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February 15, 2021 No comments

The Jade Bones (The Age of the Seventh Sun #2)

by Lani Forbes

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Release Date: February 16th 2021

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Cast into the underworld after an act of shattering betrayal, Mayana and Ahkin must overcome unimaginable odds if they are to return home and reclaim the throne of the Chicome. A river of blood and demons disguised as children are only two of the challenges standing in their way. Fortunately, they are not unequipped. Mayana’s royal blood controls the power of water, and Prince Ahkin wields the power of the sun itself. Ometeotl, the Mother goddess, provides them with other gifts—and an ominous warning that one of them may not survive. But can the goddess be trusted?

Back in the lands above, Mayana’s best friend, Yemania, has survived the empress selection ritual—but her next challenge may be more than she can bear. The new empress of the Chicome Empire demands she become High Healer. Yemania has no interest in serving in the palace; she wants to use her healing ability to help the common people. More than that, her heart is no longer her own. She has met an enchanting stranger—Ochix, one of the feared Miquitz people who are ancient enemies of the Chicome.

As Mayana and Ahkin move ever closer to confronting the lords of the dead, Yemania and Ochix must hide their forbidden romance or face the wrath of both their empires. Meanwhile, the new empress has made a dangerous alliance that might destroy everything they hold dear.

Four young people risk their lives to save the world from a looming apocalypse in this captivating sequel to The Seventh Sun. Based on ancient Mesoamerican legends and mythology, The Jade Bones is a compelling and romantic adventure that builds to a heart-stopping climax.

Can you briefly describe the AGE OF THE SEVENTH SUN series, its characters and what’s happening in THE JADE BONES?

Thrust into leadership upon the death of his emperor father, young Prince Ahkin feels completely unready for his new position. Though his royal blood controls the power of the sun, he’s now responsible for the lives of all the Chicome people. And despite all Ahkin’s efforts, the sun is fading - and the end of the world may be at hand.

For Mayana, the only daughter of the Chicome family whose blood controls the power of water, the old emperor’s death may mean that she is next. Prince Ahkin must be married before he can ascend the throne, and Mayana is one of six noble daughters presented to him as a possible wife. Those who are not chosen will be sacrificed to the gods.

The events of The Jade Bones immediately follow the (literal?) cliffhanger ending of book one. Ahkin and Mayana find themselves trapped in the terrifying underworld with a deadline to escape or they will be stuck there forever. In addition, the Mother Goddess has given them a task to complete and a warning that one of them may not survive the journey. In addition to Mayana and Ahkin’s POVs, we also get to enjoy the POV of Yemania, Mayana’s close friend who is left reeling from the events of the conclusion of book one. She finds herself in a precarious position with the new empress and a forbidden love interest from an enemy empire!

Could you describe the 2nd book with emojis?

It’s tricky because there really are two very different storylines in the book, but if I had to describe the reader reactions during the course of the book, it would probably go something like:

🧐😱😔😢😱😍😬😡🙈😱😱😱😍😰😭🤫🤐

I am purposely keeping the ending a secret though muahaha!

Since writing the first book, has your favourite character in the series changed and why?

I think Mayana has changed a lot since the first book and she ends up changing quite a bit in book two as well. In book one, her struggle was really with being true to herself. She didn’t know if she should deny her heart and what she believes and submit to what the world wants her to be in order to fit in, or take a stand and be true to herself. In book two, she embraces that truth because she had validation from the Mother Goddess but she begins to struggle with and question the will and intentions of the Mother Goddess. Ahkin really has a better handle on the idea of faith in the midst of hardship and it is something she has to learn from him. I’m also really excited to see Mayana and Ahkin deepen their relationship. They rushed things in book one because of the pressure of the selection ritual, but they really get to know each other in book two (for better or for worse!). I was also really surprised by how much I grew to love Yemania and Ochix! They almost overtook Mayana and Ahkin as my favourite characters in the series!

How did the story for the 2nd novel occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

I originally planned the events of book two to take place at the end of book one, but I had so many ideas with the underworld and wanted to write so much more that I knew it really needed its own story. I also really loved the movie “Tristan and Isolde” growing up and wanted their love story to be part of the inspiration for Yemania’s storyline. Much of what happens in the underworld itself is inspired by ancient Maya mythology. I also had the amazing opportunity to travel to the ATM caves in Belize (a sacred cave they believed to be the entrance to the Mayan underworld) and incorporated what I learned from my studies and from my personal experiences within the cave itself!

