Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Breaks The Dawn

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

DARK BREAKS THE DAWN

Sara B. Larson

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases May 2017 from Scholastic

From Goodreads:

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

I really enjoyed Sara's Defy series, so this one can't release soon enough for me. The heroine of the Defy series was as strong as they come, and it sounds like Evelayn with her magic and her ability to shapeshift is going to be badass in her own right, something that always makes me happy. I'm wondering if she's a swan shifter based on that crown, and if she is, that's not a shifter I've read about before so consider me intrigued. It's possible the swan is more symbolic than literal though, and while now I can't stop hoping for a swan shifter, I'm still counting the days until this book makes its way into my grabby hands!

Goodreads

Review: Titans

TITANS
Victoria Scott
Young Adult/Fantasy-ish?
Scholastic
320 pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

MY THOUGHTS
Titans is a fascinating reimagining of horse racing, one where flesh and blood are replaced by wires and steel, and the simple dirt track replaced by spectacularly dangerous obstacle courses.

Ms. Scott has a gift for writing character-driven stories, particularly those involving animals who steal our hearts over the course of hundreds of pages and cause our anxiety to kick up several notches as we worry for their well-being in the end. Padlock is just the latest of Ms. Scott's animals to leave his mark as we read, a horse who should be fully robotic and personality-free instead exhibiting a fighting spirit on the track and a capacity for love and affection off it. His relationship with jockey Astrid is both heartwarming and heartbreaking as their bond grows race after race, their success inspiring cruelty in others who feel an early model Titan and a lower class rider have no business in a sport driven by money and prestige.

While Astrid's relationship with Padlock is a highlight, her friendship with fellow factory worker's daughter Magnolia is also a show-stealer, the two of them there for one another every step of the way without any petty jealousy or unnecessary drama to dim their shine. Though the fact that this story is romance-free might be ever-so-slightly disappointing for those who live for it in their books (like myself), the fact that Ms. Scott decides to take what at first appears as though it's going to be a predictable enemies to lovers setup and shift it into something else entirely is a refreshing change.

Overall, Titans is a story full of heart, the bond between horse and rider beautifully sharing the spotlight with smile-inducing friendships as well as family dynamics to give us a well-rounded read with a little bit of everything for every reader.

Rating: 4/5

Find Victoria:

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.

Robotic Horses & TITANS: An Explanation in Gif Form

A couple weeks ago I picked Victoria Scott's Titans as one of my Waiting on Wednesday features, the lure of a cover and story featuring robotic horses far too great for me to resist. This led to a chat with Victoria about my love of horses (I grew up with them, see picture below!) and ended with her sending me a post that highlighted the reasons she chose to write about robotic horses. Reasons presented in .gif form. Win.

7 Reasons I Wrote About Robotic Horses, Explained in .Gifs

Horses make great BFFs, especially robotic ones. And who doesn’t need an extra BFF or three?


via GIPHY

Horses have great hair. And Astrid’s best friend, Magnolia, totally appreciates this.


via GIPHY

Because robots and horses go together like PB & J (plus a small creep factor).


via GIPHY

Horses have layers, especially Astrid’s Titan. Wink, wink!  


via GIPHY

Because a dude on horseback is always hotter. Even the infuriating Hart Riley II. 

via GIPHY

Because a chick on horseback is always hotter. Especially Astrid Sullivan.

via GIPHY

And finally, because steel, robotic horses are already becoming a thing. So you might as well prepare yourself by reading Titans.

via GIPHY

Um. As much as I want a robotic horse of my very own, I would prefer mine to have a head. I feel like the head is a vital part in making said horse a friend rather than something out of my nightmares. *shudders*

Also, just because I have a competitive streak a mile wide, I feel it necessary to try and one up Kristen Stewart in the horseback hotness department (though she is riding bareback, and I have to admit that's badass), so below please find a picture of me and my beloved Alibi from my equestrian competition days:

Who desperately needs this book in their lives? *raises both hands*

• • • • • • • • • • • 

TITANS

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

Find Titans:

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

 

Find Victoria:

Website • Facebook • Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday: Titans

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

TITANS

Victoria Scott

Young Adult

Available February 2016 from Scholastic

From Goodreads:

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about. 

