Review: Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope

Series: Earthsinger Chronicles #1
Release date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A treacherous, thrilling, epic fantasy about an outcast drawn into a war between two powerful rulers.

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda lives in a land where cold whispers of invasion and war linger on the wind. Jasminda herself is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her gift of Earthsong is feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive--an injured spy who threatens to steal her heart.

Jack's mission behind enemy lines to prove that the Mantle between Elsira and Lagrimar is about to fall nearly cost him his life, but he is saved by the healing Song of a mysterious young woman. Now he must do whatever it takes to save Elsira and its people from the True Father and he needs Jasminda's Earthsong to do it. They escape their vicious captors and together embark on a perilous journey to save Elsira and to uncover the secrets of The Queen Who Sleeps.

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation.

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.

*Publisher approved request via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I love the diversity of the characters (the cover model is beyond beautiful), and I like how some subject matters could be related to real life societal issues. For instance, the main character is mixed with both Elsira and Lagrimar and she doesn't necessarily fit in with either side. The place where she was born shuns her and Jasminda feels isolated, not only for being of both worlds but also for possessing Earthsong. Even her own relatives reject her, with the exception of one that has her own problems as well, and that can also be related to. 

There is also the aspect of power and leaders wanting to gain control at any cost, a refugee situation that is super heartfelt, and the issue of Jack hoping to be a great ruler that will gain the genuine support of his people and fellow political peers. Jack also struggled with matters of his heart; loving someone he's encouraged against and being told to choose another for the sake of his kingdom. 

So a lot of things were taking place and I liked the various layers. The whole concept of Earthsong and the overall story is different and rather refreshing. But my biggest issue was not fully understanding certain details about this world and some characters mentioned. Often times it would go right over my head and I'd find myself a bit lost. Another problem I had was with the majority of the focus being on romance and not so much on action or adventure, which I had initially thought the book was from that opening chapter and the bit of magic that came to play. But those issues aside, it still made an interesting tale and I liked how it ended for all involved.

About the Author

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. 

She was born in the Bronx, just after the birth of hip hop, but left before she could acquire an accent. Equally left and right-brained, she studied Film at Howard University and minored in Computer Science. This led to a graduate degree in Multimedia and a career in website development. She's also an award-winning independent filmmaker, co-founded a literary magazine, and sometimes dreams in HTML. Leslye lives in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents. 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM

Review: Arena (book #1) by Holly Jennings

Series: Arena #1
Release date: April 5th 2016
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Purchase: Amazon
Genre: Sci-Fi

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...

The RAGE tournaments the Virtual Gaming League s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a fight to the digital death. Every kill is broadcast to millions. Every player leads a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses. 

And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real. 

Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world until one of her teammates overdoses. Now she s stuck trying to work with a hostile new teammate who s far more distracting than he should be. 

Between internal tensions and external pressures, Kali is on the brink of breaking. To change her life, she ll need to change the game. And the only way to revolutionize an industry as shadowy as the VGL is to fight from the inside.

*Received finished copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I've been wanting to read more sci-fi based novels lately, and Arena has satisfied that craving to an extent. I found the story quite interesting and unique. I loved the world building and the concept of skillful gamers in this virtual reality setting where they are able to compete as teams and fight for victory in battle-to-the-end tournaments. However, I feel I have to caution readers who can't stomach fighting scenes that are like a blood fest (severed heads and all). If you aren't a fan of such themes then this may be tough for you. But also keep in mind that outside of the arena, gamers deal with "real" issues brought on by going virtual so often, succumbing to the darker side of something that's supposed to be "fun". 

Kali Ling is this strong yet imperfect character. In the opening chapter, she falls to a new and what appears to be an unstoppable team in the arena. Kali's team loses their first fight and it seems everything is going downhill after that because they end up losing a team member as well. But before this happens, she receives an incredible opportunity: to be the first ever female to be captain of a team. Following the death of Nathan, it's on Kali to keep the team straight and in perfect condition in order to fight their way to the top of the RAGE tournaments. But the addition of a new team member makes it challenging, especially when he's so closed off to her. To make matters worse, Kali begins to experience the difficulties of what many gamers go through: an addiction to the arena. She's losing sight of what is real and becomes unable to balance the two worlds. 

