Review: The Gossamer Mage by Julie E. Czerneda

Title: The Gossamer Mage
Author: Julie E. Czerneda
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 400 pages
Publication: August 6, 2019 by Daw

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Buy|Amazon|B&N|

Only in Tananen do people worship a single deity: the Deathless Goddess. Only in this small, forbidden realm are there those haunted by words of no language known to woman or man. The words are Her Gift, and they summon magic.

Mage scribes learn to write Her words as intentions: spells to make beasts or plants, designed to any purpose. If an intention is flawed, what the mage creates is a gossamer: a magical creature as wild and free as it is costly for the mage.

For Her Gift comes at a steep price. Each successful intention ages a mage until they dare no more. But her magic demands to be used; the Deathless Goddess will take her fee, and mages will die.

To end this terrible toll, the greatest mage in Tananen vows to find and destroy Her. He has yet to learn She is all that protects Tananen from what waits outside. And all that keeps magic alive.

For decades we’ve seen many mages in literature; from the boy who lived Harry Potter, fan favorite mage-detective Harry Dresden, to the all powerful Gandulf. In The Gossamer Mage, Czerneda introduces reader to a new kind of mage, one whom is wholly atypical, Maleonarial, an all-powerful mage that has brought countless gossamers to life in the name of the Deathless Goddess.

In the world of Tananen, those chosen by the Deathless Goddess are able to wield unimaginable magic. Mages have the ability to bring forth magic though the mechanism of pen and paper while  Hold Daughter have the ability to hear the goddess voice and discern magic by auditory means. In The Gossamer Mage, readers follow Maleonarial and Hold Daughter, Kait as they try to defeat an evil that is plaguing their land.

I thought the world building was very different and fascinating. Tananen is ruled by the Deathless Goddess and while many believe that serving her is an honor and blessing, those who are actually chosen know the insidious truth. There’s a reason why she’s called the Deathless Goddess. Like most things in life, there’s a price to pay when you’re given a gift. In the case of mages, they age prematurely depending on the amount of magic they use. Hold Daughters are chosen randomly as the goddess’ designate for mission, forfeiting their life when called upon.

There were many characters and many narratives going on simultaneously in The Gossamer Mage. The main two is that of Maleonarial and Kait, whom I enjoyed reading from. I loved the dual point-of-view and seeing how each differed in serving the Deathless Goddess. The other supporting characters were also well-developed and wrapped up the ensemble nicely giving an extra depth to the world. I do want to add one small caution for future readers, as with most fantasy, the characters have somewhat hard to pronounce names. Since we are dealing with mages and daughters…everyone’s name ended in either -onarial (mage) or -ealyon (hold daughter) which as you can see, be quite confusing.

The writing itself was different and from other reviews, they’ve noticed as well.Census says you’ll either like it or hate it. I’ll be honest it was difficult in the beginning. At a glance, one would think that there was no structure. There were no chapters and it had odd breaks between paragraphs changing from one point-of-view to another without a clear transition. I initially thought it was choppy and clunky but as I went further into the book, I found myself assimilating to Czerneda’s writing style. Once that happened I found myself truly enjoying the plot more and really immerse into the world. With that said, it’d be best to check out a snippet or sample before purchasing and reading.

All in all, I gotta say I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. It started off slow and confusing to the point that I almost DNF-ed it but I’m so glad I didn’t. The book is worth pushing through the uncertain beginning for a truly magical world and satisfying ending. If you’re looking for a unique and fresh take on mages and out-of-box fantasy, I highly recommend checking out The Gossamer Mage. 

[Blog Tour] Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer Excerpt

PUBLICATION: JANUARY 9, 2018 BY PAGE STREET!

PRE-ORDER|AMAZON|B&N|  

Can't you hear it, Tali?

Can't you hear the waves singing?

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea. It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods' history--and her own--the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

CHAPTER 7 EXCERPT

The fever latched tight onto her mother, and wouldn’t let go.

One week. Two. She slept poorly; she woke frantically. Captain Oblaine’s opium supply dwindled—it was the only thing that made her easy again.
At the beginning of the third week, Talia got his permission to bring her mother to his private quarters, a small chamber adjoining the great cabin.
There, at least, she could sit in bed and look out the windows to the sea. Oblaine’s willingness to do so would have surprised Talia,
 if not for the marked pity in his eyes when he looked at them.