Some of you might be wondering why I picked this book given there's no mention of a romance in the synopsis and you all know I LIVE for  all things swoon-worthy in my books. But you know what this book has instead? HORSES! I grew up riding horses, so the minute I saw this cover I knew this was the book for me. I want a mechanical horse of my very own. I would ride her to the bank. And the grocery store. And on any and all other errands because how badass would that be? 

Yes to Astrid and her early model Titan! I'm rooting for them already.

Goodreads • Amazon

Review: All Fall Down

ALL FALL DOWN
Embassy Row #1
Ally Carter
Contemporary Young Adult
320 pages
Scholastic
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

MY THOUGHTS
All Fall Down is pure entertainment, the kind of book perfect for picking up after a long day and letting ourselves settle into as we escape reality for a while. Grace’s story does require the suspension of disbelief and the capacity to go with the flow as she follows possible assassins down dark tunnels with absolutely no backup, but this story is in no way meant to be a serious behavioral examination of the children of prominent politicians. Instead, it's a story full of murder plots and power exchanges–with a bit of humor mixed in–and it ensures we keep the pages turning well into the early hours of the morning.

Grace is someone whose sorrow is a tangible thing, the death of her mother three years prior and the fact that she witnessed it something that haunts her hours both waking and not. She’s not in an overly healthy place when we meet her, reciting a mantra of “I’m fine” to anyone who asks, but what keeps those two words from being frustrating is the fact that Grace herself doesn’t believe them any more than those on the receiving end of it do. She knows she’s struggling, but her fear of being forced back into a hospital and heavily medicated forces her to put on the bravest face she can, and we can’t help but hope her desire to pull it together will eventually make it so.

Even though Grace is weighed down heavily by her mother’s murder and the fact that no one believes what she saw that night, the story itself doesn’t feel overwhelmingly sad, and we move forward quickly and easily with Grace as she tries to extract the truth from both past and present. We’re left with the full reveal of exactly what happened the night of Grace’s mother’s death, but it’s also very clear that things are just beginning and everything we thought we knew after spending a few hundred pages in Grace’s world is going to be called into question moving forward.

Rating: 4/5

Find Ally:

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: Salt & Stone

SALT & STONE
Fire & Flood #2
Victoria Scott
Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Adventure
320 pages
Scholastic
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

MY THOUGHTS
Salt & Stone is an action-packed follow up to last year's Fire & Flood, reintroducing us to the world and characters as they take a breather before beginning the third leg of the Brimstone Bleed, and then plunging us into the most perilous survival situations the contenders have faced yet. Ms. Scott does a fantastic job of seamlessly threading reminders as to the events of Fire & Flood–particularly the all-important “why” of the Brimstone Bleed itself–through this second installment, ensuring we’re up to speed without slowing things down with a full recap.

While the focus remains predominantly on the physical and mental challenges of the Bleed on the contenders, Salt & Stone also sees a significant shift in the relationship between Tella and Guy. For much of the first half the two are at odds, an offhand comment made by Guy causing Tella to question the way she’s run her race thus far and her ability to see it all the way through. The hot and cold nature of their interactions is frustrating at times, but just as we reach the point where one more change in mood from either of them is going to tip us over the edge, Tella decides to finally step up and use her words, cluing Guy in as to why things between them have changed. While Tella’s honesty doesn’t mend all their fences, it certainly removes a weight from our shoulders, freeing us from the tension of words unspoken.

The concluding chapters of Salt & Stone are one punch to the gut after another, and any animal lovers like myself should be aware that a number of scenes are brutal to witness, ratcheting up our hatred of those running the Brimstone Bleed to an entirely new level. We’re left on the final page as emotionally beaten and bruised as the contenders are, but Ms. Scott is considerate enough to leave us with a quiet moment that makes a smile break out even as we blink away tears.

