Dark Days Tour Recap

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to attend HarperTeen's Dark Days tour as it stopped at Books & Co in Dayton, Ohio. There has been an increase in the number of amazing author signings in the Dayton/Cincinnati area of late, and I can only hope this trend continues because it's hugely exciting for me to get the chance to meet and chat with such a wide variety of talented women.

Rae Carson (The Girl of Fire and Thorns Trilogy), Amelia Kahaney (The Brokenhearted), and Mindy McGinnis (Not a Drop to Drink) were all a part of this leg of the tour, and I was given the chance to spend a few minutes with them before the event started (I even managed to form coherent sentences this time, WELL DONE ME!). Since time was a little short, I decided to forgo actual interview questions and instead torture all three of them with word associations. I like to keep people on their toes you see ;-) They were up for anything though, and I have to admit to enjoying hurling words at them probably more than I should have. Below are all their responses, plus some pictures from the event as well as highlights from the general Q+A session.

WORD ASSOCIATIONS

Chapter 1

Mindy: Sucks (as in the writing of it; she said her actual first chapter doesn't suck ;-)
Rae: Revision
Amelia: Hard

Heroine

Mindy: Strong
Rae: Fun
Amelia: Super

Love Interest

Mindy: Dead
Rae: Hot
Ameila: Villain

Journey

Mindy: Internal
Rae: Interminable
Amelia: Indomitable

Family

Mindy: Dead*
Rae: Pain in the butt
Amelia: Out to lunch

*we all had to laugh at this point at the seeming death theme of Mindy's answers and how well she obviously fit on a tour called Dark Days.

Revision

Mindy: 6 months
Rae: Personal hell
Amelia: Redemption

Book Cover

Mindy: Beautiful
Rae: Fantasy
Amelia: Sexy

Leader

Mindy: Hard
Rae: Elisa
Amelia: Corrupt

Challenge

Mindy: Disaster
Rae: Writing
Amelia: Transforming

Fear

Mindy: Death*
Rae: Life
Amelia: Rebirth

*we all snorted at this

The End

Mindy: Angry
Rae: Triumph
Amelia: Twist

Writer

Mindy: Work
Rae: Sucker
Amelia: Poor

Imagination

Mindy: Flowing
Rae: Livlihood
Amelia: Atmosphere

Regret

Mindy: Theme of book
Rae: Perpetual
Amelia: Heartbreak

Future

Mindy: Bleak
Rae: Shades
Amelia: Lies

• • • • • • • • • • 

Q+A HIGHLIGHTS
(a huge thanks to Cathy for taking notes while I tweeted and took pictures)

• The idea for Not a Drop to Drink came from a fresh water shortage documentary Mindy saw called "Blue Gold". In the book, people in the country have water and people in the city want it, so her protagonist learns to be the type of person to shoot first and ask questions later when it comes to the pond she guards. She called the book "Little House on the Prairie on crack". Win.

• Amelia was asked how the idea for a character with a hummingbird heart came to be and she said she was doing research on hummingbirds and discovered numerous interesting facts that were catalysts for the book. A hummingbird's heart beats 10x faster than ours, and if it stays still too long, its heart actually stops. O.o

• All three ladies were asked what they enjoyed most about writing for a teen audience. Rae said she loved that teens were open to anything and tended to be less prejudiced and judgmental than adult readers, but she acknowledged that a huge chunk of her readers were in fact adults. Amelia chimed in with some stats she'd read in an article, saying nearly 35% of YA readers are between the ages of 18 and 35 with another 15-20% consisting of the next age bracket up.

• Both Mindy and Amelia said they were huge fans of Stephen King when they were teenagers, and Rae devoured every single Nancy Drew book she could find, sharing a story about getting out of class by pretending to go to the bathroom only to wander down to the library to see if they'd gotten a new shipment of Nancy Drew books in.

• The last question they were all asked was what they wanted readers to take away from their stories. Rae said she's not big on moral messages, and she just wants readers to have an overall experience. Amelia said there's some thoughts on trusting boys running through her story as well as a look at political corruption and class distinction. Mindy wrapped things up in the best possible way saying, "You probably shouldn't shoot people". Awesome.

I had such a great time with all three of these authors, each of whom was incredibly personable and easy to talk to, and I hope they had enough fun in Dayton that they might consider coming back in the near future!