He felt sorry for the woman driven mad by her banishment.

He felt sorry for the girl clinging desperately to the idea that her mother would soon be perfectly well again.
His pity made Talia angry, but she accepted it anyway.
Her mother was lucid, sometimes. She would wake in a quiet confusion,
scoot up against her pillows and take Talia’s hands in hers. 
She’d say she was sorry for bringing this upon them, but they would build a new life together in Ryn, take care of each other.
She would smile at Talia, and then her eyes would slide over to the windows, a wild panic seizing her.

“I need to watch the sea! I need to protect the ship! 
If I’m not watching she will come—she will break us—she will drag our souls into the depths and there will be no rest—”

“Hush, Mama,” Talia whispered into her ear, trying to soothe her even through her own fear. “All is well. There isn’t any danger. Don’t worry.”

But her mother wept and wouldn’t listen. Sometimes she wrested her way out of bed, stumbling through the Captain’s quarters and out onto the deck toward the rail, toward the sea. Once, she made it all the way, and Talia was terrified she meant to throw herself overboard. 

But she didn’t, just stared into the water and crumpled to her knees. “She’s so angry,” she sobbed. “So angry.”

Hanid and Captain Oblaine both appeared at Talia’s elbow, and helped half carry her mother back to bed.

Her mother’s wrist didn’t heal. She was forever knocking it on something in her ravings, and Oblaine could do nothing but continue to bandage it, continue to knot a sling around her neck.

It was easiest when her mother slept. Those were the only times Talia left her, to wander listlessly about the deck, or climb up into the riggings and tuck herself against the main mast. She clung to the ropes and cried, shuddering in the icy wind. She ached with homesickness, and worry for her mother ate her from the inside. She couldn’t fix her mother, couldn’t help her. She couldn’t do anything, and she hated it.

One night, when her mother had been ill an entire month, Talia left her sleeping quietly in the captain’s cabin and shimmied up the riggings to the crow’s nest, her favorite spot. She wrapped herself in the blanket she’d brought and stared out at the stars as they burned white and cold in the vast sky. They seemed close enough
to touch, as if she could step from the mast and pluck one like an orange from the heavens.

The moon rose, round and silver, from out of the sea, and her mind jumped back to the night of her arrest, where moonlight had flooded into the ballroom. For a moment, she let herself long for the life Eda had stolen from her.

Hanid was right: this was outside of her control. She could no more crown herself Empress of Enduena, or shake the shadows from her mother’s mind, 
than she could take a star from the sky. But that didn’t mean she was helpless, either.

Her mother would get better, when they landed in Ryn—Talia just needed to get her away from the sea. And they didn’t have to stay with Eda’s wretched baron, they could scrape out a living of their own. Talia would find work somewhere, make enough money to give her mother all the comforts she deserved. They didn’t need a grand life in Eddenahr to be happy.

The moon blurred a little before her eyes. My mother is still here, she told herself fiercely. That hasn’t changed.

She sensed movement below her and peered down to see a lantern bobbing on the deck. “Your mother is asking for you, Miss Dahl-Saida!” came Hanid’s voice.

She blinked the tears away and scrambled down in a hurry.

About the Author

Joanna Ruth Meyer is a writer of Young Adult fantasy. She lives with her dear husband and son in Arizona, where it never rains (or at least not often enough for her!). When she's not writing, she can be found teaching piano lessons, drinking copious amounts of tea, reading thick books, and dreaming of winter.

Connect with Joanna
|Twitter|Website|Facebook|Goodreads|

Visit the other stops on the Tour!

December 19: Mother Daughter Book Club

December 20: YA Books Central

December 21: Fantasy Book Critic 

December 22: Brittany’s Book Rambles 

December 27: SFFWorld

December 29: SciFiChick

January 2: The Cover Contessa

January 3: Seeing Double In Neverland

January 4: All Things Urban Fantasy

January 11: Fantasy Book Cafe

January 18: YA Interrobang 

[BLOG TOUR] I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL BY GRETCHEN MCNEIL: AUTHOR PROFILE + CONTEST

Welcome to my stop on I'M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL Blog Tour. For today's stop, I have a fun author profile for you and one lucky reader will get a chance to win their very own copy of I'm not your Manic Pixie Dream Girl! Check out the post below.

Meet Gretchen!

Gretchen McNeil's latest novel, I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl, is a romantic contemporary comedy. She is also known for her suspense and horror novels. 

