Breaking Waves by Danielle Sibarium Blog Tour: Review, Interview, Guest Post, and Giveaway!

Breaking Waves by: Danielle Sibarium Blog Tour! Review, Interview, Guest Post, and Giveaway!


Review: Heart Waves
Jenna Kingsley has a gift. She knows things. With a simple touch she can pick up personal information from jewelry or objects. While at a neighbor’s party, a voice mesmerizes her. Jenna is momentarily frozen as a ring is placed in her hand. White electricity surges through her and a dire prediction is made. “It’s like Romeo and Juliet. You’re going to break my heart.”               
From the moment they meet Jenna is enchanted and entranced with Reece Walton. She’s thrilled to learn he’s spending the summer two houses away from hers. Every moment they spend together is magical. But she can’t get the prediction out of her mind. As the summer draws to a close and secrets are revealed, can Jenna get past the fear of being left with a broken heart to live in the moment with Reece or will her fear of being hurt fulfill the prophecy?                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                          Publication Date: June 1, 2012                                                               Publisher: KFR Communications
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This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for a blog tour, and I loved it so much! It had a heroine unlike any I’ve ever read about, a completely sexy man, and a super unique story line.

Jenna can sense private things from a person when she touches the intimate objects of that person. When she predicts that a very cute guy at a party will break her heart, she is immediately intrigued by Reece Walton. They have an instant connection, and although she is wary of her prediction, she can’t seem to stay away from him. After futile attempts to keep him at arms length, she eventually caves and the two embark on a full-on summer romance. They spend all their time together and as time passes, fall in love completely and fully. But Jenna can’t shake the fact that this relationship will end badly, and can she fully trust Reece?

Jenna is a beyond headstrong heroine. She does not let anyone walk all over her in any capacity, and she is always cautious about trusting anyone she doesn’t know well. She holds grudges and really bites into people who are on her bad side. Frankly, sometimes, she can be an unpleasant person. But when she relaxes and learns to trust, she loves fully. At times, I felt she could be rash and not think things through, but faults always make someone human and even more enjoyable to read about. Jenna was definitely an interesting character, and I loved her and her inner dialogue!

Reece…where do I even start? This boy literally captivated my heart from the first time Jenna saw him. If I didn’t love Jenna and him together so much, I’d want him for myself! He is confident but not in a really annoying, overly cocky way. He is sweet without being mushy and gushy. He is very smart but he didn’t act pretentious at all. He knows how to say the best things at the perfect time. He wasn’t scared by Jenna’s craziness because he genuinely wanted to be with her. He was just so cute! :)

Grace, Jenna’s best friend, was a character I had to come around to. She was a classic girl who finally got the attention of the super hot guy and acted as such. But she eventually got better. Mike, Grace’s boyfriend, was funny and obnoxious, and Jenna really hated him. But I was pleasantly surprised by how he ended up. Both Jenna and Reece’s parents were a conundrum. Her parents took sometime warming up to Reece, but his put on a nice façade but really didn’t care what Reece wanted in life, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. I can’t figure out my thoughts on Reece’s ex-best friend, Tyler. I don’t know what his motives are at all.

I felt the plot was centered around Jenna and Reece’s romance development. It moved pretty quickly, but the love between the two was palpable. There were some hints about what is to come in Breaking Waves, and I think there will be some more action. The romance was so intense! I feel that is the best way to describe it. If these two aren’t soul mates, I don’t know who is. I want them to have their happy ever after so bad! Danielle’s writing is familiar and very easy to relate to. Jenna’s thoughts were all over the place, but very real.

I am so excited to already have Breaking Waves. The name makes me sad though. I don’t want their hearts to break! I’m going to start right now!

Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: His lips were hot against mine. Softly, deftly, they traced a path across the length of my jaw, down my neck, waking nerve cells I never knew I had. His hands scorched the skin on my stomach just under my top. With every new sensation he helped me discover, a new surge of electricity coursed through my veins making me think I would spontaneously combust. I lost all restraint and reason.
Heart Waves
Rating: 4/5 Tar Heels!