Rae Carson, Amelia Kahaney, Me, and Mindy McGinnis

Rae, Amelia and Mindy getting ready to answer questions

Rae Carson

Amelia Kahaney

Mindy McGinnis

Mindy very appropriately brought bottles of water (with snazzy labels!) to the signing, along with fancy water droplet stickers made for her by author Sherry Thomas (The Burning Sky)

Interview: Sarah Fine + Fractured

I'm extremely excited today to welcome young adult author Sarah Fine to the blog to answer a few questions about her Guards of the Shadowlands series. I first heard about Sanctum from fellow bloggers who all had outstanding things to say, but I didn't have the opportunity to pick it up until I went on vacation recently and I kind of want to punch myself in the face as a result. It was amazing. Fractured, book two, is even better (full review coming soon), and I'm one-hundred percent in love with Lela and Malachi. As you may have guessed, I can't recommend this series enough and having Sarah on the blog completely makes my day. I hope you all enjoy the interview!

The human Guards of the dark city, given they died in different time periods, all bring varied skills and knowledge with them when they begin training. If you found yourself in Guard training with Malachi, what skills or information would you bring to the table that might be useful to them?

I’m told that I have a disapproving stare that sends chills down the spine, though I doubt that would deter a Mazikin. Apart from that, I have a sick imagination and the ability to assess and diagnose mental disorders. Again, probably not that useful, unless we want to have a Mazikin admitted to the hospital on a 72-hour involuntary hold.

Lela’s story is a brutal and highly emotional one. What’s the last book you read that tied you up in emotional knots?

SECRET by Brigid Kemmerer (it comes out in January 2014). Brigid has a talent for creating tense, emotionally charged family dynamics and romantic relationships, but in Secret, she outdoes herself. Her main character, Nick, is so anguished. His need to understand and accept himself, his intense desire to connect with the guy he’s falling for, his fear of losing control, as well as his anxiety about revealing his true self to his family was palpable and raw. It’s a phenomenal book.

What is one quality Lela possesses that you wish you did? One quality you have that Lela would benefit from?

Lela is incredibly resilient and fierce, and I’m not sure I could endure what she has and still be as functional as she is. As for a quality I have … I’m much less prone to shooting off my mouth. Most of the time.

As a reward for all their hard work, the Judge (in a magnanimous mood) grants Lela and Malachi a single day in the world of another piece of YA fiction. In what worlds might each of them choose to spend their time?

This is such an interesting question because I tend to read such dark YA fiction with bleak, scary worlds, and really, all Lela and Malachi want is rest (and each other). I think both would choose a contemporary, less urban setting, like Mercy Falls from Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver/Linger/Forever, where they’re likely to have a bit more peace and quiet.

If Malachi were to ask you to rewrite one small thing about his character, what do you think he would want to change?

I think he might ask to be as brutal and emotionless as he sometimes tries to act. Malachi, in his soul, craves peace and gentleness. He doesn’t seek or want greatness; he never asked to be part of this epic story. But since he has to be, I think he’d want to be a little tougher internally, because he also has a deep sense of duty and doesn’t avoid doing what he thinks is right, even if it causes him great pain.

What aspect/element of the dark city was the first to take shape in your mind when crafting the Shadowlands?

The fact that people could have whatever they wanted, that they could grow whatever they desired, but that it just wouldn’t be that great or satisfying. That was inspired by one of C.S. Lewis’s books, and I built the whole city around it.

You’re in a group interview setting with all the characters from Sanctum and Fractured. Who is the first to speak and what question do they ask?

Wait—are they interviewing me? If so, Michael would dominate the rest through the sheer volume of his voice and demand to know why he doesn’t have more page time. Then he’d probably curse at me in Farsi.

• • • • • • • • • • 

SARAH FINE

I’m the author of the Guards of the Shadowlands urban fantasy series (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing), including Sanctum (October 2012) and Fractured (October 2013). My gothic young adult novel Of Metal and Wishes will be published by McElderry/Simon & Schuster in August 2014. In May 2014, Putnam/Penguin will publish Scan, the first of two thrillers I co-authored with Walter Jury under the name S. E. Fine. When I’m not writing, I’m psychologizing. Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter

• • • • • • • • • • •

FRACTURED

(releases October 29th)

In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.

Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.

As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?

Amazon • Goodreads

*Fractured (or Sanctum if you've yet to read it) is one of the books I'm giving away as part of the Something Wicked Returns Giveaway Hop, so be sure and enter HERE if you haven't yet!

