Ramona Wray is a Romanian-born author now living in Plymouth with her husband and young son. Her third book in English, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale was released on February 1, 2011 and combines a classic fantasy premise with twists of past lives, hexes, and the power to create one's own destiny. 

Self-published in English, which is not her native language, if I might add, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is thoroughly fun and refreshing. To view my review, click HERE. So, without further ado, onto the interview!

1. Describe Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale in five words or less, please!

Well, that's easy - pink, pink, and pink :) Or - fun, surprising, easy read.

2. Who is (are) your favourite authors, and why?

Ooh, tough question. Jane Austen, because she's so subtle, and funny, and - well - Jane Austen. Annette Curtis Clause, because her novels have amazing depth. Jenny Downham, because Before I Die was like nothing I ever read before. Holly Black, because she is such an innovative writer. Sarah Rees Brennan because she's unique. Cassandra Clare because she writes so elegantly.

3. Do you model your characters' personalities after real-life people?

I'm often inspired by real-life people, but my characters are purely fictional. They live in my head only.

4. Where do you draw your information from?

Different sources. I'm a meticulous observer and I always watch people (though not in a creepy way :). But the way they act, the way they handle emotion, and so on. I was raised by my grandparents so I grew up listening to all kind of myths and legends. After I left Romania, I lived in many different places and everywhere I went I did some degree of research into the local folklore. I carry around a bag of stories that grows a bit heavier every year.

5. What is the first song that comes to mind when you think "Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale"?

Snow Patrol ft. Martha Wainwright "Set The Fire To The Third Bar". To me, that song is perfect to describe the relationship between my main characters. A duet, but one in which, each voice carries quite distinctly on its own.

6. If your readers could come away from your book with one message, what would you hope that message to be?

That even the most peculiar of us can be happy.

7. Is there anything else you'd like to tell your readers?

Thank you so much for buying my book and for sending me your thoughts on it. Most of all, thank you for reading it.


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And now, onto the giveaway! Ramona has generously offered TWO copies of her novel, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale to my readers. To enter, please follow the link below to fill out the form. The Rules: This giveaway is US ONLY, and the giveaway ends at precisely at midnight EST on February 27th. You do NOT have to be a follower to enter, but it's greatly appreciated! I will notify winners by email the following day.

To enter, click HERE

Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale Review

Title: Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale
Author: Ramona Wray
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: February 1, 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 254
Source: Author

Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. 

For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily’s life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out — and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. 

Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can’t take his eyes off of Lily. Being pursued by two hotties should make a girl happy, but Lily is skeptical. The boys act as if they’ve met before, hating each other with a passion that could only be rooted in a dark, dangerous past. A past full of terrible secrets. The kind of secrets that could get a girl killed.

Lily is pretty much your everyday teenage girl, unless you take into account her incredible psychic abilities. With a single touch, Lily can learn everything about a person, including their entire past and present. This, unfortunately, leaves Lily crippled in the realm of a social life, so she pines over the handsome Ryder from a distance. When he asks her out one day though, Lily is floored, and even more so when she’s asked out by a second, equally good-looking guy, Lucian. But when Lily discovers the truth about her own past, she’s forced to confront the truth about these two cute boys, a dangerous hex, and a past life that continues to haunt her to this day.

I was expecting Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale to be cutesy, if I’m being honest. I think I was expecting fluff and fun, based purely on the cover (I’m not really a cartoon cover person), but I was certainly not expecting the depth of the story to be so rich. Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is the third English book by author, Ramona Wray, a Romanian-born writer now living in Plymouth. Blending the fantastic stories from her youth with a fresh take on fantasy and paranormal in the YA genre, Ramona has created an adventure-filled whirlwind sure to keep you riveted to the very end.

While I’m not into the whole love-triangle shebang, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale truly is a refreshing take on the age-old premise. Lily is an empowering protagonist despite her crippling gift, and both Lucian and Ryder had strong motives and great character-building. I loved how Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale carefully wove the past and present into an intricately woven web that was designed to determine all three characters’ futures. And yet, in the midst of a story of destiny, fate and curses, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale shows Lily, Ryder and Lucian making choices to determine their own fate. Furthermore, the self-discovery within the story, was rich and powerful, fueling the strong premise.

Overall, I was really, really surprised by just how good and interesting Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale was. I definitely had a few questions lingering after it was done, but when done right, that leaves me with a lasting impression of a book. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy fantasy and paranormal stories, as well as a bit of romance.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW

Forsaken by Keary Taylor

(Thank you, Keary)

It's been four months since Alex gave everything to save Jessica. Life should be perfect; she has Alex, she's been freed of the nightmares, and most of all- she's alive. But some things have changed, some things haven't. That's the problem. Alex still hasn't asked "the question". Jessica can't see the reason why and it's tearing her apart. He's keeping something from her.

Alex isn't the only one who has changed though. Something is different about Jessica but she doesn't understand what's happened.

FOR REVIEW

Hex, A Witch & Angel Tale by Ramona Wray

(Thank you, Ramona)

Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. 

And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily’s life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out—and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can’t take his eyes off of Lily. 

FOR REVIEW

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

(eARC - Thank you, S&S Galley Grab)

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. 

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, Rhine has one purpose: to escape.

FOR REVIEW

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

(eARC - Thank you, S&S Galley Grab)

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.