The Big Love Letter Event + Giveaway: A.C. Gaughen

It's week three of The Big Love Letter Event, a joint month-long feature hosted by Danny from Bewitched Bookworms and myself, and I hope you guys are having as much fun with these letters as we are. If you haven't yet had the chance, be sure and take a look at the letters from Wendy Higgins, Kasie West and Tiffany Schmidt posted over the past two weeks!

*A note about Danny's letter: She will be posting her letter from the amazing Gena Showalter tomorrow (Saturday, the 22nd), so be sure and check back at Bewitched Bookworms then because you won't want to miss this one!

I'm positively giddy today over the fact that I have author A.C. Gaughen stopping by the blog to share a letter between Rob and Scarlet, two of her extraordinary characters from a series that has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. I read Scarlet last year and I couldn't have loved it more if I tried, I was just in awe of Scarlet's strength and determination, and that love only deepened after reading Lady Thief.

There simply aren't enough positive things I can say about Scarlet herself, she's everything I could ever want in a heroine and I HIGHLY recommend these books to those who have yet to experience them. I'm going to keep this introduction short and sweet because the below letter from Rob truly speaks for itself, and I hope it affects all of you as profoundly as it did me! *starts sobbing*

My Scarlet—

I know the moment when I knew for sure that I loved you. 

It isn’t an easy thing, Scarlet. To know love when your heart is this untrusty object in your chest. My heart went cold and quiet when I was in the war, and I confess I didn’t care much what it had to say. My heart made everything more difficult. 

You, of course, were no exception. I shouldn’t expect anything to ever be easy with you.  My love—my hard-won love. 

It was our first winter together. We’d been living in the tree, and then it got cold, and we found the cave. Then the snow came, and the cave wasn’t warm enough. John never seemed bothered by it—why would he, he’s made in the image of a horse—but you shivered cold every night. You shivered so hard you rattled the hay, and I’d stay awake, listening to the sound, wondering what I was meant to do about it. I tried to leave warm things—cloaks, a blanket—near your pallet but you’d never touch them. I practiced, whispering to the night, what I might say to you—here, take my blanket. Here, you look cold. Or more likely, Just use the damn blanket, Scarlet. And each attempt I made in my mind you pulled away from me, horrified that I knew you were cold, mortified that somehow you’d let it slip that you might need something from anyone, and I stayed quiet, because I wanted anything but you farther away from me.

Which made me feel like a proper idiot, even in my mind.  More than that—a moony idiot. And an unchivalrous idiot, that I had no idea how to help you.  And a guilty idiot, that I’d dragged you all up to Nottinghamshire and never thought of the damn winter snows. 

But one night when the fire went out and the cold had gotten so bad your teeth were chattering, you were quiet as a mouse as you rolled out of bed and took one of your blankets with you. Silent and still like the thief you are you went over to Much—he was so small back then—and you put your blanket on him. 

And I realized he wasn’t just cold—he was so cold he wouldn’t last many more nights. And I got everyone up and took us to the monastery—thinking it would just be for the night—and they took us in for the winter. 

And I stayed up many more nights, waiting for Much to sleep better, waiting for his chest to clear of the cough he’d gotten, and hating myself with every breath. Hating you, because you’d made me blind. You had filled up so much of my heart I couldn’t see him anymore, and I hadn’t seen his suffering.

I know I was mean to you. Cruel at times—those where the times when I hated myself the most, and it was easy to tell my heart that it was only full of darkness, that any feelings it might offer would only bring pain about in the world. I didn’t know how to love you and have it mean something good. 

And now we’re back in the cave. In a few weeks you’ll begin to shiver and I’ll move us to the monastery, and instead of hating myself, I hate that gold band on your finger. I hate the man who put it there. I hate the dreams that haunt me at night, of every pain and betrayal my heart has seen, and I wonder, Scarlet, if I will ever be free to love you without hate in my heart.

I can’t promise you that. I’m too afraid I’d break that promise—but every day when your gaze catches mine and I remember that I’m the one you love, that your pure heart chose my dark one, you give me hope. 

And hope is all I need to live another day. 

- Rob

*sobbing intensifies*

Do you see why you must read this series now? YOU MUST! I think I just died a little inside reading that and knowing I have to wait a full year before I can find out how things end for the two of them.

*leaves to go eat large amounts of chocolate*

 • • • • • • • • • • 

LADY THIEF

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

• • • • • • • • • • • 

A.C. GAUGHEN

I’ve been madly in love with writing since I was in kindergarten. Not kidding–some of my earliest memories revolve around books and writing, like reading in front of the class, reading with my mother, and writing a story in first grade that was so funny (it dealt with a gorilla finding someone naked in the shower, and was, sadly, the culmination of my humor writing skills) it got me kicked out of class. Which was also the first and last time for that.
 

No that’s a lie. In third grade I got detention for ripping bark off a tree.
 

I know, I’m a rebel.
 

From there, it was a long road. I wrote all through middle school and starting submitting novels (I hope I still have those very kind, gentle rejection letters somewhere) when I was thirteen. ACK you have no idea how bad those novels looked. All through high school I was writing in a notebook instead of taking class notes (explaining the less than perfect GPA). It was always novels for me–the first time I seriously wrote short stories was at the end of my college career, to get into my graduate program, and it felt awkward and weird.
 