Review: Tandem

TANDEM
Many Worlds #1
Anna Jarzab
Young Adult/Parallel Worlds
428 pages
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Available now
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds. Many lives--infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

MY THOUGHTS
Tandem is not a story that has a wholly unique premise; instead by all appearances it's but one more in a growing group to embrace the parallel universes trend in YA fiction, complete with a romance in the form of a triangle to ensure tension and drama run high. What we soon discover after the first several chapters though is that the blurb doesn't come close to doing the story justice, and Sasha's tale stands out as memorable – a bright blinding light amidst the din – leaving the familiar aspects to which the blurb allludes at the door. While the world building doesn't necessarily wow us nor does the concept of analogs (doubles) mesmerize us with its creativity, Ms. Jarzab bleeds newness into a familiar setup with her characters, Sasha and Thomas yanking us as forcefully into their story as they themselves are yanked through the tandem and into the middle of a war.

Tandem requires a slight adjustment period in the beginning, the format throwing us off ever-so-slightly as we're bounced from Sasha's first-person perspective to short chapters detailing Thomas's actions in third-person to brief snippets of the real Julianna and her current predicament. Majority of our time is spent with Sasha however, and we quickly see how valuable our brief detours with Thomas and Julianna are in deciphering the political complexities of Sasha's new world. Though we suspect certain things before they're revealed to us in truth, it's clear to us that identifying all the players complicit in both Julianna's absence and Sasha's presence in the United Commonwealth of Columbia is only a single thread of a much larger web, one we see glistening out of the corner of our eyes as we focus straight ahead only to have it disappear when we turn our heads in an effort analyze it more closely.

Though the synopsis suggests a love triangle between Sasha, Thomas, and Prince Callum (who we learn early on is betrothed to Julianna as part of an attempted peace agreement), he doesn't come into play until midway through the story, and by then Sasha's heart – a bit battered and bruised – belongs only to Thomas. She doesn't play games or waffle between the two of them, and though Callum is upfront about his desire for their marriage to be real and not a mere facade to appease their families, the only real drama created by his presence is the guilt Sasha feels about having to play her role. Her relationship with Thomas is one full of just enough hurt and betrayal to have lumps take up permanent residence in our throats, but the two of them are never frustratingly dramatic, their pain genuine and believable even as the weight of their situation starts to crush us into so much dust.

We're left with things far from concluded, the unrest in Julianna's world at an all time high just as we're forced back to our own reality, but though we have lingering questions, they're not the kind that haunt us and drag our overall enjoyment down the more we think about them. Tandem is full of twists and turns but yet is not altogether unpredictable, rather it feels as though we've traveled a highlighted portion of a maze, granted a false sense of comfort thanks to the things we're allowed to uncover seemingly on our own, but out there off the beaten path we've traveled in this first book lie all the dark offshoots we've yet to see, and I for one can't wait to discover where they lead in book two.

Rating: 4/5

Find Anna:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Amazon • Goodreads

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

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Sentinel

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!

SENTINEL

Covenant #3

Jennifer L. Arementrout

Paranormal Young Adult

Releases from Spencer Hill Press November 2nd

From Goodreads:

It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

I've been feeling really antsy lately, my patience for books I'm dying to read stretched super thin as January and February just seem entirely too far away, so I decided it was necessary to pick a book this week with a much shorter wait. Plus, I absolutely adore this series and have from the moment I cracked the spine of Half-Blood. I'm so ready for Alex and Aiden to be back in my grabby hands, and I have no doubt Ms. Armentrout will give us an epic ending to this series!

Review: Emerald Green

EMERALD GREEN
The Ruby Red Trilogy #3
Kerstin Gier
Young Adult/Time Travel
464 pages
Henry Holt and Co.
Available now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

MY THOUGHTS
Much like its predecessor, Emerald Green wastes very little time tossing us back into the middle of multiple time-travel timelines with almost no recap of previous events, but even though we’re foggy on specifics, it’s as easy as ever to get involved in this last leg of Gwen’s journey. While we certainly have questions about the past and present and how the various events of both relate to one another, we can’t help but find ourselves pushing them to the back of our minds and simply enjoying the humor that’s become a trademark of the series. Gwen’s sly quips combine with an absurdly hilarious gargoyle ghost/demon to keep us smiling through any haze of confusion that temporarily causes us to stumble, ensuring that the crazy train that is the Montrose family takes us for one unforgettable ride.

Gwen has been a joy throughout the series, constantly battling the Guardians' unrelenting incredulity that she’s the one who inherited the time travel gene over her cousin Charlotte, and continuing to endure their snide remarks and their secrecy with a grace we’re quite sure we wouldn’t be able to muster in her place. Though things with Gideon are still far from smooth sailing in this last book, Gwen is not the type of young woman prone to angst or overly emotional reactions, having only minor meltdowns that end in rants to her best friend (as is to be expected based on the situation), charming us with her disgust over her very temporary weepiness rather than frustrating us with an epic emotional unraveling. Minor relationship hiccup aside, Gwen is strong and determined in this final installment, attempting to decipher the numerous prophecies and their ominous predictions to figure out the purpose of all her and Gideon’s misadventures back in time.