We wanted to share 10 fun facts about Gretchen and her books with you!

- She tries to cook every night.
- She is a former coloratura soprano.
- She lends her voice to the character Mary on G4's Code Monkeys.
- She sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Bezerk.
- Her favorite movie is Clue.
- Her least favorite movie is Titanic.
- Her favorite author is Agatha Christie.

- Her favorite color is red.
- She got married in a bookstore.
- Her novels have been sold in Chinese, Spanish, and Turkish.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Published October 18, 2016  by Balzer + Bray
Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Hardcover, 352 Pages

Purchase|Amazon|B&N|

Beatrice Maria Estrella Giovannini has life all figured out. She's starting senior year at the top of her class, she’s a shoo-in for a scholarship to M.I.T., and she’s got a new boyfriend she’s crazy about. The only problem: All through high school Bea and her best friends Spencer and Gabe have been the targets of horrific bullying.

So Bea uses her math skills to come up with The Formula, a 100% mathematically guaranteed path to social happiness in high school. Now Gabe is on his way to becoming Student Body President, and Spencer is finally getting his art noticed. But when her boyfriend Jesse dumps her for Toile, the quirky new girl at school, Bea realizes it's time to use The Formula for herself. She'll be reinvented as the eccentric and lovable Trixie—a quintessential manic pixie dream girl—in order to win Jesse back and beat new-girl Toile at her own game.

Unfortunately, being a manic pixie dream girl isn't all it's cracked up to be, and “Trixie” is causing unexpected consequences for her friends. As The Formula begins to break down, can Bea find a way to reclaim her true identity and fix everything she's messed up? Or will the casualties of her manic pixie experiment go far deeper than she could possibly imagine?

GIVEAWAY

A big thanks to Saichek Publicity, I have one (1) copy of I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl to give away!

To enter please answer the following question by sharing it in the comments and/or on social media (with these hashtags)

Who is your favorite “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” character from a movie or book — why?

#GretchenMcNeil 

#ImNotYourManicPixieDreamGirl

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gretchen McNeil is an opera singer, a writer, and a clown. She is also the author of Get Even as well as Ten, which was a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and an ALA Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth and was nominated for Best Young Adult Contemporary Novel of 2012 by Romantic Times. Gretchen blogs with the Enchanted Inkpot and is a founding member of the vlog group the YARebels.

|Website|Twitter|Goodreads|Facebook|IG|

[Blog Tour] Beast by Brie Spangler

Title: Beast
Author: Brie Spangler
Genre: Contemporary Fiction 
Series: Standalone

Hardcover, 305 Pages
Publication: October 11, 2016 by Knopf BFR

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review/blog tour.

Buy|Amazon|B&N|

Tall, meaty, muscle-bound, and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesn’t look like your average fifteen-year-old, so, naturally, high school has not been kind to him. To make matters worse, on the day his school bans hats (his preferred camouflage), Dylan goes up on his roof only to fall and wake up in the hospital with a broken leg—and a mandate to attend group therapy for self-harmers.

Dylan vows to say nothing and zones out at therapy—until he meets Jamie. She’s funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. She’s also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his self-pitying and superficiality. As Jamie’s humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends.

But there is something Dylan doesn’t know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasn’t listening. Something that shouldn’t change a thing. She is who she’s always been—an amazing photographer and devoted friend, who also happens to be transgender. But will Dylan see it that way?

What initially drew my attention to this book was the beautiful cover, I mean, just look at it! I was even more excited when I heard it was a new twist on Beauty and the Beast, one of my all-time favorite fairy tale. Beast being big and hairy 15-year-old Dylan, who’s beginning his sophomore year in high school and Beauty, a stunning transgender girl name Jamie whom Dylan meets in therapy.

Beast was beautiful as it was heartbreaking. It was an emotional roller-coaster; there were some great happy moments and scary and sad moments. Dylan our protagonist and narrator was known as ‘Beast’ at his school due to his size, almost 7 feet tall and his accelerated hair growth. The school is ruthless in their taunting and even his best friend JP uses the nickname freely and frequently. There is never a moment that goes by that Dylan isn’t reminded of his peculiarity. So one day Dylan thought the solution to his problem was getting injured, so he ‘accidentally’ fell off a roof, which landed him with a broken leg and an order to do group therapy. It was in therapy that he meets Jamie and thus began a relationship between the two. Except at the start of their relationship, Dylan is oblivious to Jamie being transgender and once he learned the truth things gets confusing, complicated and dangerous for them and everyone around them.