But I got in to grad school, wrote like a fiend, and when I graduated I spent three miserable years as a freelance writer while working on several different novels. I wrote them, prepped them, submitted them, and kept on working, because as far as I can tell, the actual writing is the only thing that I can control, and it’s the part that really makes me happy.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

• • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Danny and I have an amazing giveaway to share with you all, one that will have 14 winners in total!

• Winners 1 and 2: Each will get a book of their choice from one of the authors featured during the event (open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you!)
• Winner 3 : Signed Copy of Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (open US/CAN only) – Prize is provided by the author – A huge thank you to Katie!
• Winners 4- 14: Sweet Trilogy swag packs from Wendy Higgins (open internationally) - Prize is provided by the author – Thank you so much Wendy!

The giveaway will run until March 7th and you can enter via the Rafflecopter form below!

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Don't forget to check back both here and at Bewitched Bookworms every Friday in February for more letters and a whole lot more love from these fantastic authors:

•      Wendy Higgins (Sweet Reckoning)

•      Katie McGarry (Crash Into You)

•      Kasie West (Split Second)

•      Sara B. Larson (Defy)

•      A.C. Gaughen (Lady Thief)

•      Tiffany Schmidt (Bright Before Sunrise)

•      Gena Showalter (The Queen of Zombie Hearts)

•      Nichole Chase (Recklessly Royal)

•      Lorraine Heath (When the Duke Was Wicked)

•      Lynne Matson (Nil)

•      Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die)

Review: Lady Thief

LADY THIEF
Scarlet #2
A.C. Gaughen
Historical Young Adult
304 pages
Bloomsbury/Walker Childrens
Available Now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

MY THOUGHTS
Lady Thief is a story we enter into with armor securely in place, fleeting memories of Scarlet reminding us how difficult life for our young heroine can be, but our preparation fails completely and utterly in the face of Gisbourne’s return, pain meticulously finding every crack and chink in our emotional plating to leave us bruised, battered and broken. While what Scarlet goes through is undeniably hard to read, what’s perhaps the more bitter pill to swallow is the way this story ruthlessly highlights the dichotomous nature of hope, detailing it in all its beauty as a balm on the severest of wounds while at the same time showing us again and again how it can be the most brutal tormentor of all. Scarlet’s unshakeable hope, to her credit or detriment, guides her in every avenue of this story; hope that someone’s word is their bond despite all evidence to the contrary, hope that each day is her darkest moment so the next can therefore only be better, and hope that in a world where power belongs to the cruel love can somehow find a way to flourish.

Scarlet is someone we can’t help but feel proud to know despite the fact that she’s a fictional character, her unrelenting strength of will in the face of meaty fists and dull blades something that snaps our own spines rigidly straight in solidarity. Where we would likely rage against our abusers–tears and screams escaping unbidden–she remains outwardly stoic, refusing to give those who hurt her even a moment of satisfaction. It’s not to say she doesn’t fight back physically when attacked, because she more than once proves how her time as a thief has earned her a unique set of self-defense skills, and for every knee she lands in a sensitive place and every verbal blow she delivers the smile on our faces grows wider even though we know the price for her actions will be high.

She refuses to be cowed, head always held high despite the bruises and scars that mar her features, but she thankfully never reaches that place where she goes numb–blocking out everything, including us as readers–in an attempt to protect herself the only way she knows how. Instead she fights at every turn, but we are also granted quiet moments with her where the tears flow and her strength finally wanes, and it’s these moments that are the hardest to bear because we know her loyalty and her hope that a better life simply has to be possible will send her back to those who have brought her so low. Her brief interludes with an equally tormented Rob are a beautiful kind of torture, the love the two of them share poignant and enviable, tiny pin pricks of light in an expansive sea of darkness.

Ms. Gaughen pulls absolutely no punches in this second installment, forcing us to accompany Scarlet and Rob to a place where even the staunchest of believers will have their faith shaken, but their shared inability to give up imbues us with the strength we need to carry on with them, even to a very bitter end. We’re left with the two sides of hope clearer and more distinct than they have ever been before, soothing our hurts as we find comfort in anger and the promise of retribution while at the same time taunting us with the bloody ramifications of past hope gone terribly wrong.

Rating: 4.5/5

*Be sure and check back here on Friday as Annie is part of the Big Love Letter Event and is going to share a gut-wrenching letter from Rob to Scarlet!

Find Annie:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

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.

Review: Cress

CRESS
The Lunar Chronicles #3
Marissa Meyer
Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Fairytale Retelling
560 pages
Feiwel & Friends
Available February 4th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

MY THOUGHTS
Cress is a story we enter into with a great deal of excitement, though as was the case with Scarlet we can’t help but let a little wariness sneak in and mingle with our enthusiasm, wondering if it’s going to be this installment when the addition of yet another new main character proves to be a detriment to the overall story rather than a bonus. While Cress as a stand-alone heroine isn’t quite as strong as either Cinder or Scarlet before her, Ms. Meyer proves yet again what a brilliant storyteller she truly is, seamlessly working Cress into the fabric of her stunningly rich and detailed fantasy world and nestling her in with an already-beloved cast of characters as though she’d been there all along.