Rating: 4/5

Find Victoria:

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.

The Sin Eater's Daughter: Guest Post + Giveaway

I'm crazy excited to be a part of the promotional tour for The Sin Eater's Daughter, releasing today from Scholastic. I think you guys are all well aware now that YA fantasy jumped to the top of my preferred genre list last year, and as soon as I saw the stunning cover for this one (and of course later read the synopsis, but really, that cover!) I knew it needed to find its way into my grabby little hands.

For the tour, I had the pleasure of asking author Melinda Salisbury what 3 supernatural gifts protagonist Twylla would gladly take in place of her fatal touch (definitely NOT a "gift" I would want), so I hope you enjoy reading her picks as much as I did. Be sure and check out the bottom of the post for all the details on a fantastic giveaway as well as the full list of participating blogs. Welcome to Supernatural Snark Melinda!

TOP 3 SUPERNATURAL GIFTS TWYLLA WOULD GLADLY SUBSTITUTE FOR HER FATAL TOUCH

Flying:
I think this one is obvious, given Twylla’s absolute longing for freedom! She’s spent her entire life under the curse of one destiny or another - none of them very pleasant - and she craves escape from the life she leads. Of course, The Sin Eater’s Daughter is set in a kind of AU, pseudo-European medieval era, and - as with medieval life across Europe at that time - girls had little choice about most things in their lives, instead guided, instructed and sometimes even bartered by their parents and guardians.  

So Twylla is dutiful and obedient outwardly, as she has been raised and conditioned to be. But inside we know that she despises her life, and those who keep her in it and she’s longing for freedom, which is why when Lief strolls into her life, unburdened by Lormerian politics and unafraid of the queen, she’s easily transfixed. The two of them actually have a conversation at one point, where Lief likens freedom to flying:

I tell him I don’t know what people do when they’re free. 

“What do you mean by free?” he asks. 

“Like you. You can go where you please and do as you wish. I don’t know what that’s like.” 

“I’m not free, my lady,” he says slowly. “I can no more wander off and do as I will than you can. You think of having choices like people think of flying. They see a hawk soaring and hovering and they tell themselves how nice it would be to fly. But pigeons can fly, and sparrows too. No one imagines being a sparrow though. No one wants that.”

I think despite Lief’s words, Twylla would absolutely choose flying. She’d relish the idea of soaring away from Lormere, and the castle, and her duties. I think she would rather be a sparrow than what she is. And that’s something Lief will find very difficult to understand.

Healing:
I think she’d choose to heal, rather than kill, if she could. She’s not the feisty warrior type, whilst I think powers like pyromancy or a Medusa glare would be verrrrrrrry tempting for her at times, she’s not especially aggressive or vindictive, and I think she’d end up feeling horribly guilty if she ever did use them. I think healing is a good fit for her, to counteract all the death she’s seen in her life. And to undermine her mother’s attitude to it. I think she’d get quite the kick out of going around, healing the very sick and watching her mother puzzle out why the Goddess had saved them.

Pyromancy:
I’ve changed my mind, I think she would want pyromancy. Though it’s unlikely she’d use it aggressively, I think she’d certainly feel a lot more confident knowing that she could defend herself in that way if she needed to – more importantly if she chose to. Her poisonous ability isn’t something she can control, she just is poisonous, all the time. So I think having a power that could be used to defend herself, but that she could ultimately chose whether to use or not, would make a big difference to her life. I think she’d be able to draw strength and confidence from it, and I also think she’d wield it well, because she has such a sense of duty, she wouldn’t become like the queen and be mad with power. I think she’d mostly use it to light candles, except for the times when she’d go outside and shoot fire into the sky to let off steam.

And who wouldn’t want to do that?

Thanks so much for stopping by Melinda!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER

Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court.

She’s the executioner.

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.