Dylan and Jamie were very realistic and relatable characters. Although I never had it as rough as they did in high school, I do know how cruel high school kids can be. All anyone ever wants to do is fit in, be normal and to be accepted but life is never easy or fair. I empathized with both Dylan and Jamie but there were times that I just wanted to shake Dylan for his remissness regarding Jamie and her feelings. Who knew smart people can be so dense? Jami e on the other hand was a breath of fresh air. She was always true to herself and was unapologetic about it. No matter how many times people tried to knock her down her or pretend that she didn’t exist, she never let them affect her…much. Yes, it was hard for Jamie but the bullies never won or had the satisfaction of seeing their words or action affect her.

Spangler’s Beast was thoughtful and well written and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to. If you’re looking for a unique take on a beloved fairy tale, then I highly recommend reading Beast because you won’t be disappointed. It’s about overcoming physical and social norms and finding love in unexpected places…have a box of tissues ready, because you’re going to need it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author/illustrator of children's picture books and YA novels, Brie Spangler loves to draw and write stories and drink massive amounts of caffeine, but not quite Dave Grohl "Fresh Pot!"/require hospitalization levels. Writing down the ideas in her head was scary as a kid, so she turned to making pictures instead. Brie worked as an illustrator for several years before she began to write and immediately became a frothing addict. BEAST is her debut novel

Connect with Brie|Website|Twitter|Goodreads|

[Blog Tour] Whitehall: Episode 11 Excerpt: A King and No King by Sarah Smith + Giveaway

She who would be queen must win the love of a king—and a country.

Welcome to WHITEHALL, where the true history of Catherine of Braganza and her marriage to King Charles II of England is brought to life with all its sensual scandal and political intrigue. Venture back in time to a place where the games of royals affect the lives of all.

Unfolding across a season of 13 episodes, this serial of history and royal drama is presented by Serial Box Publishing and written by Liz Duffy Adams, Delia Sherman, Barbara Samuel, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sarah Smith, and Madeleine Robins. 

Read or listen to the first episode for free at SerialBox.com or in our iOS app!

This week brings the 11^th installment of Whitehall with “A King and No King”, written by Sarah Smith.

Episode 11: “A King and No King”

Available for download in text or audio on Wednesday, August 17.

Sickness descends upon the vulnerable Catherine, setting all of Whitehall into chaos – but none more so than those who love her most. Fears raise doubts in many and gives steel to others, and may even create a common purpose in king and servant.

This episode can be found at SerialBox.com, in our app, or at your favorite ebook retailer.

Saving for later? Add this episode to your Goodreads shelf! 

EXCERPT

Episode 11: “A King and No King”

Written by Sarah Smith

There were no daisies for Michaelmas. The Condessa de Penalva had brought harvest fruits from the offerings in the Chapel Royal. They made a fine show, Dona Maria whispered, but the fruits had been put on boxes and in cornucopias to disguise how few they were.

 The apples in the enameled bowl were small and rust-speckled. The dogs huddled miserably in a corner, and down in the Pebble Court, water pooled and turned the humped cobblestones into archipelagoes.
 “At least we have the Muscovites’ furs!” Charles said.

The Muscovite coat was dyed and painted leather, lined with thick fur. The garment dragged Catherine’s shoulders down, though it helped to take away the chill. The beaver hat pushed down her curls and weighed on her head like a crown.

 “Better, my wife?” Catherine had forgotten the worst thing about winter: Winter comes round every year. “I cannot get warm.”

 She spoke from under the ridiculous hat. “Build up the fire; Her Majesty is cold,” Dona Maria called to the chambermaids.

 “There is no need,” Catherine replied, but she was shivering, truly. She turned to Charles.

 “Will you share fire and supper with me, my husband?” “I must sup elsewhere, wife; I have a harvest to bless.” He smiled at her, touching his hand to her stomach. 

“And may the harvest you prepare us bless all England.” He kissed her and took his leave. The room was smaller, colder, with him out of it. 

 “I will sit,” she said. “These weigh so much.” 

