Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Down N' Derby Blog Tour Stop: Review and Interview

Down N' Derby by Lila Felix Blog: Review & Interview - May 16th



As you all know I love Lila Felix books. I always jump on the opportunity to be on her blog tours and this is no exception! It's so great talking to Lila and Mandy from iReadIndie.


Review:

"Maddox is running.
By accident, he discovered long ago that he was adopted as a baby and his need to find his biological father has consumed him ever since. Now, on a road trip, determined to find his father and his sanity, and armed with locations and his cousin, Nixon, to help him, maybe he can find the answers he’s been searching for. With nothing but a suitcase and a wad of cash to get him there, lead after lead takes him further from home.
But he’ll find much more than he intended.
He finds Storey, a pint sized pin-up model who has learned painful lessons about guys. Her wounds run deep, but so do his. She knows what she wants, but will she recognize it when it’s right in front of her?
Maddox can’t touch anyone without feeling like his skin is crawling, but just maybe his instinct to protect this amazing girl will supersede his own hang-ups.
If he can brush her skin and start to feel alive inside...everything will change."


Thoughts:

This is by far my favorite Love & Skate series novel......

It really is an honor reviewing and being a part of Lila Felix's tours. Being an author in general is not the easiest thing. Coming up with characters, plots, and just in general having great writing. The authors that have mediocre books are nice to talk to, but it's not until you encounter a book or series that is truly great that oozes with brilliance, and makes you feel for the characters do you really understand the definition of "a talent". Lila Felix is a brilliant author that never surprises but always astounds. Gaining respect among the indie reading community for her endearing stories of love and fining yourself.  Down N' Derby is a novel that leaks passion through the electronic pages, sucks you into a whirlwind of emotions, and is spiced with beautiful writing.

Down N' Derby, the third installment of the Love & Skate series is another brilliant, but different story. Honestly, with Love & Skate and How it Rolls I found myself easily predicting the plot line of the book. With Down N' Derby having a new adventure with Maddox, Nixon, & Storey. The book was so fun to read because I felt like I was reading a whole other series. I had no idea where the story would turn next. With the new adventures, the Lila Felix writing romance charm still was prevalent in the novel. This combination is what really made this a great read!

Storey is by far my favorite Love & Skate character. She's feisty but knows when to be nice and has the capacity to also be more serious. It was great to read her in comparison to all the other models in the beginning as well. She just seems in general a really awesome person to know in real life! Maddox was a really sweet guy to read. The way his attitude towards finding his father shifted was really great to read as his and Storey's relationship developed. Nixon was my second favorite to read (besides Storey). To me, he seems more....my type (* embarrassed blush*). The three Black brothers seem to be more hunky and just seem different. Nixon seems less like that and I'm just excited to read him OKAY. I just really liked reading him... -_-

Overall, a really great third book that left me wanting more! Some scenes were confusing and a bit too vague, so I couldn't really tell what was going on. Other than that I'm very happy with this installment and can't wait to review Caught in a Jam.
5 out of 5 stars
-M

P.S. I really love Hurricane by Ms Mr for this book... and the lady singer has derby hair!!


Interview:

And now...the part you've all been waiting for...Lila Felix!! 

Me:Thank you so much for doing this interview for Wide Awake blog tour and The Alternative Kryptonite!!
Lila: Very excited, thanks for having me!

Me: What inspired you to write the Love & Skate series?
Lila: I love roller derby, not like it, love it.  And I wanted to write a series about people who get judged by their outside appearance.

Me: When did you decide to make Love & Skate into a series or was it pre-planned?
Lila: It was not preplanned but I knew as soon as Falcon had a spot in the plot of Nellie and Owen that he had to have his own book.

Me: What makes the Love & Skate series stand out from all the others, besides that it’s a series?
Lila: I think there’s lessons to be learned from each family member. 

Me: What or who inspired you to create the Black family and when did you decide to do a novel that mostly correlates to each Black son?
Lila: I just wanted to create a family that loved each other and who actually made an effort to be good to each other.


Me: How did you come up with the Derby theme? Are you a fan of Derby racing or did you have to do a lot of research?
Lila: I’m a big fan.  There wasn’t a lot of research to do.

MeWhat is your favorite part about writing the Love & Skate novels? What was the hardest part?
Lila: My fave part is writing the male POV.  I just love it. The hardest part is writing the grief and the pain.  Those people are like my kids.

MeHow did you decide to do multiple POVs? Why do you think you chose that?
Lila: I love writing the male POV!! I don’t know why, I just do.

Me: Who do you think is your favorite character? Or set of characters?
Lila: Oh….always, always Falcon.

Me: What one song do you think most describes the Love & Skate series as a whole?
Lila: Howlin’ For You by The Black Keys

Me: Can you give us any other hints as to the future of the Love & Skate series?
Lila: I am writing Caught In A Jam right now, along with AnguiSH and Seeking Havok.  Rex’s book will come after that.  I think I’ve titled it False Start, which is a derby term, but I’m not sure!!

Lila: Thank you Maggie for your continued support and love!!!
Me: No problem, you're the best!


Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lila Felix lives in the swamps of Louisiana with her husband and three boisterous children. She loves coffee, anything cinnamon and loves to cook. She is a big roller derby fan. When she's not writing, she's watching 80's movies, reading, and collecting duct tape.
Links:
Visit Lila Felix on Goodreads here.
Check out her Facebook fan page for the latest updates here.
Say hi to Lila Felix on her official blog.
Follow her on Twitter: @AuthorLilaFelix

Visit M on GoodReads here.
Get all the latest blog updates on Facebook here!
Follow me on Twitter: @maggie_a_t





2 comments:

  1. GREAT POST!!! thanks so much for helping out!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great review and interview..... and AWESOME giveaway.

    ReplyDelete