Review: Breaking Waves
From the moment they met, Jenna knew Reece would break her heart, but she never dreamed it would happen like this. Jenna is left shattered and broken. When life becomes too painful to deal with and she feels completely alone, there’s only one person to help her pick up the pieces and move on. The one person she doesn’t want to turn to. The one person she promised to stay away from. Tyler. 

Can Jenna put aside everything she knows about him and let Tyler help heal her broken heart?                                                    

Publication Date: January 10, 2013

Publisher: KFR Communications
Goodreads
B&N Nook 

This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Some series suffer from sophomore syndrome, but this installment absolutely did not! It was equally as engaging, and I loved every bit of it.

Jenna had always predicted that Reece would break her heart, and yet, she let Reece get close to her. So when he does, she is absolutely heartbroken and devastated. Without Reece, the person who knew her the best, no one else understands her and her grief. She feels herself just going through the motions of every day and not really living. When she needs help the most, she turns to Tyler, Reece’s greatest enemy. Since Reece broke her heart, can Tyler make it whole again?

I felt immensely bad for Jenna in this book. She really went through a horrible time, and I felt her grieving strongly. I was so impressed that she didn’t let herself completely shut down. As much as she was anguished, she tried her hardest to move on. I think she matured even more in this episode, and my love for Jenna definitely grew a lot.

Tyler, my new man! He was a total sweetheart and really took care of Jenna when Reece broke her heart. He was attentive, and even let Jenna take him to Zumba class! Oh, that was definitely one of my favorite scenes. He is also very, very good-looking. I still really have no idea why there is so much bad blood between him and Reece. As much as I adore Tyler now, I think he is hiding things from Jenna, and I can’t help but think he may be a bit shady.

Reece was absent for really most of the book. When he was there, he was really sweet, but definitely vague. It’s really hard to explain, but after he broke Jenna’s heart, he broke mine too. I will have a tough time forgiving him in book 3. I think both him and Tyler have hidden agendas, and I am not sure who is keeping Jenna in his best interests.

Jenna’s parents were so good to her. They let her have her own space when she craved it but pushed her to get out when she needed to. Mike, her previous tormentor, showed a much softer side when trying to make Jenna feel better. Grace didn’t really understand what Jenna was going through, but she attempted to console her. I still don’t like her as much as I usually love best friends. I just don’t think she gets Jenna.

Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I found out quickly that I was dead wrong. Danielle throws the greatest curveball that I could never have expected. This plot made me cry like a baby but also laugh like an idiot. There were heartbreaking scenes, but there were also scenes like the Zumba scene. Dragging a beyond hot guy to a dance class with many drooling girls and a jealous Jenna makes for a very good laugh. The romance was a lot different in this book. Jenna still clearly cared for Reece, and she always will. But she also opened her heart to Tyler. They are really different boys, and they both care for Jenna a lot. As for which team I am on, I couldn’t tell you. Ask me after book 3! :)

This installment had me on both of the extreme sides of the emotional scale. I want book 3 so bad right now! Gimme, gimme, gimme!

Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: I didn't make a move, but watched him intently as he dipped his head down for another long delicious kiss. "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time," he said breaking away. "And now, I don't want to stop." "Then don't." I stood on my toes, ready to meet him so he could know in no uncertain terms I wanted it too. His hands circled my waist, and rested on my backside, his thumbs tucked into my waist band, rubbing my skin, lighting a fire within me.
Breaking Waves
Rating: 4/5 Tar Heels!


Author Interview:

1.     Hi, Danielle! First of all, I would like to say thanks so much for stopping on my blog!
So, first question, when did you begin writing? Why did you decide to become a writer?

Thank you so much for having me! I’m very excited to be here! I fell in love with writing literally as I learned to write. I remember the day I learned about brainstorming in first grade. I went to a birthday party later that day and lost a game of Hot Potato because my mind was preoccupied with the idea of brainstorming. I envisioned a topic with a brain spitting out all sorts of words related to it. It was an actual storm of ideas. How cool! Right then and there I was hooked. My favorite school assignments were essays or creative writings.