 “Will you have them off, ma’am?” She was cold all the way to her bones. The warm baths and long rides of the summer seemed a thousand years away. 
 “Not yet.” She gestured to Feliciana.
 “Come to me.” 
 The little dog nuzzled under the furs with her, a warm, comforting weight against her belly. She was tired, tired. In Lisbon, there would still be sea-bathing on St. Michael’s Day; the days would be short now but the twilights would be long, butter-yellow. At the convent she would have been walking in the gardens with nothing over her shoulders but a shawl. Here in London, beyond the tiny blurred roundels of glass, the rain runneled down, and she was cold in furs. 
“Madam, do you choose to dine in the presence chamber?”
 “Are there suitors?” 
There were always suitors here at Whitehall, looking for favors or curious to see her. Whitehall was closing round her again: Whitehall of schemes, Whitehall of enemies, Whitehall of lies. 
 “A few to see you, Alteza, but no petitions.” 

 And now there was this gossip that her husband had actually married Monmouth’s mother. Charles would not have done so. She rubbed her aching stomach, disturbing little Feliciana. She must show herself to them unconcerned. She had made her husband lie and bend the law; she had lied herself and denied the Faith by denying her Catholic marriage. She must show herself pregnant, triumphant, carrying the heir to the English throne. No matter how she felt. She tried to rise; her shivering and the warmth of the fire made her sink down. 

“No, we will eat by the fire, here. Tell them to come back tomorrow. Tell them to disturb my husband the king instead.”

 One of the maids of the bedchamber tittered. Dona Maria hushed her. Her women bustled around her, bringing a table, chairs. She leaned back, away from the nauseating smell of stewed chicken. Saliva came up in her throat and of a sudden she was feverish hot. She knew what the laughter meant. Disturb my husband. A harvest to bless. Her husband was not at some English harvest feast; he was with Barbara. She asked Dona Maria in Portuguese,
 “Has she had her child?”
 “Yesterday, Alteza.” 

 Catherine snatched up her napkin and held it over her mouth. There was nothing to fear from Barbara; her children might carry their father’s image like new-minted coins, but Catherine had a child too. 
 You, my little one, you who sit so imperiously in my body, calm yourself. 
You will be king.  You are your father’s heir. 
She put down the napkin. 
A queen always controls herself.

Thanks to the awesome publicist at Serial Box, I have 3 prize packages that include the first three episodes of Whitehall in text and audio!

To enter fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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Serial Box produces and publishes fiction serials, blending story production and distribution practices from television, book publishing and narrative podcasting. These team-written original serials span a range of genres including sci-fi , fantasy, espionage, contemporary and historical drama, post-apocalyptic, etc. Serial Box delivers episodes to fans’ digital devices every Wednesday over the course of 13-16 week seasons. Each episode is available in ebook and audio and takes about 40 minutes to enjoy. Learn more at Serial Box.com.    

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[Blog Tour] Early Review: How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Title: How to Hang a Witch
Author: Adriana Mather 
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: How to Hang a Witch # 1

Hardcover, 368 Pages
Publication: July 26, 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Pre-Order|Amazon|B&N|

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

Wow, How to Hang a Witch took me completely by surprise! What initially drew me to the book was the author herself, being a descendant of the infamous Cotton Mather. I think everyone knows of the Salem Witch Trials. I clearly remember learning about it during history class in junior year and have always been fascinated by the history and tales about witches in general. When I started this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I mean, the author named the main heroine as a Mather and here I thought she was being narcissistic. But I was so wrong. Mather used her family history to spin one of the most intriguing stories I’ve ever read relating to the Salem Witch Trials. Mather expertly weaves Salem’s history with high school to create a modern-day witch hunt; with just the right amount of action, suspense, humor, creepiness and a touch of supernatural to keep readers on the edge of their seats and guessing at every turn.

Within the first page I knew I was going to like Sam. Sam is pretty much like any normal 15/16-year-old but due to some unfortunate incidents growing up, she puts up walls and people at a distance. It’s hard not to be cynical and standoffish when one is blamed for other’s misfortunes. So why do I like her? Because though the world keeps dealing her bad hands, instead of sulking in a corner pitying herself; she pushes back. These bad event did nothing but build and shaped her character/personality which is a strong, brave and snarky girl that doesn’t back down from anyone. What I liked about Sam was that she never let the bullies get the better of her. Her classmates, the entire school and town was all but ready to run her out of Salem but even when the odds were stacked against her, literally like 100 to 1, Sam continued to fight. Even if it meant putting herself directly in the path of danger to save others.