Though there are tense moments between Gwen and Gideon in this book, their romance isn’t quite as deeply involving as it has been in the past (with one large exception), the extraordinary number of loose threads in need of tying off rightfully demanding the majority of the spotlight. We might not entirely understand every piece of the puzzle that's uncovered, but many of our questions are answered, additional pieces clicking into place the more we turn events over in our minds after finishing. Things are wrapped up nicely in the end, but there’s certainly room for more should Ms. Gier ever feel the need to follow up with Gwen and give us a look at her life after the dust from the final events settles, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if somewhere along the line these characters called out to her once again.

Rating: 4/5
 

Previous Reviews:

Ruby Red • Sapphire Blue

Find Kerstin

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.

Reclaimed Blog Tour: Guest Post With Sarah Guillory

Today I'm pleased to welcome young adult author Sarah Guillory to the blog as part of the promotional tour for her new contemporary release, Reclaimed. Sarah's going to talk a little bit about why she writes and about Reclaimed in particular, and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for the full list of tour stops for more guest posts, reviews, and interviews!

WHY I WRITE

Reclaimed is a story I am proud of. And while it is my best work right now, I hope it is not my best work ever. I want the next book, and the one after that, to be even better. I want to excel at my craft, and the only way to do that is to learn, listen, practice, and grow. I want to improve not just with each and every book, but with each and every day.

Reclaimed will hit shelves on October 15th. OCTOBER 15TH! And I really only have one hope for this book – I want it to speak to readers the way other books have spoken to me. I write because I love books. And I can’t even imagine how it might feel to have someone else connect to my book the way I have with so many others. It is why I faced my fears and put my work out there.

Sending Reclaimed out into the world is scary. It’s there for the world to pick apart. To interpret how they see fit. And while it will always be my book, once it’s out there, it will also belong to readers. There’s nothing more exhilarating or terrifying than that.

I write because I can’t NOT do it. Believe me, I’ve thought about it. Why in the world would I want to pour my soul into something that others might rip to shreds? Why would I want to put myself out there like that? The whole world will be able to see me fail, fall, fumble.

But writing is something I have to do. Even if I’m not writing, I’m thinking about it. I imagine scenes, stories, conversations, whole worlds. I take words and phrases and sentences and tumble them over in my head until they are polished and smooth.

Writing is stressful and takes up a lot of my time, time that I don’t really have. I’m a full-time teacher, which is more than a full-time job in and of itself. I run marathons. I have a husband, a dog, parents and a sister, nieces and nephews, friends. I would probably be much more relaxed if I didn’t write. I could read more, learn languages, cook, maybe even get my house back in order.

And I would probably be happy. But I wouldn’t be fulfilled. I wouldn’t be complete. I wouldn’t be the me I’m supposed to be.

Because I’m a writer. A storyteller. A lover of words.

I’ve been asked whether the stress and worry and hard work is worth it.

On October 15th, the dream I’ve had since I was a child will come true.

Believe me, it’s worth it.

• • • • • • • • • • 

SARAH GUILLORY

Sarah Guillory is a YA author. In addition, she teaches sophomore English and loves that they pay her to fan girl over books and authors and to watch her students fall in love with the written word. Sarah lives in Louisiana with her husband and ridiculously spoiled bloodhound. RECLAIMED is her debut novel.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Goodreads • Tumblr 

 • • • • • • • • • • 

RECLAIMED

Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.

All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She's determined she'll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn't tainted by her family's past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets.


Ian McAlister doesn't want to start over; he wants to remember.

Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle.

The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget.

Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian's memory return.

Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you.

Goodreads • Amazon

• • • • • • • • • • 

BLOG TOUR

October 1 - Jenuine Cupcake

October 2 - WhoRuBlog 

October 3 - Queen Ella Bee 

October 4 - K-Books

October 5 - A Dream Within A Dream 

October 6 - Wastepaper Prose

October 7 - Supernatural Snark 

October 8 - A Book and a Latte

October 9 - Fiction Fare 

October 10 - Met In Eleven

October 11 - Book Savvy 

October 12 - Reading Lark 

October 13 - Portrait of a Book 

October 14 - Swoony Boys Podcast