Honestly, going into this story, I had the expectation it would be mostly about fighting and how advanced the world had gotten in regards to more interactive video gaming, with a lot of cool sci-fi terminology along the way. I had no idea there would be other aspects emphasizing on the far less desirable side of the arena. How it affects the mind and can leave gamers mentally twisted. And I liked that the author went in this direction because it gave me two sides. Yes, the arena is entertaining. After all, it's a new and incredible way of playing video games. I mean you literally train for this and actually put yourself into this world. It's certainly cool. But the effects of the virtual gaming league are pretty scary, and after losing a teammate, I never thought Kali would end up dealing with it too. Many times I wanted to shake her and tell her to get herself together. But like I said before, her character is strong, and with the help of a certain person and her renewed faith in Taoist philosophy, was able to recapture her hold on life and get her mind right and back into it. Still, even after she starts to snap back, I couldn't help but wonder how it's such a shame that even with all the advances made by this time, some things hadn't changed, in particularly, drug abuse.

In regards to the other characters, I liked the team members and the inclusion of diversity in the book. Aside from Hannah, Lily and Derek didn't really stand out to me in such a huge way. But then again, the parts that mainly held my interest are the battle scenes in the arena (cause I love fast-paced action) and the scenes in reality where Kali, and everyone else, are portrayed as individuals and not just as warriors. They're all still young adults dealing with real issues. 

Overall, great story with a fantastic premise. Loved the ending too, not just the final battle in the championship but also how much Kali has evolved since the start. Her growth shines through in the last chapter and now I'm looking forward to her next step and more of the arena.

    

About the Author
Holly Jennings is a self-proclaimed nerd and lover of all things geeky and weird. As the firstborn to a sports enthusiast, it was soon discovered that the only games she'd ever learn to master involved consoles and controllers. Her childhood was spent crushing virtual foes, racing on simulated tracks, and rescuing digital princesses. As a young adult, she fell in love with English class, speculative novels, and comic books, which inspired her to create stories of her own. Eventually, her passions converged and she started writing about the future of video games.

WEBSITE | TWITTER 

Behind the Pages #19: Lindsay Smith has a SEKRET

As her young adult historical fantasy series comes to an end (for now), I invited the awesome author Lindsay Smith to share a bit more with her readers and help us understand the concept behind her stories. Continue below for the interview and enter to win a copy of her riveting release, Sekret.

1. Tell us where you're from and when did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

I’m originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, though I moved to Washington, DC after college. I’ve always loved writing—always loved turning over story ideas in my head, and occasionally scribbling in class or on the bus as a way to keep myself entertained—but I didn’t start getting serious about it until I joined the working world and wanted to do something more with my free time than beaching on the couch.

2. What is it about the Russian Culture that inspired you so much to write the SEKRET series?

I started learning Russian pretty young, and the more I learned about the history—the cyclical triumphs and tragedies, the literary tradition, and so on—the more I fell in love with it.

3. Have you visited Russia? If so, any favorite spots?

I’ve been to Russia three times with exchange groups and a study abroad program—each time we were mainly based in Moscow and its suburbs, but I’ve also visited Saint Petersburg and a remote town in Siberia. I love Moscow in the evenings—strolling across Red Square or down New Arbat street. You can pass an ancient wooden Orthodox chapel, an elaborate Georgian-style mansion, and a stark Communist skyscraper in the same block!