However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

MELINDA SALISBURY

Melinda Salisbury lives by the sea, somewhere in the south of England. As a child she genuinely thought Roald Dahl’s Matilda was her biography, in part helped by her grandfather often mistakenly calling her Matilda, and the local library having a pretty cavalier attitude to the books she borrowed. Sadly she never manifested telekinetic powers. She likes to travel, and have adventures. She also likes medieval castles, non-medieval aquariums, Richard III, and all things Scandinavian. The Sin Eater’s Daughter is her first novel, and will be published by Scholastic in 2015. She is represented by the amazing Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge and White.

She tweets. A lot.

Website • Twitter • Goodreads • Tumblr • Instagram • Pinterest

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Five lucky winners will each receive a copy of The Sin Eater's Daughter! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
WEEK ONE
2/16/2015- Fiktshun- Interview  
2/17/2015- Katie's Book Blog- Review  
2/18/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post  
2/19/2015- Beauty and the Bookshelf- Review  
2/20/2015- Novel Novice- Interview     

WEEK TWO
2/23/2015- Fiction Fare- Review

2/24/2015- Supernatural Snark- Guest Post

2/25/201- YA Bibliophile- Review

2/26/2015- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview

2/27/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

Ignite Blog Tour + Giveaway: Interview with Sara B. Larson

I'm beyond excited today to welcome author Sara B. Larson back to the blog as part of the promotional tour for Ignite, the second book in her outstanding young adult fantasy series. I was blown away by last year's Defy and absolutely adored this sequel, so if you haven't gotten around to picking this series up yet I can't recommend it enough! I hope you all enjoy the interview, and be sure to check out the bottom of the post for the full list of participating blogs as well as all the details on a fantastic giveaway.

If you were in Alexa’s position, needing to keep your love for someone under wraps but yet having to be in close proximity with that person every day, how difficult would you find it to compartmentalize your feelings?

Oh boy, for me that would be very hard. Even though I did a lot of acting as a teenager (I was in school musicals and even one professional production of Jane Eyre the Musical at a local theater), I have a hard time masking my emotions in real life. If my life were in jeopardy because of it, I might learn to get better at it though. Sometimes I think it’s very much a choice and whether we want to use the energy necessary to pretend to feel something we don’t. (Even if it’s just acting like that one family member doesn’t actually bug you to death or something!)

What’s one thing writing Alexa’s character has taught you about yourself? 

I think one of the things I’ve learned from writing Alexa’s character is how valuable and important it is to be true to yourself. Her character and all of the struggles she endures makes me want to appreciate more the blessing it is to not have to hide who I truly am from those I love.

If Alexa and Damian somehow leaped from the pages of their story and suddenly arrived on your doorstep, what do you think they would each find most interesting/weird/amazing about our modern world? 

Well, I think they would both be pretty shocked they weren’t in the jungle anymore! And that they had somehow landed in a world with very different houses and buildings everywhere, unfamiliar “roads” made of hard rock instead of dirt, with weird, horse-less carriages that growl at you as they pass by, and where everyone dressed funny, talking into strange little boxes they hold to their ears (or poking at them with their fingers)! It would be quite the shock compared to Antion—although Alexa would probably be thrilled to not have to worry about running into any deadly snakes or jaguars if she and Damian were to go on a walk!

I’m sure Alexa finds life a bit easier (easier being a relative term of course), now that she doesn’t have to pretend to be male and fear being found out. How did the challenge of writing her character change now that neither you nor she had to worry about her disguise?

Well, life is easier in the way that she doesn’t have to pretend any longer, but it’s hard in different ways. Trying to find her new place, as herself, in the guard…dealing with the reactions of the other guards and the rest of the court and kingdom (which are varying, and not all positive, to say the least)…she has many struggles and is still trying to find the best way to be true to herself and do her job the best way she can.

What might Alexa have said was her greatest fear after the events of Defy? Would she say that fear has changed after Ignite? 

I think her greatest fear after DEFY was losing anyone else that she loves…and actually, no, I think that is still her biggest fear after IGNITE, although there are many other fears that are just as powerful she’s dealing with as well. (But I can’t say what because SPOILERS!)

