Falling Kingdoms Interview & Giveaway

I'm super excited today to be a part of a fun promotion for Gathering Darkness, the third installment of the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. Since fantasy has recently become one of my favorite genres, this series is definitely on my list to read and I can't wait to dive in and binge read all three over the holidays. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask Morgan a few questions about this series as a whole, so I hope this interview gives those of you new to the series (and of course those of you who are avid fans) a little something to get excited about!

For those who have yet to dive into these books, how, using a single word, might each of the four main characters describe what unfolds for them throughout the series?

Oh, you’re going to make me really work, huh? ;) Okay… here it goes:

CLEO: Evolution
JONAS: Vengeance
LUCIA: Power
MAGNUS: Divergent

If you were sitting on the throne of one of the kingdoms in this world, what would be your single greatest fear?

Same as it would be in any other world: Spiders! (shudders)

*Jenny shudders too*

Let’s say that tomorrow our world suddenly becomes infused with magic and things we never thought possible before now are. Would you want to know everything there is to know, or would you leave the magic alone and stay far, far away?

I’m only a Muggle because I have to be. If I had a choice: Magic all the wayyy! Woo hoo!!!

I’m not sure what this says about me, but I love truly despicable villains, cruel characters like Gaius who make my hands curl into fists in anger while reading. Who is your all-time favorite love-to-hate-him (or her) bad guy?

I enjoy villains, too, and King Gaius is surprisingly fun to write consider that he’s such a sadistic beast. (I’m not sure what that says about me!) My all-time favorite love-to-hate villain (right now, anyway!!) is Crowley from Supernatural. I do enjoy a sarcastic demon. My all-time just-hate-her character is Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. How could a cat-lover be so evil??

If you could fall through the pages and step foot into this world you’ve created, what aspect of it would you be most curious to see outside your own imagination?

I would love to take a tour through the City of Gold, the walled city that contains the Auranian palace. I describe it as such a golden, glittering jewel that it would be absolutely breathtaking to see in person.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Morgan!

And just to pique everyone's curiosity further, how about a teaser quote from Gathering Darkness?

I feel like Magnus is talking directly to me here. Except for the princess part, obviously. He calls me Goddess instead. Wait. No. *attempts to return to reality* In all seriousness though, I'm a reader who ALWAYS falls for the broken, tortured, bordering-on-irredeemable anti-hero, naively hoping with each chapter that he'll do something to prove that my faith in him is not misplaced. I feel like Magnus and I might really have something special ;-)

If you want to meet Magnus as much as I do, I hope you'll pick up the Falling Kingdoms series! Be sure and check out the bottom of the post for your chance to win all sorts of Falling Kingdoms goodies:)

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GATHERING DARKNESS

The seeds of revolution have been sown…but in Mytica the lust for power reigns supreme.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo slays with sweetness—and a secret that might control Lucia’s magic—as she and vengeful Jonas lead the hunt for the all-powerful Kindred.

THE KRAESHIANS join the fray. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the vast kingdom across the Silver Sea, prove to be just as ruthless as they are charming as they manipulate their way to victory.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally, in the flesh, with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

And which side will Prince Magnus choose, now that he’s been betrayed by everyone he’s ever loved?

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*If you're a fan of this series already but haven't yet had a chance to get your hands on Gathering Darkness, then be sure and download this lengthy excerpt!*

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MORGAN RHODES

Photo: Shanon Fujioka

Morgan Rhodes is the New York Times bestselling author of the FALLING KINGDOMS series. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess—the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, and reality TV, and is an extremely picky yet voracious reader of all kinds of books.

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the fabulous people at Penguin Young Readers, I have an epic prize pack to give away on the blog today! Up for grabs to one lucky winner:

• A Falling Kingdoms T-Shirt
• A Falling Kingdoms Postcard Set
• Copies of Falling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring, and Gathering Darkness

Giveaway is open to US addresses only, please enter via the Rafflecopter form.

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Review: Nearly Gone

NEARLY GONE
Elle Cosimano
Young Adult/Mystery
388 pages
Kathy Dawson Books (Penguin)
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.

Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

MY THOUGHTS
Nearly Gone is a story that acts as a beautiful reminder of everything we love about reading, sucking us in with a well-executed murder mystery and just a touch of romance; the combination of the two allowing for a couple of late nights as we race against the clock to find out the who and why of it all. The mystery itself is just complicated enough to ensure our minds are working overtime to solve the myriad of literal puzzles the murderer leaves behind for Nearly, but not so convoluted as to create distance between us and the story. We do figure one or two things out with regard to the numbers well before Nearly does, but many times those who are closest to something are the ones who can’t see as clearly, so her inability to make certain connections isn't overly bothersome. The killer and his or her reasons remain intriguingly hidden from us throughout though, a good size suspect pool keeping us on our toes and guessing until the final showdown.

Nearly is a strong heroine–not a horror movie cliche who does the exact opposite of what is smart and logical and therefore unsurprisingly finds herself in a place she shouldn’t be–and we can’t help but be pleased with the way she handles things. When she first discovers the link between the personal ads and the attacks on her fellow students, instead of deciding to solve the case on her own, she runs immediately to the police and tells them everything she knows. It’s only when she’s basically laughed out of the police station and added to the top of the suspect list that she starts trying to decipher the riddles herself, something we really can’t blame her for doing. There are of course a multitude of moments when things begin to escalate that she undoubtedly should have gone to the police yet again, but it’s easy to suspend disbelief a touch because we find ourselves as desperate for answers as Nearly is.

In addition to the mysterious deaths of her classmates, we’re also treated to a slow burning romance between Nearly and new student/undercover agent Reece. Nearly is aware of exactly who and what Reece is from the beginning, removing some of the tension and worry that comes from knowing a hurtful secret our protagonist doesn’t, and it's because she knows of Reece’s involvement with the police that she’s extra wary of him. Though she understandably keeps this knowledge to herself for a while, she’s not the type of character who withholds information from him throughout, eventually opening up to him fully and allowing him to help her rather than causing a series of miscommunications by deliberate omission. She handles the relationship between them perfectly, trusting in moderation as their initial friendship begins to progress into something more, and blissfully holding off on declarations of love until she’s had the time to get to know all facets of him rather than just the ones he wants her to see.

The romance, while present, takes a definitive backseat to the mystery, allowing the connection between the numbers and Nearly’s life the majority of the time in the spotlight. As a result, we flip the pages with increasing speed, frantic to reach the end where all our answers await. When we do reach the final chapters, we find the various threads woven together beautifully, all our lingering questions addressed and our hearts warm with satisfaction on both the romantic and murder mystery fronts. A hugely enjoyable read, Nearly Gone shouldn’t be missed.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Elle:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Landry Park Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

I'm so pleased today to welcome author Bethany Hagen to the blog as part of the promotional tour for her new dystopian novel, Landry Park. I always love learning behind-the-scenes tidbits about an author's writing process, so I'm excited to share what made one particular scene in Landry Park so easy and fun to write for Bethany. I hope you all enjoy this peek behind the curtain as much as I did, and don't forget to check out the bottom of the post for a chance to win a copy of the book!

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I think that, as a general rule, it’s almost shamefully easy to write about dresses and food and boys in tuxedos. I loved writing the dinner and dance scenes in Landry Park, not only because I loved spending hours staring at ball gowns on the internet, but also because those scenes are the most vibrant representations of gentry life. With all the silk and pearls and bow-ties, it’s easy to see exactly what kind of delicious, enviable world Madeline lives in, and it becomes so easy to lose yourself in that kind of fantasy.

There are several dances and parties in the novel, but my favorite is Madeline’s own debut, where ivy and roses are twisted around the statues and stairs and the tables are heaped high with food. Most importantly, there are cute boys and angst (which are necessary components for any good ball.) Madeline’s debut is supposed to mark a turning point in her life as an heir to a gentry estate, but it also marks a turning point in her understanding of her world.

Thanks so much Bethany!