It wasn’t until the sixth grade that I found out I was good at it. We were required to write one creative writing every month. When the class would behave and we had a few extra minutes at the end of class, my teacher would read the month’s best stories out loud to the class. Mine were regulars and my classmates enjoyed them. I knew then whatever my future held; writing would be a part of it. 

2.     Your books are so unique, so I am curious as to what was your inspiration for your Heart Waves series?

Thank you for that AMAZING compliment. Actually the idea for Heart Waves came to me when I was writing For Always. Originally I thought Heart Waves was the story I wanted to tell, but then I realized they were two different stories, and I wanted one to be a love at first sight/ Romeo and Juliet inspired romance, where I wanted the other to be love that developed from a solid friendship.

3.     What books or authors have influenced you the most in life?

I think I take a little something away from every book I’ve read.  Twilight inspired me to write daily. And Stolen by Lucy Christopher inspired me to try something different with my current WIP.  I decided to take on a tough subject and write it in second person.

4.     What was the hardest part in writing Breaking Waves?

The hardest part of writing Breaking Waves was actually writing it. I know that sounds strange, but a little less than half way through I got this incredible inspiration for another book. I couldn’t focus on Breaking Waves, so I started working on the other novel. Knowing Breaking Waves was the next book in a series, and having readers ask for it, I forced myself to pull it together, put the other book on the back burner and forge ahead. 

5.     How do you begin to organize your writing process when you are starting a new project?

Usually I have a beginning and an end. I have some points along the way I’d like to hit, but that’s it. I don’t sit and outline, at least I haven’t as of yet. I let the characters lead me, and sometimes they surprise me as Tyler has in the Heart Waves series. Originally I planned for him to be in one scene in Heart Waves, but he kept telling me he had more to do.

6.     Jenna is so spunky and Reece is so sweet! Are their character traits that are similar to you or to people you know?

Thanks, I kind of like them too! There is some of me in Jenna.  As a teenager, I had a hard time trusting guys, and sometimes if they were too touchy, I’d have to persuade them to keep their hands to themselves in a way they understood. After reading Heart Waves my husband was convinced he was Reece, now after Breaking Waves he’s pretty sure he’s Tyler lol.

7.     What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read incessantly, write daily, and revise, revise, revise. Write what you are passionate about, not what you think the market is currently dictating. Markets change. Be open to the ever fluid times. The publishing industry has and will continue to transform. We have not seen the finished product, so don’t get hung up on the traditional ideals. 
Character (Jenna) Interview:

1.     Hey Jenna! Thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog today! I hope you're doing well. So my first question is, well I think your gift is pretty awesome, but what are your thoughts about it? Does it scare or surprise you?

Thanks for having me here. I’m not really sure why you want to talk to me, but I’m happy to answer what I can. I’m not in love with my gift. I don’t even know if I’d consider it a gift, especially after meeting Reece, I’d say maybe it’s more of a curse. At first it was a joke. But I surprised my friends at school by getting things right, they were amazed and started telling everyone else. Now people are always asking for readings, and I hate it.   

2.     I definitely don't blame you! What exactly was going through your mind when you first saw Reece? Other than his hotness? *fans self* How did your impression of him change after you go to know him?

OMG, I don’t even know if I was able to think when I saw him.  Romeo and Juliet definitely went through my mind. It was like in the moment that our eyes met time stopped. And for that second everything else disappeared. I thought he was perfect, his voice, his eyes, his smile. After I got to l know him I knew he was perfect, everything I ever wanted. And that was the most terrifying part.

3.     Reece is definitely pretty perfect. :) What are the differences between Reece and Tyler and what makes them each unique?

Reece is sweet and kind. He’s the hero. The guy you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with. Tyler’s the bad boy you want to save from himself, but you know deep down you can’t. He’s like a wild untamed animal, sexy, sleek and dangerous.