Thank you so much for answering my questions Sara!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

IGNITE

Available now from Scholastic

Murder, abductions, and forbidden romance abound in this thrilling sequel to Sara B. Larson's acclaimed YA debut, DEFY.

Alexa remains by the newly crowned King Damian’s side as his guard, ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people, despite continuing to harbor a secret love for him. However, when another threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on their newly forged allies from Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. With the fate of her nation hanging in the balance once again, will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy – before it's too late?

Amazon • B&N • iTunes • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

DEFY 

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and heart racing romance.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

SARA B. LARSON

Sara loves writing, reading, and dessert--but the order varies by the day. She wrote her first book in second grade about a woman who had a premature baby, complete with a "to scale" drawing of the baby's size--while her mom was pregnant. To say she was a bit precocious is putting it lightly. Now that she’s an adult, she writes books for teens that have magic and romance and kick-butt girls (and very few premature babies). She lives in Utah with her husband, two young sons and baby girl. She writes during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims that she should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find her hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish. she is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary and her YA debut DEFY is coming January '14 from Scholastic!

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will receive both a finished copy of Ignite and a dagger charm, and nine other winners will receive finished copies of Ignite. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't forget to check out all the stops on the tour!

12/29/2014- Reading YA Rocks- Interview
12/30/2014- Crossroad Reviews- Review
12/31/2014- Mundie Moms- Guest Post
1/1/2015- Fiction Fare- Review
1/2/2015- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview   

1/5/2015- A Backwards Story- Review

1/6/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads - Guest Post

1/7/2015- The Book Cellar- Review

1/8/2015- Supernatural Snark- Interview

1/9/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

Review: Ignite

IGNITE
Defy #2
Sara B. Larson
Young Adult/Fantasy
304 pages
Scholastic
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Alexa continues to harbor a secret love for the newly crowned King Damian, yet she remains by his side as his guard and ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people. However, when a new threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on the once friendly nation of Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. Once again the fate of her country hangs in the balance. Will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy -- before it's too late?

MY THOUGHTS
Ignite is a beautiful follow up to last year’s Defy, thrusting us immediately into the emotional aftermath of Alexa’s decision to bury her feelings for now-King Damian and stay his personal guard rather than become his queen. Many a reader might breathe a sigh of frustration at Alexa’s “for your own good” reasoning as to why their relationship can no longer be romantic, but given they live in a world where public perception can have a profound effect on whether or not Damian goes unchallenged as king, her reservations about her suitability as queen are not entirely unfounded. We can feel the pain and hurt traveling between them on a never-ending loop–her feelings feeding his and his reactions to those feelings only magnifying hers further–and our hearts simply ache for the two of them as they struggle to make peace with the way things are.

Alexa is as physically impressive as ever with her sword and her bow, but she's also strong mentally as well, dealing with her feelings for Damian while attempting to come to terms with the significant facial scarring she suffered in her battle with a black sorcerer. She hates that she has to pretend her feelings for Damian are no longer what they once were, but her utter conviction that it’s what’s right for Antion has us seeing her side of things even as we want to scream at her to just be selfish and go for it, consequences be damned. She never wallows in her pain though, taking Damian’s coolness toward her as her due, and when Rylan presents himself as an opportunity to seek comfort and warmth, she handles it with a maturity far beyond her young age.

She could easily have upped the angst factor of this tale, gladly taking what Rylan so willingly offers, but while she’s undoubtedly tempted, she’s also able to look at the situation objectively, fully understanding that any happenings with Rylan would in no way change her feelings for Damian. For better or worse, her heart and loyalty belong to the latter, and she holds fast to that knowledge throughout. We’re not forced to endure an entire book of pain and longing however, as eventually circumstances rip the “I’m doing what’s best” blinders from her eyes and give her the chance to see a bit more clearly, and we can’t help but smile at the two of them even as the shadow of war hovers ominously over Antion.