Cress, unlike both Cinder and Scarlet, isn’t much of a fighter either mentally or physically, her solitary confinement creating in her an air of extreme innocence and vulnerability that takes a little while to adjust to coming off our experiences with the previous two heroines. While each young woman’s original fairytale had them as damsels in various types of distress, both Scarlet and Cinder defied that label in terms of its common connotation to weakness in their retellings, their independence and fierceness present and accounted for. Cress embraces the damsel in distress label a little more fully, often needing the hilarious and endlessly amusing Captain Thorne to come to her aid. It’s not to say she’s without skills as she’s a truly gifted hacker and plays a significant and vital role in the events of this book, she’s just perhaps quieter and more reserved (understandably given what she’s gone through) than we might have been anticipating.

If this had been Cress’s book alone, one that focused primarily on her and relegated Cinder to a more supporting role, this installment may have come up just a touch short when compared to the first two, but Cress is beautifully bolstered by Ms Meyer’s extraordinary and extensive cast of main and secondary characters. This story is every bit as much Cinder’s as it is Cress’s, and as a result Cress becomes a little something different–a beautiful contrast–to the two young women we’ve already met, rounding out the whole with her differences as opposed to coming off as less-than as she might have on her own. Her relationship with Thorne is a touch weaker as well, but again the strength of Cinder’s relationship with Kai and particularly Scarlet’s with Wolf (despite their limited page time) more than fills in any empty spaces left by the lack of an overly strong emotional connection to the pair of them, and we can only hope that their romance is one that continues to develop in Winter just as the other two romances progressed in this installment.

While there is a myriad of positive aspects and highlights to Cress over which to gush, one of the most arguably striking would have to be the very brief introduction to Winter herself, a young woman who captivates from the moment she appears on page and leaves us profoundly curious after a single interaction with Scarlet. She is a series of riddles, a labyrinthine character full of dark corners and wrong turns who has us practically salivating over the chance to figure her out, but despite the pain of a long wait until she graces us with more of her presence, we are left in awe of Ms. Meyer’s imagination and more in love with her characters than ever before.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Marissa

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

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.

Fierce Reads Event Recap + Giveaway

On Friday afternoon I had the distinct pleasure of attending Macmillan's Fierce Reads tour as it stopped at Books & Co in Dayton, Ohio. Young adult authors S.A. Bodeen (The Compound/The Fallout/The Raft), Alexandra Coutts (Tumble & Fall), Marissa Meyer (Cinder/Scarlet), and Leila Sales (This Song Will Save Your Life) were all in attendance to talk about their books and answer questions, but thanks to the lovely people at Macmillan I was able to meet with all four fabulous ladies for a quick Q+A before the event started.

If any of you have read past recaps for various author events I've been lucky enough to attend, you know that I get absurdly nervous when faced with authors and have a tendency to either freeze up and say absolutely nothing, or ramble on and on about anything and everything that pops in my head just to fill the silence. I was of course a little anxious about meeting these women even as I was enormously honored to be asked to be a part of the event, and that anxiousness only increased when it became apparent that, due to a tight schedule (they were only in Ohio for a matter of hours before flying out to Austin, TX), I would be interrupting them as they ate lunch to bombard them with my questions. Super. Thankfully they were all very good sports about me and my wonderful mother-in-law (and partner in blogging crime) Cathy joining them, and were enthusiastic about answering whatever I threw at them.

I tried to come up with questions that were a bit more on the fun side rather than serious questions about their books and writing processes, so I hope you all enjoy! (Please note that if the answers seem overly succinct, it's because I couldn't write fast enough to catch everything, not because they gave short or clipped answers!)

FIERCE READS PRE-EVENT Q+A

If a portal were to open right here and whisk you off to assume the life of any one character in fiction, who would you most want to be?

Leila Sales: Sarah Crewe (from A Little Princess) at the end of the book once she's free of Miss Minchin.

S.A. Bodeen: Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia

Marissa Meyer: Elizabeth Bennett

Alexandra Coutts: Same as Marissa. Elizabeth Bennett

You can change the ending of any one book, movie or television show. Which do you choose and what new ending do you give it?

Leila: Season three of "The OC". Marissa wouldn't die.

S.A.: Titanic. Jack wouldn't die, Rose would make room for him.

Marissa: Les Miserables. Jean Valjean wouldn't die.

Alex: The ending of "Lost".

What's the last word you wrote (current work in progress, side project, outline, or anything fiction-related)?

S.A.: Nacho.

Marissa: Unconscious.

Alex: Briscoe.

If you were all able to interview each others' characters, whom would you each choose and what's one question you would ask them?

Leila: Some of Marissa's characters, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't answer my questions! Or Nick from Tumble & Fall (Alex chimed in here to say Nick was based on a friend of hers). Or Sophie from Tumble & Fall, and I would ask "How old are you?"

S.A.: The dad from This Song Will Save Your Life.

Marissa: Same! Or Vicky (from This Song Will Save Your Life).

What's the longest you've had to wait for a book you've been dying to read?

Leila: A decade. There was a decade between two books by Connie Willis.

S.A.: However long the wait was for the 7th Harry Potter.

Marissa: How long was the wait for Bitterblue?

Alex: A decade (she mentioned the titles of the books, but I couldn't write them down quickly enough. Fail.)