4. How difficult was it creating these characters with psychic abilities and setting them in a time of political issues?

It was definitely a challenge! When I first started outlining Sekret, I assumed I pretty much knew the basics for the 1960s Cold War era, the historical period I’d chosen, then once I actually started putting the sentences down, I realized I didn’t know half as much as I thought. So I spent several weeks rereading old textbooks and hunting down new biographies and historiographies and so on. The psychic abilities, though, I got to play around with more—I had a lot of fun designing the different types of psychics, and finding ways to play them off of each other.

5. The sequel, SKANDAL, picks up on the fact that Yulia and Valya have escaped to Washington DC. What can fans expect from the second book, in regards to how the characters have developed, adjusting to a new life, as well as still having a battle to face?

Yulia and Valya quickly realize that for all its benefits and freedoms, America isn’t going to be a perfect solution to all their problems. And there’s still the lingering issue of Rostov—who has more power in the Soviet hierarchy than ever—and Yulia’s mother, who may be complicit now in Rostov’s plans. Yulia has a lot of hard truths to face about her own power and the people around her!

6. Are you officially closing the chapter on that duology, or will there be any other books aside from the novella?

Skandal wraps up Yulia’s storyline. I would like to revisit this universe someday, but if I were to do so, I’d explore it through the eyes of some of the other characters. Also, in addition to the prequel novella, Kursed, that came out earlier this year, I have a short story from Larissa’s POV in the Fierce Reads anthology Curses & Kisses this summer!

7. Can you share a bit about your upcoming novel, Dreamstrider? What is the concept behind the cover art and what inspired the story?

Dreamstrider is a high fantasy story about a girl who can use the dreamworld to manipulate people’s bodies in the real world, essentially hijacking them long enough to gather information while they sleep. She’s trying to prevent a war between her kingdom and the neighboring one, all while fending off the corrupt aristocrats and the ganglords who used to own her, and in case that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she’s plagued by intense nightmares that seem to be coming to life!

I adore the cover art the Macmillan Kids team came up with for it! It really captures Livia’s tenacity and creativity in shaping the dreamworld. They managed to incorporate a ton of elements from the book’s dream sequences—the dragon skull and scales, the vivid flowers, the fox, and even the dagger all figure into Livia’s journey through dreams.

8. It seems you're going for the same genre as your previous releases, which is like a mashup of Sci-Fi and historical fantasy with political influences. Have you ever considered writing in other genres like contemporary? 

Dreamstrider is actually more of a second-world fantasy than a sci-fi, which has long been a genre I’ve wanted to write in! I have a few contemporary story ideas—mostly ultra-nerdy things involving video gamers and socially awkward kids—but I keep coming back to historicals and fantasies and mixes of the two.

9. What else do you enjoy doing outside of writing?

Well, aside from reading way too much… :) I love playing board games with friends, and other nerdy gaming pursuits—World of Warcraft, Dungeons and Dragons, and so on. My husband and I take our Sheltie for walks all over DC and the nearby parks.

10. Do you have any other future projects you could give us a sneak peek into?

I’m working on a YA that’s due out next fall. It’s still pretty rough, so I’m nervous to say too much, but it’s set in both modern and 19th-century Japan and has to do with revenge.

11. Thanks so much for taking the time, Lindsay. Please leave a message for aspiring writers.

It takes such a long time for the words on the page to match the story in your head—I don’t know if they ever match perfectly—but don’t let it keep you from putting the words down! Your stories are never wasted. You can always learn something from each word you write—you just have to write them down.

About the Author

Lindsay Smith's love of Russian culture has taken her to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and a reindeer festival in the middle of Siberia. She lives in Washington, DC, where she writes on foreign affairs. SEKRET is her first novel.

www.lindsaysmith.net | twitter.com/LindsaySmithDC | lindsaysmithdc.tumblr.com

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Balance Broken by Hilary Thompson

Check out the cover reveal for the second book in Hilary Thompson's YA Dystopian series. 

Series: Starbright #2
Release date: October 2014
Pre-order: Amazon

SYNOPSIS VIA GOODREADS:

Balance Broken is the second in the Starbright series. In the first book, Justice Buried, Astrea fights to remain independent in a world which demands she submit to an ancient prophecy. In Balance Broken, she learns that independence means little when the world is depending on her.