Overall, Ignite is a sequel free of a single trace of middle book syndrome, raising the stakes both emotionally and physically for Alexa, Damian, and those they care about most. We’re left with a solid enough conclusion, but there’s an undeniable weight still on our shoulders as we close the back cover, a number of things exactly as they should be on the last page yet several ends remain free of their ties, threatening the temporary happiness our lead couple has found.

Rating: 4/5

Find Sara:

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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.

Defy Trailer Reveal + Giveaway!

I'm thrilled today to be able to share with you the trailer for Defy, a YA fantasy from Sara B. Larson. Defy released earlier in the year (releases in paperback on November 25th!) and absolutely blew me away, easily situating itself among my favorite reads of 2014. The sequel, Ignite, releases on December 30th and I couldn't be more excited to get back to this world and Alexa. If you haven't had a chance to read Defy yet, I can't recommend it enough!

This post isn't all about my fangirling though, so I'll call a halt to my gushing and give you guys a moment to check out the trailer instead. Hope you love it as much as I do!

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DEFY

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and heart racing romance.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads

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IGNITE

Murder, abductions, and forbidden romance abound in this thrilling sequel to Sara B. Larson's acclaimed YA debut, DEFY.

Alexa remains by the newly crowned King Damian’s side as his guard, ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people, despite continuing to harbor a secret love for him. However, when another threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on their newly forged allies from Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. With the fate of her nation hanging in the balance once again, will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy -- before it's too late?

Amazon • B&N • iTunes • Goodreads

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SARA B. LARSON

Sara's debut YA fantasy novel, DEFY, released in January of 2014 from Scholastic. The sequel will come out in early 2015--stay tuned for announcements about the title, cover, and synopsis! Sara lives in Utah with her husband and three young children. She writes during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. Her  husband claims she should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find her hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish or some mint chocolate truffles. She is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the November 25th release of the paperback edition of Defy and the upcoming release of Ignite, I have three shiny paperback copies of Defy to giveaway to three lucky winners, courtesy of Scholastic. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. *US residents only.

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Don't miss it! You can check out the trailer reveal via these fabulous sites:

Bewitched Bookworms
Good Choice Reading
Fiktshun
Mundie Moms
Novel Novice
Reading Teen
Supernatural Snark
Two Chicks on Books

The Raven Cycle Tarot Tour + Giveaway: The Death Card

Today I have the pleasure of being part of a very special blog tour celebrating The Raven Cycle series, one that showcases the many, many talents of Maggie Stiefvater. Maggie is not only a gifted writer and storyteller, but also an extremely skilled artist as well, and this tour shows her skills off to a spectacular degree. Each stop on the tour features a tarot card drawn by Maggie herself, complete with a reading of that card and its application to the Raven Cycle series by the participating blogger. Before I reveal the Death card, here's a little more about the Tarot Tour:

The tarot is a divination system that uses a deck of cards to gain insight. Most decks are comprised of 78 cards divided into the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana, with each card being symbolic of an energy or spiritual truth. The Major Arcana are known as the “trump cards” because they impart messages of greater weight and significance than the Minor Arcana.

The Raven Cycle Tarot Tour features the Major Arcana, with each stop on the tour revealing one of the 22 cards as designed by Maggie Stiefvater, and will use that card to reveal the past, present and future of The Raven Cycle series.

You can find the full schedule (November 1st-22nd) and list of participating blogs below, be sure and check them all out for more tarot cards, readings, and chances to win!

And now, I give you Death:

DEATH

PAST

Unsurprisingly, the Death card is "the most feared and misunderstood of all the cards in the Tarot deck". While that aspect of it is not part of the meaning of the card itself, I think the concept of misperception and misunderstanding plays a critical role in The Raven Boys.