Which book has your favorite beginning or end (either that you've read or written)?

Leila: The ending of The Sun Also Rises.

S.A.: The beginning of The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron.

Alex: The beginning of Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume - "Stephanie is into hunks".

We all have book boyfriends (some of us have more than others O.o). Who tops your lists?

Leila: Michael from The Princess Diaries.

S.A.: Captain Thorne from Scarlet.

Marissa: Besides Mr. Darcy? Brigan from Fire by Kristin Cashore.

Alex: Augustus from The Fault in Our Stars (we both at this point acknowledged that in our heads, our YA book boyfriends are all more age-appropriate. Obviously ;-)). Wait. No. I'm switching to Gale from The Hunger Games.

*Leila said that not too long ago she was playing a Family Feud type game where they had asked 100 people which fictional character they'd most like to take out on a date, and after we all attempted to guess the number one spot she told us it was Hermione Granger. YAY FOR BOOKISH GIRLS!

After a stressful or particularly difficult day of writing, what's your go-to comfort food?

Leila: I eat chocolate chips while writing. I know it's time to stop when I've eaten way too many.

S.A: A hot drink and a Fiber One lemon bar.

Marissa: Any dark chocolate and a glass of wine.

Alex: Mac and cheese.

If you had $20 and 5 minutes in a bookstore to make a purchase, which section (other than YA) would you run to first?

S.A.: The adult recently released paperbacks section! (Leila agreed with her)

Marissa: Either the recently released paperbacks section or self help books.

Alex: Cookbooks.

• • • • • • • • • •

After all the questions were answered and everyone had finished their lunches, we headed across the street to the bookstore for a quick photo op before heading upstairs to the event itself.

Left to right: Mary Van Akin (publicist), Leila Sales, S.A. Bodeen, Molly Brouillette (publicist), Marissa Meyer, and Alexandra Coutts

There was a really great guest moderator from a local high school who asked a series of questions before opening things up to the audience, so below are some of the highlights of what was discussed; a combination of my notes and Cathy's since she was nice enough to jot things down as I popped up now and again to take pictures.

• There were originally going to be 5 books in The Lunar Chronicles series, with the last being "Puss in Boots", but it ended up being cut very early on and Marissa decided the series would end with Snow White in Winter.

• S.A. Bodeen originally never planned on writing a sequel to The Compound, but she was continuously asked what happened to Eli, so she started wondering that herself and came up with a twist which led to book two, The Fallout. It took 5 years for the sequel to happen though.

• Leila Sales has a background in psychology, her major in college, and has always been fascinated by the more social element to to it – how people interact with one another rather than the science of the brain. One of the studies referenced in This Song Will Save Your Life about people liking someone more if that person smiles at them, is a real study.

• Marissa was asked what attracted her to classic fairy tales and what her thoughts were on the damsels-in-distress-needing-princes-to-rescue-them aspect. She said she loved fairy tales in general, but wanted to present stronger, more diverse female characters who have dreams and ambitions far beyond meeting a handsome prince.

• All four authors were asked how they write full character arcs. S.A. said her characters always start out really flat, and it then takes draft upon draft for her to build their flesh. Alex said she always thinks she knows the full character at the start of their story, but the journey usually changes as she writes. Marissa said she focuses on a character's strengths or weaknesses and then builds up from there, asking herself what her characters are afraid of. Leila said her characters always start out flawed, and then hopefully over the course of the story they find a resolution for some of their problems and end up better than they started.

• Audience question: What is your favorite book of all time?

Leila: The Little Prince. Said it's such a simple story, but one with so much depth.

Marissa: Pride and Prejudice. It's the only books she's read multiple times, she's not a re-reader at all.

S.A.: A Prayer for Owen Meany and Shadow of the Wind.

Alex: The Sound and The Fury. When she was a senior in high school she had to write a paper on it, and has re-read it 3-4 times.

• Audience question: Which character in your book was the easiest to write or do you most relate to?

Leila: Said there's a piece of her in all her characters, even the secondary ones, but she related to Elise most when she was writing This Song Will Save Your Life.

Alex: Surprisingly, she said male characters are often easier for her to understand and therefore write, stating growing up with 2 younger brothers was helpful in that regard. Her female characters all start out similar to her, and she finds it much easier to separate herself from a male character, so Kayden in the book probably came easiest for her.

Marissa: She most related to Cress. Cress has been stuck in a satellite for 7 years at the beginning of the book, so she often escapes into her own imagination and has a profound fantasy life, which Marissa said of course could be said of her as well.

S.A: Eli was easiest for her. She said she enjoyed getting to delve deeper into who he is in The Fallout.

After the Q+A all the authors signed books and handed out fun swag goodies. It was a truly fantastic event and drew the biggest crowd I've seen yet at this bookstore which was really fun and exciting, and I want to say a huge thank you to all four authors (and the awesome Mary and Molly!) for letting me be a part of the event, I had an absolute blast. The second leg of the Fierce Reads tour is coming back to Ohio November 5th, this time passing through Cincinnati, so if any of you are in the area, I hope to see you there!