4.     *laughs* I totally agree with your view on Tyler. Very sexy! We all know you are a writer. How does journaling help you in your day to day life?

Me a writer? Hardly. I’ve just become so overwhelmed with how I feel. Grace is preoccupied with Mike and the stuff going on in her life, and my parents are so insane since I met Reece, it helps having someplace safe where I could express myself. It helps me store the memories I’m terrified to forget and it helps me figure things out sometimes.

5.     Everyone needs a place to express themselves! I'm glad writing helps you. I think you are very fiery and fierce, so if you could be an animal, what would you be and why?

Thank you so much for the compliment. Reece softened me up too much. He made me a pile of melted butter. I think I’d be a swan. They are beautiful to look at, but dangerous if they feel threatened. People underestimate swans, but they know how to take care of business when they need to.

6.     I can definitely see you as a swan. Describes you perfectly! I know you like kissing a lot, but what other hidden hobbies do you have?

That’s funny because I never really liked kissing before Reece. Could you blame me? Guys were always so obnoxious. They couldn’t keep their hands where they should be. I really like Calligraphy, it’s pretty and frilly, totally a girl thing! 

7.     I've always wanted to try Calligraphy. Maybe you can teach me! One of my favorite scenes in Breaking Waves was the Zumba scene. *laughs* What is your favorite song to dance to during Zumba class?

OMG Bree is such a great instructor  I love all the songs she picks, but anything by or with Pitbull in it makes us work extra hard! And they’re usually a little sexier too! 
Guest Post: How do you go from a story idea to a finished book? What are some of the most important steps?
When I write a book, I need a beginning and an ending. Sometimes I know points in between that I want to hit. When I wrote For Always, there was a scene between Stephanie and Charlie that stuck in my head right from the start.  I think I wrote the whole book around it. I knew it was a great scene and it was one of the first scenes I wrote.

Next I worked on character development. In all of my books, there are chapters that always get cut. They’re usually background that I do more for myself in learning about the characters than for the actual story.

If I have random scenes throughout, (I almost always do) I go back to the beginning and connect them. I ask myself how did the characters get from here to there, and what happened next?

And then I edit. And edit. And edit some more. I engage my beta readers and look for feedback. This is extremely important. We all want to hear how amazing our books are and how readers were riveted throughout. That’s great, but we’re not all perfect and it’s important to hear what doesn’t work, or what might work better.  Beta readers should be trusted and listened to. They should also be  familiar with the genre you’re writing in.
About the Author:

Danielle Sibarium grew up as an only child of divorced parents in Brooklyn, New York. Her imagination was developed at an early age. Surrounded by stuffed animals and imaginary friends, she transported herself into a fantasy world full of magic and wonder. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality. On any given summer afternoon she became Snow White sweeping and cooking for the dwarfs, or Cinderella waiting for the prince.

Danielle always loved dialogue and in elementary school began writing plays and short stories. This is when she began to understand she could not only bring her fantastical world to life for herself, but she could enchant others as well. And so she wrote. She wrote and wrote and wrote.

Sadly the first piece she ever sent out for publication of any sort was a letter to the editor of The Home News Tribune. It was a piece thanking the first responders for their bravery and selflessness on Sept 11th. It was chosen as letter of the week.

In 2007 Danielle collaborated with Charlotte Doreen Small to write songs for her CD More. Danielle wrote the lyrics for Take My Hand, and Goodbye, while Charlotte contributed the melody.

 In October 2011 Danielle’s debut novel For Always was released. She has since released Heart Waves and the second book in the Heart Waves series, Breaking Waves. 

Danielle graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children.

Connect with Danielle Sibarium:

Website                                                                                                                                          Twitter                                                                                                                                  Goodreads                                                                                                                                      Heart Waves Facebook

Giveaway: International!

Thanks SO much to Danielle for stopping by Tar Heel Bibliobabe today! It was a pleasure to have you, and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in book 3!