The world cries for Order, but she’s igniting a revolution.

One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now, Asphodel no longer lingers underground, and the Starbright Maiden of Justice has returned.

Everyone has faith in Astrea’s ability to save the world - but only she knows the dark truth about her powers. Astrea teams with Stian, Lexan, and Zarea to enlist the help of Lord Hadeon of Tartarus. They hope Hadeon will aid in attacking Asphodel’s First Leader Keirna, but the Destroyer usually takes lives, not sides.

As Astrea discovers life outside of Asphodel, she begins to wonder whether the remaining world is too broken to save - especially since the price of freedom just might be her own life.

EXCERPT

The burn of rage in my chest starts to spread, searching for an outlet. My palms are no longer sweaty but warm, and then hot. Lexan sucks in a breath as the heat grows, but he just squeezes my hands tighter, trapping the power in our fingers. A bit of wind swirls around us, lifting the heat from our palms, and I grin at this feeling of subtle power, turning my cheeks up toward the sun’s orange light, trapping it behind my closed eyelids.

A sudden crackle behind me breaks my focus and I twist to see a figure step from behind a tree.

“What are you doing with him?” Stian asks in a dangerous voice.

“It…nothing! How…what did you see?” I stammer. I rip my hands from Lexan’s and step toward Stian, guilt and dread coursing through me.

He glares at Lexan, then stalks back into the trees without another word. My stomach is churning with nerves. I thought we’d been so careful: finding an isolated spot to practice our silly games, telling Stian we were going to train, taking our bows and knives.

“Do you think he suspects anything?” I whisper to Lexan, remembering how Stian had already gone through the passage when the power of Justice finally slipped into my hands. He really shouldn’t know any of this. Could he have felt the heat in the air?

Lexan looks down at me, his eyes thoughtful. “I believe he thinks we were kissing.”

“What?”” My stomach drops into nothingness as I recreate the scene in my mind, from Stian’s viewpoint: joined hands, smiles, my upturned face and closed eyes. A hot flush creeps into my cheeks.

“Because I’m pretty sure I was thinking about it,” he adds with a slow smile, catching my elbow as I try to turn after Stian. His fingers slide down to my wrist.

“Just because you think something at me doesn’t mean I have to let it in,” I answer, jerking my hand from his. I’ve glimpsed a few of Lexan’s ideas throughout our training this morning, and an uncontrollable ferocity washes over me.

“I trust you to be a friend, Lexan – not try to sabotage my shot at happiness!” I yell, yanking away again as he tries to grip my fingers.

“Trea, just wait a minute! I’m sorry – I’ll talk to him.” 

“Just stay out of it! Out of everything!” I stumble backwards as a fierce wind pulls my curls across my face. I throw my hands up to block the swirl of dust and leaves when suddenly a burst of flame shoots into the air, buoyed upwards by the cool gust.

It burns out as quickly as it appeared, leaving me gaping up at the trees. Sunlight streams in a thick shaft through a neat, new hole in the canopy, and wisps of smoke swirl lazily around us.

“About time,” Lexan smiles halfway, his hands propped on his narrow hips. Suddenly he looks just like his brother Aitan, standing triumphantly in the classroom after tricking me to get what he wanted. Everything is too clear, and I feel ill.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hilary Thompson was born to parents who made a habit of taking roads less traveled. But she was also a first child, and an independent, willful child, so she has made a habit of taking a few roads on her own.

After trying on hats made for artists, architects, restaurant and retail workers, landscape designers, legal secretaries, and professional students, she retreated back to her first loves of education and writing.

Hilary now teaches high school full time, writes whenever and wherever she can, and reads as much as her eyes can handle. She also tries not to spoil her own independent, willful children or neglect her wonderful soul-mate of a husband too much. She tends to ignore laundry baskets and dirty dishes.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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BLOG TOUR~Extraction by Stephanie Diaz

The Stephanie Diaz YA Dystopian Extraction Blog Tour has ended. See details below:

Series: Extraction #1
Release date: July 22nd 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

"Welcome to Extraction testing."