Upon cracking the spine, we are almost immediately made aware of a prophecy featuring Blue and Gansey, one that foretells that she is either destined to fall in love with him or to be the one who kills him. For much of the book then we can't help but wonder about the very nature of prophetic statements, so seemingly telling but also vague and open-ended at the same time, inspiring fear and anxiety due to the sheer number of possible interpretations. Much as Death is misunderstood, telling not of literal impending death at all but rather change and transition, the prophecy concerning Blue and Gansey is feared for all its unknowns.

Quote source

PRESENT

"Death is symbolic of the ending of a major phase or aspect of your life that may bring about the beginning of something far more valuable and important."

Each of the characters in the Raven Cycle series undergo a number of changes, some minor and others major, as the series continues, trying to come to terms with their various abilities (particularly Ronan and his highly unusual gift of being able to bring pieces of dreams into reality) while also treading lightly as the nature of the friendships within the group continues to transition with Blue in the mix.

"Death is an indication that you need to learn to let go of unhealthy attachments in your life to pave the way to a fuller, more fulfilled life of deeper meaning and significance. Death teaches you to let go of outworn and outgrown ways of life and move forward."

The four boys in particular are likely to have this card laid in front of them should they sit down down to a reading, each of them with a past they're struggling to overcome in the hopes of emerging stronger on the other side. Gansey constantly battles his privileged upbringing and the differences between his life and those of his closest friends, Adam's abusive home life and past affects his every decision and action in the present, Ronan's history has shaped him into someone dark and defiant who dares the world to come at him, and Noah is perhaps in a more constant state of flux than any of the other three.

Quote source

FUTURE

"You may be reluctant to let go of the past or you may not know how to make the change you need. You are still carrying harmful aspects from the past that may interfere with the opportunity you have for a new beginning. You are refusing to accept change and you are resisting any element of change that may arise in your life. As a result, life has stagnated and you are feeling ‘stuck’ in limbo."

The Death card has a lot of intriguing implications for the next book in the series, forcing us to ask ourselves difficult questions about each and every character. Will they be able to overcome the the hardships or horrors of their pasts, freeing themselves from baggage that prevents them from seeing clearly? Will the misunderstanding that goes hand in hand with this card in particular be indicative of how Blue and Gansey move forward? Will they allow themselves to be caged by the words of a prophecy, or will they fight to give what has been foretold a meaning of their own choosing?

Quote source

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THE RAVEN CYCLE

Mystery, Romance and the supernatural combine in this series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.
Book 1: The Raven Boys

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her. His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Book 2: The Dream Thieves

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after....

Book 3: Blue Lily, Lily Blue

There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

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MAGGIE STIEFVATER

Entertainment Weekly has called Maggie Stiefvater, “one of the finest YA novelists writing today.” Maggie Stiefvater is a writer, artist, and musician and the New York Times bestselling author of Shiver, hailed by Publishers Weekly in a starred review as, “a lyrical tale,” and by BookPage as, “beautifully written, even poetic at times, and a perfect indulgence for readers of all ages.” There are more than 1.8 million copies of the Shiver trilogy in print. Since publication, rights to thirty-six foreign editions of Shiver have been licensed. Linger, the second book in the Shiver trilogy, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. The Scorpio Races (2011) was named to the following best of the year lists for 2011: Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, The Horn Book and Kirkus Reviews. In addition, The Scorpio Races was named a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association and a New York Times Notable Children’s Book. Time Magazine called, The Raven Boys, Book #1 in Stiefvater’s latest New York Times bestselling series The Raven Cycle, “A flirtier kind of horror-fantasy, aimed at teens clutching tattered Twilight and Sandman paperbacks....Stiefvater’s quirky prose has ample nerdy pleasures.” Stiefvater lives in Virginia with her family.

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the amazing team at Scholastic, I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you guys today! One lucky winner will receive a complete set of The Raven Cycle series (The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, and Blue Lily, Lily Blue) AND a limited edition Maggie Stiefvater Major Arcana tarot deck. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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THE RAVEN CYCLE TAROT TOUR

Don't forget to check out all the other stops on the tour for more tarot reveals and epic giveaways (you can also follow the This Is Teen Pinterest page for daily tour updates)!