ARC Review and Author Interview: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Release Date: May'12

HarperTeen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

My thoughts:

I loved Sweet Evil! I couldn't get enough of it, I tried to take my time reading this book so I could savour each chapter that much more. The only problem is I just couldn't stop myself, I kept telling myself "just one more page" which would would turn in to one more chapter and so on. Needless to say I finished this read in one sitting.

If I could pick one word to describe this book, it would be SEXUAL TENSION, ok two words :). This book is FULL of sexual tension, and it's just so satisfying! To be honest, I was really surprised by how dark a read SWEET EVIL turned out to be. There were some parts that had me thinking it should be 16+, but, trust me, they were very enthralling and entertaining!

The relationship-building between Kai and Anna was thoroughly well done. Feelings emerge, between these two, at a quick pace, but Higgins handles these feelings with such intensity that the reader feels no discomfort at the pacing. 

I personally am team Kai! He's literally talking, walking sex on a stick and o so charming, while also being the typical male in the sense that he's always leaving Anna, and in effect, the reader wanting/needing more physically and emotionally. He has his own "demons" to deal with and I love the fact that he's not the perfect stereotypical "Edward-like" hero, that seems to surround YA these days.

Anna is a great protagonist. She's moral and just, but isn't too preachy or goody goody. She's a typical teenage girl living out new teenage experiences all while dealing with finding out that she's the daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one.

Another relationship I appreciated in Sweet Evil, was that of Anna and her father. The familial bond these two share really tugged at my heart strings. Wiggins handles this father/daughter dynamic beautifully, you'll be cheering when you read their reunion! :)

Another male added to the mix is Kopano. You don't expect him and are not quite sure what to do with him. He adds a great balance of the good boy to Kai's bad boy persona and opens Anna's options, leaving room for a possible love-triangle.

Last male I'll mention, but certainly not least, is Jay. O how I do love Jay, he reminds me of Duckie from Pretty in Pink. He was the perfect, platonic best friend to Anna and I can't wait to see what Wendy has in store for him in book 2!

As you can probably guess, I really don't have anything negative to say about Sweet Evil, I loved it from beginning to end (especially the middle i.e. Kai and Anna's roadtrip! :) ) The only problem is I wish I had waited to read this book until the entire series was released, or at least book 2, because the ending of Sweet Evil had me pulling out my hair and saying "WHAT?! NO" 

So thank you Wendy for writing such a gripping read and eventually making me go bald because of it! Haha.

I would recommend this to all those who enjoy a YA Paranormal read, romance or a genuinely unique take on Demons and Angels. However, there is some mature content in this book, (sex, drugs, drinking) but nothing to explicit that a mature reader couldn't handle :). I will be rereading this book over and over until book 2 comes out!

And now I have the amazing opportunity to welcome Wendy to the blog today! She's here to answer some burning questions I was left with after reading Sweet Evil! Please join me in welcoming Wendy Higgins!

1) What inspired you to write Sweet Evil? 

Lots of things…my fascination about the “good and bad” elements living in each one of us, my faith in love, my spiritual beliefs and curiosities, my passion for bad boy drummers.  J

2) Was it a tough process getting Sweet Evil published?

My journey to publication was not traditional. My book was reviewed by a HarperCollins editor when it was voted into the top five on the publisher’s Young Adult writing site, Inkpop.com.  I’m one of two authors (that we know of) to be picked-up through the site. It was definitely an unexpected dream-come-true.

3) If you could pick one term to describe Sweet Evil, what would it be? (pssst my answer would definitely be SEXUAL TENSION) loved it! :)

Woo, yes, romantic/sexual tension for certain.  I’d also say “Multilayered.” It ended up being not just Anna’s story, but also Kaidan’s and her father’s stories.

4) Would you say you're a Kai or Kopano girl? Why?

I love them both for very different reasons, but I have an especially tender spot for the tortured Kaidan. It’s funny because in real life I dated lots of Kaidans, but married a Kopano. I guess that’s because in real life, bad boys are called “bad” for a reason.

5) How far do you plan to take the Sweet Evil series?

It will be a trilogy.  The second Sweet book is under consideration with the publisher at the moment. *fingers crossed*  Book three is mostly outlined, but not written yet.

6) If you could pick your dream cast for Sweet Evil, whom would you choose?

Since it’s an international cast of characters, they’d have to be of genuine origin - no cast of Americans faking accents, lol.  I like Ben Barnes for Kaidan, only he’d need to have blue 
eyes.

Wendy's ideal Kai

7) If you could choose, which Duke would you want to be the daughter of? Why?

Eeek!  My first instinct is to say NONE OF THEM! Then I think, Alocer, because maybe I wouldn’t have to “work.” But I wouldn’t want to be plagued with Wrath. So my final answer is Jezebet, the Duke of Lies. I’d be able to tell if anyone was lying to me...which, while cool, would also kind of suck.

8) What advice would you give to those just starting out in the publishing industry?

Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Only you can write like you, and everyone’s journey is different. Write what’s on your heart, and don’t give up. It’s a long process and takes a lot of patience and perseverance.

Thank you so much to Wendy for stopping by and answering some of my burning questions. Best of luck with your debut Wendy!!!

Happy Reading!!!