share, too. Only she shares her body--with a demon.

Liora just wants to survive her final year of high school unscathed, her dark secret intact. But the walls she’s carefully constructed to keep people away crack wide open once she meets the sexy and mysterious Kieron, and he lights her world on fire. She can’t let him know she transforms into a demon named "Lucky" at nightfall—a demon with an entirely separate personality who passes out Torment, Justice, and Revenge like Halloween candy.

Turns out Kieron is the one who should be afraid once Lucky discovers his true identity and motivations. Liora wants to love him, but Lucky thinks he’s public enemy number one. And having a demon with a vendetta show up during a romantic date puts a serious crimp in any relationship.

Fighting your demons is one thing. Having one that fights back, messes with your guy, and leaves you with nasty hangovers is quite another.

Being bad has never been so good...

Review
Human Liora and demon Lucky inhabit the same body.  Things go smoothly enough when they follow the rules and stick to their alotted time.  But Lucky doesn't like rules, and her grasp over what is acceptable behaviour can make Liora's life a living hell.

I downloaded this book for free - oh crikey, all the way back in December 2013.  But as you sometimes do with free ebooks, they sit on your computer and kindle for ages before you get round to them.
Then I did eventually start it, and I was immediately put off.  I don't know, from the synopsis and my own stupid brain that jumped to conclusions, I was expecting something else.  I thought it would be more comedic, I thought it would be following Liora's attempt at human life and how the enemy Lucky was ruining it.
I know, I know, I shot myself in the foot.  I read it and it was good, but I thought perhaps a three star.

Then one day at work, during dinner time when I usually get my reading done, there was one book I was supposed to be reading, but it was so bad I had to DNF.  And the only other thing I had on my kindle was A Demon Made Me Do It...
I re-read it and I had to kick myself.  How had I been so blinkered?  It is actually a really sweet story.  Liora and Lucky are such fun characters, and they are just like squabbling siblings.  Lucky always plays big sister, looking out for Liora, whether she wants it or not.
And Liora is trying to play the good girl, trying to do well at school and make her life matter in comparison to Lucky's.

Some stories have a love triangle, this one goes straight for a square!
Lucky has to deal with her attraction to the new stranger in town, as well as accepting that her best friend Bones may well be in love with her.
And poor Kieron, who is involved with Lucky and Liora!

The world of the demons, the hierarchy and volatile politics, is creative and you just dive in alongside Lucky.
But Liora's world is no less real.  She knows about demons and such, and shuns everything to do with them.  She loves her human life, and that makes the time spent in the human world no less special than the demon world.

Overall, this book was a beautiful balance, and definitely a series to try out.  Especially as the book is still free on Amazon people!

Goodreads Link
Amazon.co.uk