Friday, July 27, 2012

Interview with Elizabeth Richards!


Welcome to Worlds of Wonderment Elizabeth, it’s great to have you here.
Thanks for having me!

Can you tell potential readers about your book?
Sure thing. Here’s the official blurb, which sums it up best:
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love.
Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Where did the idea for Black City spring from?
The idea of Black City all started with Ash. I was watching this indie movie called Charlie Bartlett, and the character of Ash suddenly sprung into my mind. I don’t know why, but inspiration often strikes at the oddest times. I began thinking about this damaged, drug-dealing, supernatural boy whose dormant heart starts to beat when he meets his soul mate, Natalie. As soon as the film was over, I wrote a scene between Ash and his best friend Beetle. It never made it into the final book, but it all started with that kernel of an idea and grew from there.

What have you planned for the Black City Chronicles?
I can’t go into details as it is all top secret for now. All I can say is that the stakes will be raised, you’ll get to meet other supernaturals, and there’s plenty of kissing!

Describe Ash and Natalie in three words.
Ash - Damaged, brave, passionate
Natalie - Conflicted, rebellious, caring

How does your paranormal world differ from others?
Black City differs from a lot of paranormal YA novels, because it has a dystopian twist. It’s set in a war-torn, post-apocalyptic world where Darklings are treated like second-class citizens and forced to live inside walled ghettos. It’s a gritty, dark and dangerous world, and the threat of execution always lingers over Ash and Natalie’s heads.

Do Ash and Natalie grow much during Black City?
Very much so. Ash starts off the story as this broken, angry, selfish guy and grows into a very strong, brave young man, who is willing to stand up for what’s right to protect those he loves. Equally, Natalie starts off as a bit of a brat, who hates Darklings and does whatever her mom tells her to do, and grows into this confident, defiant girl who supports the Darkling cause despite the risks to herself. 

If you could date or marry any fictional character who would it be and why?
Oooh, that’s a good question! Mmm, well the boy I’d want to date wouldn’t necessarily be the boy I’d want to marry. So with that in mind, I would date Patch from Hush, Hush because he’s such a bad boy and would be a lot of fun, but I’d marry Edward from Twilight, because he’s a gentleman, eternally cute, and a good provider and protector.

What’s your guilty indulgence?
I’m currently addicted to these caramel chocolate bars called Curly Wurlys. They’re divine and a really naughty indulgence.

Can we get a sneak peek at Black City? Just a teeny, tiny one. Please?
Since you asked so nicely... ;-p There’s actually a sampler of Black City on Penguin’s Breathless Reads Facebook fan page, featuring excerpts from their Fall 2012 Breathless Reads, including Black City, Origin, Venom, The Innocents and Falling Kingdoms. Enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/breathlessreads/app_190322544333196

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.
In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.
Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Review: Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose

Title: Sovereign Hope (The Hope Series book 1)
Author: Frankie Rose
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: July 1st 2012
Publishers: Self-published
Available from: Amazon
Source: Author


Everyone has a soul

Some are just worth more than others

Farley Hope was seventeen when her mother disappeared. In the last six months not much has changed, except that her eighteenth birthday came and went and still no sign of Moira. Her life is just as complicated as it always was. Since her father died in a car crash before she was even born, she’s officially parentless, and to top it all off she’s still suffering from the hallucinations. Mind-splitting, vivid hallucinations- the kind prone to induce night terrors and leave you whimpering under your covers like a baby.

The last thing on her mind is boys. Farley is on break from St. Judes’ when she meets Daniel. It’s not some casual run in at a party, or even a blind date with friends, though. Daniel is the guy following her in his 1970′s Dodge Charger; the guy standing at her window in the LA lunch hour traffic, trying to persuade her to leave everything behind and follow him. And he's hot as all hell. 

The moment Farley lays eyes on Daniel, everything changes. He is cold and withdrawn, but there are cracks in his harsh veneer- cracks that betray the secrets he is trying so hard to hide. Farley is drawn into a world that will shake apart everything she thought she ever knew. There are truths out there that she must learn: that a person’s soul is their only real currency, and there are people who would do anything to take hers; that loving someone can hurt so much more than hating them; but, most importantly, when your future is predestined, there is little you can do to change it.

Farley Hope is prophesied.

Her coming has been awaited for hundreds of years.

She is destined to end the tyranny of the Soul Reavers.

To do so she must die.

--------


Sovereign Hope is one of those books that grab you from the first page and does not let you go. I adore this book on so many levels. I have been in a reading funk for a while, I just felt like every book I was reading was the same. I have to say a huge thank you to Frankie for asking me to review her book because I was blown away. I was instantly immersed in the world Frankie has crafted and did not want to stop until I finished it. I seriously considered calling in sick to work just so I could stay up all night to read it!

Farley Hope's mother has been missing for six months and the police are still no closer to finding out what happened to her. Farley holds out hope that they will find her when she crashes into Daniel, literally. He saves her life and from then her world is turned upside down. Daniel is part of a secret society that lives beneath our world. Farley finds out she is part of a prophecy that claims she will destroy the Immortals that rule over them. The Quorum are an impartial entity that is supposed to keep the balance between good and evil. The Immortals have upset this balance and Farley is part of the solution.

I loved Farley’s character, she's strong, stubborn, insecure and knows her own mind. I found her instantly likeable and was engaged with her character. She handles herself so well through everything; I think she was one of the more mature characters I have read. Then there's Daniel. He's one of those beautifully broken guys that break your heart and make you just want to hug them. He kind of reminds me of Will from the Infernal Devices, and has an arrogance to match Daemon from Obsidian. If you meshed those two guys together you will have a small idea of who Daniel is. His character is one of the one's that make you fall hard and fast, and I did. He had such a haunting presence to him, it's no wonder Farley felt herself falling for him. The romance plays a big part in the story, but it's only one part of the overall storyline. They have this connection that binds them together, yet Daniel acts as if it's one sided because of his sense of duty and a deal he made with the Quorum. He's totally swoon worthy, too. Trust me.

The storyline is original, action-packed and compelling. Sovereign Hope is a one-sit read, once you pick it up you just can't put it down. This is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2012! Frankie has such an addictive style of writing. Grab a copy of Sovereign Hope to be swept up into an amazing adventure that will have you turning the pages to see how it ends. I am desperately waiting for book 2. 
5/5



B.T.W Sovereign Hope is only .99c on Amazon for Kindle! You now have an excuse to get yourself a copy!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Covered - A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

There's a new book everyone should be adding to their TBR piles & Goodreads! It's called A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty. It will be a trilogy called The Colours of Madeleine.

Madeleine Tully lives in Cambridge, England, the World – a city of spires, Isaac Newton and Auntie’s Tea Shop.

Elliot Baranski lives in Bonfire, the Farms, the Kingdom of Cello – where seasons roam, the Butterfly Child sleeps in a glass jar, and bells warn of attacks from dangerous Colours.

They are worlds apart – until a crack opens up between them; a corner of white – the slim seam of a letter.

A mesmerising story of two worlds; the cracks between them, the science that binds them and the colours that infuse them.

Check out this quote from Markus Zusak:
‘Perfectly strange, and absolutely comical and heartfelt ... Jaclyn Moriarty is one of the most original writers we have.’

Sounds awesome right? Can't wait to read this one!