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In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish Gentry, sixteen year old Madeline Landry dreams of going off to the University. Gentry decorum and her domineering father won’t allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when her childhood friend is attacked and she witnesses Gentry golden boy David Dana secretly helping a Rootless girl, in spite of the fact that the Rootless, who maintain the nuclear power the country relies on, are exposed to dangerous radiation. As Madeline begins to question everything she has been taught her whole life, rumors of war and rebellion begin to swirl amidst Gentry courtships and extravagant debuts. Soon Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she is forced to make a choice: to stay with the Gentry—her family, her charmed life, and the estate she loves dearly—or to join David in the fight for Rootless equality.

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Bethany Hagen was born and raised in Kansas City, meaning she can tolerate jazz for brief amounts of time and is offended by dry rub barbecue. She grew up reading Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, and all things King Arthur. When she's not working at the library or running around with her kids and husband, she's writing or thinking about writing. Landry Park is her debut book

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the team at Penguin I have one hardcover copy of Landry Park to give away on the blog today. Woo hoo! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US only.

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Review: Invisibility

INVISIBILITY
Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
Paranormal Young Adult
358 pages
Philomel
Available May 7th
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)

Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Cursed.

Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you’re invisible, no one can hurt you. So when her mother decides to move the family to New York City, Elizabeth is thrilled. It’s easy to blend in there.

Then Stephen and Elizabeth meet. To Stephen’s amazement, she can see him. And to Elizabeth’s amazement, she wants him to be able to see her—all of her. But as the two become closer, an invisible world gets in their way—a world of grudges and misfortunes, spells and curses. And once they’re thrust into this world, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how deep they’re going to go—because the answer could mean the difference between love and death.

MY THOUGHTS

Invisibility is a quiet, nebulous story, remaining ever-changing and indistinct as we read, shifting in form as it continues so that we never quite know where it's headed. Written in alternating first-person points of view, this slightly strange and intriguing tale is beautifully told, sweeping us up immediately in the melancholic loneliness of Stephen's non-existence, and delighting us with its attention to detail when it comes to all the questions we have as to the day to day life of an invisible boy. Just when we settle in thinking we're going to be gifted with an intimate portrayal of this cursed young man–watching as his isolation slips away and companionship takes his place–the story seems to jump forward quickly with a declaration of love and the introduction of a magical lineage, moving us away from that which originally attracted our interest.

Stephen and Elizabeth are both thoroughly enjoyable characters, their witty exchanges and the sheer relief we feel on Stephen's behalf at the fact he finally exists for someone in a sensory capacity other than sound or touch combining to render us giddy in the initial chapters. That giddiness and excitement over the potential of these two characters to be the type who linger in our memories long after reading starts to fade as their relationship progresses to the love stage with unfortunate speed, and then just as soon as the focus on the romance comes into being, it's set aside again in favor of the mystery of Stephen's condition. Once the focus shifts away from the two of them as individuals–as well as their relationship together–and onto this new magical world, our connection to each thins, and while we're still invested in their story, that investment isn't as strong as we hoped it would be after our reaction to the opening chapters.

The highlight of this relatively small cast of characters is Elizabeth's younger brother Laurie, a young man who provides the voice of reason, the shoulder to cry on, and the comic relief, and who simply infuses every scene he's in with a smile-inducing warmth. We learn just a little of his past, but it's enough to have our fingers curling into claws around the pages, protectiveness flaring instantly and with vehemence, ready to do battle should anyone take issue with him. He is a joy at every turn, and we can't help but wish Elizabeth and Stephen inspired in us the same emotional attachment.

For all that this world is full of magic, Ms. Cremer and Mr. Levithan do not create a magical conclusion full of miracles and soothing pleasantries, instead many things are left unresolved, a fact that will likely disappoint those readers (like me) who love neatly wrapped packages and happily ever afters, but at the same time we have to tip our hats to both authors for not taking the easy way out. Overall, Invisibility is a well-written story with a haunting quality to the way events unfold, a slow rising of the curtain to reveal a world of spells and curses nestled in the middle of everyday life that wreaks havoc on our sense of anticipation, there are just a few wishes with regard to Stephen and Elizabeth that keep this story from a higher rating.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Andrea:

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Find David:

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