A few more pictures from the event:

Left to right: S.A., Alex, Marissa, and Leila; Alex answering questions

S.A. signing books; Marissa and Leila listening attentively :)

 Marissa signing books; her tin full of Lunar Chronicles-related goodies

S.A., Alex, Me, Marissa, Leila

• • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the amazingly generous team at Macmillan, I have a truly awesome giveaway for you all today. Up for grabs are signed copies of The Compound, The Fallout, Cinder, Scarlet, Tumble & Fall, and This Song Will Save Your Life. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

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Review: Scarlet

SCARLET
The Lunar Chronicles #2
Marissa Meyer
Young Adult/Fairytale retelling/Dystopian
464 pages
Feiwel & Friends
Available February 5th
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

MY THOUGHTS 
Scarlet is a sequel that has us initially on edge, our desire to return to Cinder's story alone rather than embark on an entirely separate journey with a new cast of characters strong enough that we crack the spine with a wary sort of anticipation, hoping our doubts will be quickly proven unfounded. Luckily for us, Ms. Meyer gives us everything we could have wished for in this second installment, teasing us a bit as Scarlet and Cinder's stories run parallel to one another for majority of the book, never quite intersecting even as we know they must at some point cross paths. Normally, this setup can be a touch frustrating for us as readers, our eagerness to stay with one character, in this case Cinder since we are more familiar with her, causing us to skim through the other character's chapters in our haste to return to the one who has most captured our attention, however, Scarlet's story captivates from the beginning, and we revel in our time with her as much as we do our time with Cinder herself.

Though Scarlet's search for her missing grandmother and her budding romance with Wolf is as engrossing as the continuation of Cinder's tale, Scarlet herself doesn't quite grab us emotionally from the beginning the way Cinder did. This could perhaps be attributed to the nature of their original fairytales, with Cinderella's status as an underdog causing us to immediately back her, whereas Little Red Riding Hood is a young woman who isn't quite observant enough to notice her precious grandmother has suddenly developed canine features until it's far too late. Scarlet is thankfully far more layered and interesting than her fairytale counterpart, though they share a similarity in their susceptibility to deceit given Scarlet is often quick to believe what superficial appearance tells her is the truth while neglecting to examine the situation from multiple angles before judgement is passed and a negative opinion is formed.

Despite her inability to think with her mind and heart instead of simply trusting her eyes, Scarlet is certainly someone we come to care about, and her troubled relationship with Wolf is gorgeously depicted. Wolf is a deeply intriguing character, both alpha and beta hero wrapped up in one uniquely contradictory package. On one hand, he's alpha to the extreme, a gifted street fighter with a penchant for using his fists to make a life for himself, but he's also shockingly quiet and often reserved once the adrenaline rush fades from his system. He's both curious and hesitant to spend time in Scarlet's presence when not in a violent setting, often exhibiting a skittishness and fear of the unknown so common in his wild namesake. As Cinder and Kai's did, Scarlet and Wolf's romantic relationship builds slowly, something we appreciate even more given that this story is not theirs alone but instead shared with the aforementioned couple, allowing us plenty of time to truly believe in them together.

Though Scarlet is over 400 pages in length, it passes in an utter blur, our excitement over learning of Kai and Cinder's fate since we left them last combining with our giddiness over the addition of a striking new couple to ensure time absolutely flies by when reading. We of course reach the end with no conclusion to the threat of Queen Levana in place, but we can't help but be content with what we've learned in this installment, feeling optimistic when we look ahead to future books that while we'll often face a “to be continued” of sorts at the end of them, we'll never be left unsatisfied.

Rating:4.5/5

Be sure and check out my interview with Marissa Meyer HERE and also enter for a chance to win copies of Cinder and Scarlet!

Scarlet Blog Tour: Interview with Marissa Meyer + A Giveaway

I'm positively giddy today at the fact that I have young adult author Marissa Meyer joining me on the blog as part of the promotional tour for the second book in her Lunar Chronicles series, Scarlet. I absolutely adored the first book in the series, Cinder, and after finishing it Scarlet immediately went to the top of my "I may die if I don't read this" list for 2013. I'm thrilled to say it didn't disappoint! I thought it was a brilliant sequel, and I hope everyone runs to the bookstore on February 5th and loves it as much as I did!

If you could write yourself into any fairytale, which would it be and what role would you play?

This will probably sound crazy, but I have a weird envy toward Rapunzel. All that free time. So much peace and quiet. Just think how many books you could read! But I could probably do without all the crazy-overprotective-witch and blinded-prince stuff.

In Scarlet, we get not only the continuation of Cinder’s story but also the introduction of Scarlet’s journey as well, and both progress side by side until Cinder and Scarlet finally cross paths toward the end. What challenges did writing two separate-but-linked stories present over simply continuing Cinder’s story on its own?

Probably the most difficult part of writing this book (and Book 3, which I’ve just turned into my editor) was keeping a good balance between the storylines. Scarlet is the hero of this book, but Cinder is the hero of the entire series, so I didn’t want readers to get bored with or forget about either protagonist. I did a lot of shuffling around of their different chapters, trying to figure out the best points to break from a storyline and ensure that there was a good mix of suspense and information-gathering. It was kind of like putting together a really big puzzle.

Kai and Wolf are both strong, butterfly-inducing romantic leads, but let’s say they’re not in the picture for Cinder and Scarlet at the moment. Which other fairytale hero (or villain) might each young woman ask on a first date if her life wasn’t so crazy?