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. 

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers of Hunger Games and Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.

About the Author

Twenty-one-year-old Stephanie Diaz wrote her debut novel, Extraction, when she should've been making short films and listening to college lectures at San Diego State University. When she isn't lost in books, she can be found singing, marveling at the night sky, or fan-girling over TV shows.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

NOTE: Please do not post any negative reviews that is hurtful to the author and affects the promotional purpose of the tour. Post the blurb and giveaway instead, or send me an email if you'd like to back out. Thank you for understanding.

July 21st -
Addicted Readers *Review & Dream Cast (blogger's choice)
Curling Up With A Good Book *Interview
My Book Addiction *Review
Musings of Immortals *Spotlight

July 22nd -
The Eater of Books! *Spotlight
Some Like It Paranormal *Review & Favorite Quotes
A Dream Within A Dream *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

July 23rd -
Hollywood the Write Way *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
WOrkS of FiCTioN *Interview

July 24th -
Istyria book blog *Excerpt
Paper Cuts *Review & Favorite Quotes
A Book Addict's Bookshelves *Interview
Bookworm for Kids *Review
Booky Thoughts and Me *Review & Favorite Quotes
Always a Booklover *Spotlight

July 25th -
Behind the Pages *Guest Post
Bibliophilia: A Love Story *Review & Dream Cast (blogger's choice)
Bookworm Dreams *Review & Favorite Quotes

*No posts on weekends. 

July 28th -
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club *Guest Post

July 29th -
Lost in Ever After *Review
The YA's Nightstand *Spotlight

July 30th -
Chapter by Chapter *Interview
Mother/Gamer/Writer *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

July 31st -
The Cover Contessa *Spotlight
Bookraptured *Review & Favorite Quotes

August 1st - 
Her Book Thoughts! *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
MichaelSciFan *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Dazzled by Books *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

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Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Series: Fire & Flood #1
Release date: February 25th 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own. 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

*Received ARC from publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Adventurous, a good sense of comradery, need to survive, along with the element of romance and a representation of value and what an individual will do for their loved ones. There was quite a lot going on in this thrilling story. I felt intrigued from the opening chapter until Tella started this nail-biting, hazardous race to find a "cure." I must admit, I haven't read Victoria Scott's Dante Walker books, much less any other novel written by her, but I can say that I liked this one and glad it's my first. Her writing is witty, fast-paced, and not clustered at all. If this is how her other novels are then I'm a fan. 

What I enjoyed most about Fire & Flood is how the story wasn't just about Tella choosing to participate in an event to save her brother, but it also focused on other characters and what they're in the race for. I liked how they sort of created this unit to help each other until the end. Not many would do such a thing if they were in a situation like that and it really makes you wonder what you would've done when you read about the inhumane things that takes place. Of course, no story is quite complete without the aspect of romance in the pages. And the feelings between Tella and Guy (not a fan of the name) were nice to read about while they blossomed along the way. I like that it wasn't plastered all over the pages or took away from the main purpose of the story, which in fact is the race and reaching the end.

Speaking of Guy, I was a tad confused by his behavior at first but then I got him, and once he started to open up and share what was really going on with Tella his position in the race seemed much bigger than just winning. I adore his strength and determination, along with Tella's. Whenever she was at a point where she felt like giving up, she reminds herself of the reason why she's in that situation to begin with and that motivates her to keep going. Another big thing about the story that I loved was her relationship with her Pandora, Madox. She treated him with respect and showed him love, while some took advantage of theirs in shameful ways. All I can say is, if you're with Peta or you're love for animals makes you faint at heart when reading about them being treated cruelly, then you should be warned before picking this up. It might affect you on an emotional level. It did that for me.