My favorite part is Mather’s storytelling. I was so engrossed in the story and the characters that time seemed to fly by. The story was beautifully written and well thought out. The mystery kept me constantly guessing and there were so many twist and turns that I lost count. Also, don’t be fooled by the light paranormal factor because there’s definitely that creepy icky feeling going on that literally gave me goosebumps! And seriously, I rarely get scared while reading.

It’s hard to believe that this is Mather’s debut book because she writes as if she’s been doing it for years. This book is pitched as a blend of Conversion and Mean Girls, which I find very appropriate. But while reading How to Hang a Witch, I kind of got that nostalgic vibe of the 90’s The Craft! I’ve always liked that movie and found some parts very reminiscent of it. If you’re looking for a fresh and engaging summer read, I highly suggest Mather’s How to Hang a Witch! It has a little bit of everything for everyone! It's a debut not to be missed. According to Goodreads this is a start of a new series which delights me to no end! Mather is an up and coming author to watch and I can't to see what she does next!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats. 

[Blog Tour] Guest Post + Giveaway of Elysium Chronicles by J.A. Souders

I'd like to welcome J.A. Souders, author of the Elysium Chronicles to Short & Sweet Reviews Blog! On today's Rebellion tour stop Jessica will be sharing her thoughts on the conclusiont of her trilogy. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the end of the post!

Hardcover, 336 pages

Publication July 12, 2016 by Tor Teen

Buy|Amazon|B&N|

Back in Elysium at last, Evie has finally found her true self hidden under layers and layers of false memories implanted by the woman she knew as Mother. Thanks to the intervention of her father, she knows the horrible truth about Mother and her insidious plans for her city. With the help of the love of her life, Gavin, and her best friend, Asher St. James, she’s determined to free her people from the cruel dictatorship of Mother’s laws. But how do you free people who don’t know they need rescuing?

Working with the growing Underground rebellion, Evie tries to remove Mother from her position by force—with disastrous results. As the body count rises, Evie must find a way to save Elysium before Mother destroys them all.

SAYING FAREWELL

Hi everyone and thank you Short and Sweet Reviews for hosting me here!

I thought about this post for a long time, before I could decide what to write about today, and I decided to talk about the elephant in the room (or at least in MY room. :P) so to speak. The end of the series.

In case you didn’t know, Rebellion is the third and final book in the Elysium Chronicles. Bittersweet to me, to be sure. I love this series and the characters, and I especially love this world. I tossed around the idea of writing more in the world itself, with a different story, and different cast of characters, but it’s time (for now) to move on. And I’m excited to start the other books that have been impatiently swimming around in my brain.

Writing the end of a series, any series I’m sure, but specifically a SF one, is both the hardest and easiest thing I’ve ever written. I already know the characters. I know how they act, how they speak, what their fears and goals and motivations are. During the course of the series I got to see how much they’ve changed from the people they were in the beginning. I know the world and its idiosyncrasies. From tech that makes the city possible, to the both small and big things that can make it fail.  So instead of worrying about researching things, I could focus on writing its story.

But it was the hardest too; partially because I knew I’d be saying good-bye at the end of it. And partially because there were so many loose ends I had to tie up from all three books. Little things I wrote in Renegade and Revelations had suddenly become super important in Rebellion. The Evie whose life was “just about perfect” at the beginning of the series, had seen and done so much during the course of the series, she’d had no choice but to change. She’s a completely different character than she was in the beginning. And everyone who knew her (us, too), has to adjust to her as well. Including Mother who, of course, still has a few tricks up her sleeve.

So…all that to say, this is the end of the Elysium Chronicles (for now) and true to the stories before it, anything can happen in Rebellion. So keep an open mind and remember nothing can start without there first being an end.

And now, I’m sure you have questions. I probably have the answers. Fire away, but don’t forget to include spoiler warnings!

Thanks to the wonderful people at Tor, I have a complete set of the ELYSIUM CHRONICLES to give away to a lucky reader! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below! 

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Blog Tour Schedule

July 11 – Chapter by Chapter

July 12 – Seeing Double in Neverland

July 13 – Short & Sweet Reviews

July 14 – Gizmo’s Reviews

July 15 – The Artsy Reader Girl

July 16 – The Nocturnal Library

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. 

Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She now lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, SFWA, YARWA and SCBWI. 

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