Hahaha, what a fun question! Of course, the problem with real fairy tale princes is that so many of them are so booooooring in their original tales, and neither Scarlet nor Cinder would be interested in a relationship with a pretty figurehead. So, hmm. If he was older, Cinder might look twice at Pinocchio—their history of prostheses would at least give them something to talk about. And Scarlet would want someone who fits in on the family farm—perhaps the youngest son in Puss in Boots (they were farmers, right?). In the end, he wouldn’t be ambitious enough for her, but she might want to keep his clever cat around.

If you were facing the same impending battle that Cinder is with the Lunar queen and had an expert fighter like Wolf in your camp, what’s the first thing you’d ask him to teach you?

Any of Levana’s secrets, that he knows. I don’t think any amount of training could turn me into a fighter, so I’d have to rely on wits and strategy.

Thorne is accompanying you on a promotional tour for Scarlet. How long do you think it will take for him to get himself in trouble?

My first tour stop is in Nashville this year, so I suspect it would take him all of an hour before he stole an authentic Elvis jumpsuit, and had convinced himself how goooood he looks in it. Rawr.

If Cinder were to ask you one question about the writing of her character, what do you think she would most want to know?

She might question her fashion decisions. Normally when we think of Cinderella we envision shimmering ball gowns and glass slippers… or at least a neatly pressed apron. But Cinder spends almost the entire series in some form of the boots + cargo pants + plain tank top or T-shirt uniform. Poor girl. I hope someone writes a fanfic that allows her to get dolled up for something!

There are quite a few technological advancements in Cinder and Scarlet’s futuristic world. What one piece of technology do you wish we had here?

Who doesn’t want hovercars? (Bonus: They drive themselves!)

If Emperor Kai were to address fans of the series and give us a briefing as to what to expect from book three, what might his concluding words to us be?

“Please rest assured that the other characters and I are working very hard to ensure the future safety of our planet, but I’m afraid things are going to get a lot worse before they start getting better.” Then as an aside to me, he’d probably ask, “Things are going to get better… right?”

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Marissa! More information on Marissa and the fantastic Lunar Chronicles series can be found here:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon Buy Link

And don't forget to check out the remainder of this tour and the other participating blogs for more interviews, guest posts, reviews and giveaways, all the details can be found HERE. Tomorrow's stop is at Anna Reads.

SCARLET

LUNAR CHRONICLES GOODIES

•     Meet Marissa on tour!
•     Download 2 Lunar Chronicles short stories for only $.99 each
      - Glitches
      - The Queen's Army
•    Read the first 5 chapters of Scarlet
•    Watch the Cinder trailer

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the fabulous team at Macmillan and Marissa Meyer, I have a paperback copy of Cinder and a hardcover copy of Scarlet to give away on the blog today. *happy dance* To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open US/Canada only. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things of Awesome: December Edition

Hey everyone!

I've done a couple posts here and there pulling together the few bits of bookish news that have either been sent to me or that I've stumbled upon, and I've decided I'm going to try and turn it into a mini-feature here on the blog. I'm going to attempt to do a post the first Sunday of each month, but sometimes I make plans like this and then manage to catch a rather brutal strain of laziness, something that results in the death of any sort of follow through. I love me. You'll know this has happened if you see this feature once more in January and then never again ;-) For now though, I've got some fun things to share with you, some of which you may already be aware because I'm often late to the party, but some you may not so I'm going to post all I know anyway!

1. HARPERTEEN IMPULSE

From their press release:

HarperCollins Publishers announced today (November 26th) the launch of HarperTeen Impulse, a digital imprint focusing on Young Adult short stories and novellas. The new imprint will publish short-form works from new and established authors, providing original and exciting new teen ebooks across a wide variety of genres.

HarperTeen Impulse will publish between one and four titles a month, all of which will go on sale the first Tuesday of that month, branded “Impulse Tuesday.” Impulse titles will benefit from dedicated program marketing, including extensive social media outreach, monthly newsletters, cross-promotion in HarperTeen print books, and strategic sales promotions.

Who else is excited about this? HarperTeen never fails to have an absolutely amazing lineup of books throughout the year, and the fact that we're going to be getting even more from them each month with this new imprint is enough to have me embarrassing myself by doing a happy dance in my living room despite the threat of neighbors seeing me through our curtain-less windows. I don't even care if they do though because I'm going to get to read books like the below starting this Tuesday, December 4th:

BREATHLESS by Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan's breathtaking digital original novella set in the world of Firelight.

For Az, it's supposed to be a fun summer vacation with her family. Nothing complicated. Just a quick trip to test the waters as she prepares for a year on her own. That all changes when she rescues a drowning girl and meets Tate—the most gorgeous human boy she's ever seen. Tate throws her heart, her plans, and her life into upheaval, but the closer she gets to him, the harder it is to hide the secret of what she is. With no hope for a future together, the last thing that can ever happen . . . is love.

This stand-alone digital original is perfect for those new to the Firelight series as well as veteran fans.

RADIANT by Cynthia Hand

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a riveting original novella (available only as an ebook) set in the world of the Unearthly series.