What else? Twists. There were a few that had me surprised. Like the whole deal with Dink and Caroline. And I must say I was a tad surprised by Harper's decision towards the end of the book even though she portrayed tough characteristics throughout the story. There were other moments where I received an eye-opening of how terrible the race truly is and just how life-threatening. I think I came to the realization at the same time as Tella. That's how much I could relate with her character and experience every moment with her. 

For some reason though, while reading the book I kept thinking of Digimon adventures and related it in some ways to the characters and their Pandoras. I don't know why, maybe it's cause I used to watch that cartoon. Anyways, it's not a big deal just me and my silly brain. 

To conclude, I don't know how else to say Fire & Flood was terrific. I really, really enjoyed the story and cannot wait for the second book because I'd love to get more of Tella and Guy's sweet love in the wet jungle or hot desert, and I'm looking forward to them reaching the end and seeing what decision they will make. Because after all, the cure is only meant for one winner. 

BLOG TOUR~Dark Metropolis by Jacklyn Dolamore

The Dark Metropolis Blog Tour has ended. This is the first book in Jaclyn Dolamore's upcoming Young Adult Dystopian series. See details below:

Series: Dark Metropolis #1
Release date: June 17th 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.

Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

www.jaclyndolamore.com | twitter.com/jackiedolamore 

NOTE: Please do not post any negative reviews, that are hurtful to the author, and affects the promotional aspect of the tour. Post the blurb and giveaway instead, or send me an email if you'd like to back out. Thank you for understanding.

June 2nd -
YA Sisterhood *Review
Crossroad Reviews *Review
Pretty Little Memoirs *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
Book Briefs *Review
Indie Authors You Want to Read *Spotlight
Emma Michaels *Review
Fiction Dreams *Review
iequalsAlissa *Spotlight

June 3rd -
The Eater of Books! *Review
The Magic Of Words *Spotlight
CBY Book Club *Spotlight
Lite-Rate-Ture *Review


June 4th -
Imagine a World *Guest Post
Addicted Readers *Guest Post
Mother/Gamer/Writer *Review
Falling For YA *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

June 5th -
Books Live Forever *Review & Favorite Quotes
The Flyleaf Review *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Paper Cuts *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club *Guest Post
YA Book Addict *Spotlight
Book Swoon *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

June 6th -
A Dream Within A Dream *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Once Upon a YA Book *Interview
Mind-Ventures *Review

*No posts on Saturday or Sunday (June 7 - 8)

June 9th -
Reader Girls *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
So Bookalicious *Review & Favorite Quotes
The reader lines *Spotlight
All in One Place *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
The Fiction Enthusiast *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

June 10th -
A Book Addict's Bookshelves *Interview
Read More Sleep Less Blog *Review
Writer Person *Spotlight
Book Reviews *Review

June 11th -
It's A Book Thing *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
Ramblings of a Daydreamer *Review & Favorite Quotes
Leisure Reads *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)

June 12th -
kimberlyfaye reads *Guest Post
Books, Bones & Buffy *Review & Favorite Quotes
Dazzled by Books *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Deadly Darlings (formerly Read by the Undead) *Review

June 13th -
The Whimsical Mama *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Book Munchies *Review & Favorite Quotes
The Story Goes *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
Scott Reads It! *Review & Favorite Quotes
Little Library Muse *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Musings of a YA Reader *Spotlight
A Backwards Story *Review
Jessabella Reads *Interview

June 14th -
Word to Dreams *Review
Step Into Fiction *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
The Cover Contessa *Review
Leeanna *Review
The Girl Bookaholic *Review

*No posts on Sunday (June 15)

June 16th -
The Bookish Daydreamer *Review & Favorite Quotes
A Flurry of Ponderings *Review & Favorite Quotes
Tower of Babel *Review
Bookwyrming Thoughts *Review
Such a Novel Idea *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)
Ginger-Read Reviews *Spotlight
The Library Mistress *Review & Favorite Quotes
Loving the Language of Literacy *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

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