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

Also releasing December 4th:
STUPID PERFECT WORLD by Scott Westerfeld
CRUISIN' by Sarah Mlynowski

Upcoming Impulse titles include:
THE PRINCE by Kiera Cass
TAGS by Walter Dean Myers
ONE DAY MORE by Aprilynne Pike.

More information on what you can expect from HarperTeen's new imprint can be found here.

2. SIMON TEEN'S 31 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS

Thank you SimonTEEN! *commences finger crossing for every day of December*

3.  READ EVERY DAY

The awesome people over at Scholastic have launched a holiday campaign called Read Every Day. For every Storia ebook purchased, Scholastic will donate a book to a child in need, with special attention paid to those kids who lost their home libraries in Hurricane Sandy. You can find all the details HERE.

4. SOURCEBOOKS 25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

From Sourcebooks:

Get daily eBook deals delivered straight to your inbox and be entered for a chance to win eBooks, candy, print books, and an eReader for you—and one for a friend or family member!

Sourcebooks is feeling the spirit of the holiday season and we want to share it with you! We’re running our biggest promotion yet—daily discounts on our most popular eBooks—throughout the month of December. If you sign up to receive our daily email notifications, you’ll automatically be entered to win two eReaders: one for you, and one for a friend or family member. In addition, we’ll also be giving away more fun prizes every single week, from candy to gift baskets to books. Sign up today!

5. SCARLET TRILOGY

One of my favorite reads this year was SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen (if you haven't read it, I HIGHLY recommend picking it up). It was another one of those unexpectedly amazing stories where I immediately fell in love with the characters upon meeting them. As per usual, when I finished I ran to the internet to find any information I could with regards to a sequel given events were left fairly open-ended, though not frustratingly so. Imagine my anxiety when I discovered there was no information to be had. No mention of a sequel anywhere. *sobs in remembrance*

Well, friends, Friday was my lucky day. On Friday, A.C. announced on her blog some very, very exciting news. As you may have guessed from the above #5 title, SCARLET is not simply going to have one sequel, but two. YES! You can read all the details on A.C.'s blog here, and she is running a couple of giveaways to celebrate as well, so be sure and check them out.

Interview: A.C. Gaughen and Scarlet

I'm extremely excited to welcome young adult debut author A.C. Gaughen to the blog to talk a little bit about her novel Scarlet which just released in February (read my review HERE). Scarlet was one of those books I can't say I was dying to read when I first heard about it, but it proved to be one that surprised me in the best possible way when I began reading it. I absolutely fell in love with Scarlet and Rob and their simultaneously beautiful and painful relationship, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves really complex, perfectly flawed characters.

We meet Scarlet at a point where she’s already a vital member of Rob’s band and has been so for some time, so we don’t know much about how they met. Can you tell us the first thing to run through each of their minds when they laid eyes on one another those couple of years ago?

Scarlet would have thought something along the lines of “Jackpot!” and Rob would have thought, “Interesting”. Scar had a very specific purpose in mind for Rob, and when Rob met Scar she gave him a new purpose, a new thought that there might be more that he could do–with just the right band of misfits.

If you were to join Scarlet, Rob, John, and Much in their efforts to help the less fortunate, what specific set of skills do you think you’d bring to the table to aid them on their missions?

An authorial hand to delete all obstacles! Though I like to imagine that I would be a super keen trainer of animals that could aid us on all our missions. We’d need a falcon and a wolf, at least.

What part of the writing/publishing/marketing process would you say you found most daunting?

The marketing part! It’s totally out of my wheelhouse. It’s totally out of my every house. There’s this really strange concept of your book–your verbal, emotional vomit that swelled up from your soul–becoming a public commodity. And then there’s the equally bizarre idea that then, some piece of you becomes a public commodity. It’s really strange–but it’s also pretty cool to learn a new skill, and marketing is definitely a steep learning curve!

Of all the Robin Hood stories and retellings, which book or film is your personal favorite?

God, I love Christian Slater as Will Scarlet in Prince of Thieves (and I love the title!). I love the hen in the Disney version–and that fox was pretty hot, for a fox. I love everything about Cary Elwes, and I love me some old school Errol Flynn. Jonas Armstrong and Lucy Griffiths are probably my fave Rob/Marian combo, though. And Richard Armitage as Gisbourne is off the charts. Best ever, hands down (from the BBC tv version).

So much of the tension between Scarlet and Rob comes as a result of their inability to voice their feelings to one another, both of them choosing instead to suffer in silence. If Scarlet had five minutes in which to tell Rob everything she’s ever wanted to say knowing that once that five minutes is up he won’t remember anything, what might come out of her mouth first?

She’d tell him everything that’s amazing about him–his heroism, his heart, his incredible ability to continue on in the face of never ending pain and injustice. She’d say that the times when he’s most amazing are when he doubts himself, when he stumbles, when he shows that he feels that pain and feels that injustice–and then continues on anyway, continues to give hope and strength to those around him, including her. She’d tell him that she loves all of those things that make him a hero, but she loves the things that make him a little awful even more. Because when he says terrible things and does terrible things and she loves him anyway, it makes this tiny seed of possibility grow in her that maybe she can be loved despite those terrible things within herself.

And then she’d punch him. Because he can be a huge jerk sometimes, and even if she loves it, she definitely doesn’t have to forgive it.

What would Rob say is his greatest strength? His greatest weakness?

I don’t know if Rob recognizes his greatest strength, which is to believe in people. I think he would probably think it’s his ability to keep on going, to never stop, never give up. But he sees that as a serious flaw, too–like he should just be able to forgive, to forget, to move on, and he can’t. Not ever.

His weakness? He’s afraid of a lot of his emotions. He would say he’s weak because of his anger, his jealousy, his pride. They can definitely get the best of him, and he’s terrified of being so out of control.

Let’s say you’re on a book tour with your four main characters attending signings and conducting question and answer sessions. Who would be the most comfortable in front of a large group of people? Whose answers would most likely get the biggest laugh?

John Little for the win! John would ham it up while Scarlet gets progressively more and more territorial and uncomfortable with the attention. Rob would try and make him give serious answers while Much continually pipes up with something that tries to be funny or interesting but is just trying too hard. And then John would swoop in again, steal the spotlight, and hit on a reporter.

If the Scarlet we meet at the beginning of the book could ask you one question about how her life was going to change in the coming pages, what would it be and how would you answer?

I think she’d say: “Will I do it? Is it over?” Scarlet desperately wants a feeling of relief–whether its being assured the people are safe, or she is forgiven by the sister she lost, or she has Rob’s approval, she just wants the tension she’s been holding onto for so long to break. And none of it will. So I think I’d tell her that she can’t look to the future for validation. She has to look at her efforts every day and know they’re enough, and know she has a new chance every morning. Until she’s satisfied with that, she won’t be satisfied with anything.

Thank you for the interview!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions A.C.! More information on A.C. and Scarlet can be found here:

Website
Goodreads
Twitter
Order Scarlet on Amazon

SCARLET

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Review: Scarlet

SCARLET
A.C. Gaughen
Young Adult
304 pages
Walker Children's Books
Available February 14th
Received through NetGalley for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

MY THOUGHTS
Scarlet is a story that despite the use of familiar characters and a familiar premise feels fresh and new, the world of Robin Hood looking very different through the eyes of a female Will Scarlet–a young woman who steals and swears better than the boys in their band of misfits but who can’t quite hide the flush in her cheeks and the beating of her heart at the sight of Robin behind her boyish façade. Never before has the concept of thievery been quite so appealing, and while we know intellectually that stealing is not an act to be admired or glorified, our own fingers can’t help but twitch with the desire to be as sticky as Scarlet’s so that we might contribute to the fight against a tyrannical prince and sheriff no matter how illegal our choice of weapons. Into a classic tale Ms. Gaughen weaves a complicated and dark past for our young heroine, making her more than simple words on a page, more than a girl in boy’s clothing, and more than someone relegated to the shadows cast by the great Robin of Locksley.

It takes a couple chapters to really settle in with Scarlet as a narrator, the dialect wherein she often uses the word “were” in place of “was” (ie “I were looking right at him”) taking some getting used to before it simply becomes a part of who she is and therefore something we can’t help but love because we adore her so thoroughly. She wields her knives with unerring precision, pulling more than her weight in their band of four and proving again and again that she’s a force to be reckoned with. When the boys attempt to remind her that she’s a girl and could possibly need looking after, she’s quick to prove otherwise, repeatedly being the first into danger to save an innocent life and back out again before Robin, Little John, and Much even know she’s gone.

Perhaps most memorable and intriguing in this tale is the relationship between Scarlet and Rob, the two of them so frighteningly similar and so obliviously blind to their own similarities that they repeatedly clash, butting heads again and again without ever thinking to truly open their eyes and see what’s standing in front of them. Both are struggling to atone for past sins, using self-inflicted emotional pain as currency to pay the debt they both feel they owe to God and country for the blood they’ve spilled, never once allowing the health and safety they now provide to those around them to balance the perceived taint on their souls. They hurt one another both intentionally and unintentionally, but it’s abundantly clear to us that their actions and sharp words are never intended the way they seem, and we wait with breath held for the moment when they'll allow their hearts to communicate what body language and mouths cannot.

Overall, Scarlet is a wonderfully well-rounded debut from Ms. Gaughen; a layered tale where light attempts to fight the encroaching darkness through shades of gray, and where a young woman fights for a home and a family she doesn’t feel she deserves even though the opposite is true. Ms. Gaughen is an author I will be watching from now on, and I cannot wait to see what she will delight us with next.

Rating: 4.5/5

In My Mailbox #39

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi over at The Story Siren and is a great way to see what other bloggers are reading and reviewing. I always love seeing what everyone else got for their week!


FOR REVIEW
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Thank you HarperTeen)
Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer (Thank you HarperTeen)
What Boys Really Want by Pete Hautman (Thank you Scholastic)
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (Thank you Bloomsbury and NetGalley)
Watched by Sharde Richardson (Thank you Sharde)
Bad Blood by Kristen Painter (Thank you Hachette and Kristen)
Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig (Thank you HarperTeen and NetGalley)
Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (Thank you Lauren)
Within the Flames by Marjorie M. Liu (Thank you HarperCollins)

Also, hardcore slacker that I am, it took me a long time to pick a winner for the Paranormals trilogy giveaway, but I finally did and she has been emailed. Thanks to everyone who entered and I apologize profusely for the delay in announcing this one!

Winner:
Na