If you could choose one song to describe this book, which one would it be?

Hands down it would be “Stand by You” by Rachel Platten. Especially when she sings, “I'm gonna stand by you, even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through, even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you.” When you read book two, it makes so much sense. I listened to the song so many times as I was writing the book itself!

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

I feel like my book will go well with a fruity drink and a hammock somewhere warm, preferably on a beach. That also might just because it’s currently freezing and snowing where I live and I desperately wish I was visiting my family in Mexico right now!

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish THE JADE BONES?

If you are interested in Mesoamerican mythology in particular, there are some fantastic books including “Gods of Jade and Shadow” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and the Storm Runner series by Jennifer Cervantes. If it is epic historical fantasy based on more ancient worlds, I highly recommend the Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book/a second novel?

There is so much pressure that goes along with writing a second book because there are now expectations from the first book. Readers are already familiar with your characters and invested in them, so I think it is so important to keep characters consistent in terms of who they were in the first book. That doesn’t mean they can’t change, but the change has to be consistent with who the character is on a deeper level. Another challenge for me was that such a huge part of book one was the big twist at the end and I wanted to make sure that I delivered that same kind of surprising twist at the end of book two.

What’s next for you?

I’ve already finished book three and we are going to begin edits on it soon, so that is a major next step for me. I’m really excited to have finished a trilogy that I am really proud of. I am also excited to work on some new ideas including a fantasy-western standalone and some new fantasy series based on various ancient mythologies!

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Lani Forbes is the daughter of a librarian and an ex-drug smuggling surfer (which explains her passionate love of the ocean and books). A former teacher turned trauma counselor, her passion is showing readers the transformative and encouraging power of story on the human experience. She helps others process anxiety, depression, and complex PTSD, both in her stories and in real life. A California native whose parents live in Mexico, Lani now resides in the Pacific Northwest where she stubbornly wears flip flops no matter how cold it gets. She is a proud nerd, Gryffindor, and member of Romance Writers of America and the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

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February 10, 2021 No comments

February 05, 2021 No comments

The Curse and the Prince (Kingdom of Curses and Shadows #2)

by Day Leitao

Release Date: January 14th, 2021

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Age: 15+

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Of course things didn’t go as planned at the Royal Games. When do things go as planned?

Now Zora is on the run, and has to join Griffin in order to retrieve a powerful magical artifact that might undo her valley’s curse. For the first time in her life, she has real hope for her people.

Problem is, for the second time in her life, she’s falling for someone she shouldn’t. Finding a hidden object is hard enough on its own, she could do without the heart palpitations and lack of air. And she could certainly focus better without the constant memory of his lips on hers, his arms around her, his touch, his feel... Gaah! See? How can she avoid pursuers and decipher enigmatic writings when her brain has been turned to mush? Painful, hopeless mush.

But the real trouble is that there’s more than one curse in the kingdom. And not enough objects or time to get rid of them all…

Can you briefly describe the KINGDOM OF CURSES AND SHADOWS series, its characters and what’s happening in THE CURSE AND THE PRINCE?

It’s a fun YA fantasy series with some influence from Minecraft. Zora is a 17-year old born and raised in an isolated part of the kingdom where shadow creatures spawn in the dark, even in small spaces. She leaves her valley to take part in the Royal Games. There, she meets three brothers; two princes and one king. In book 2, we get to know the characters a little better and Zora gets close to one of these brothers.

There’s some hate-to-love dynamics, and the books are in limited third person, with multiple point of views. There are four main characters in The Curse and the Prince, which is more than in book 1.

Could you describe the 2nd book with emojis?

I won’t describe the whole book this time. I’ll just leave a mood:

😳💦

Since writing the first book, has your favourite character in the series changed and why?

Last time I said my favorite character was Zora. I don’t think she changed much, but she now has to face the consequences of her actions. We also get to see a different side of her.

But I think my favorite character in this novel is a different one. There’s a new character here, called Riadne, and I had a lot of fun with her scenes.

How did the story for the 2nd novel occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

I knew how I wanted it to end and I had the beginning, so it was just a matter of figuring out how to get there. I think the inspiration comes mostly from unravelling the events of the first book.

If you could choose one song to describe this book, which one would it be?

I wouldn’t say it describes the book, but it still has some influence from Minecraft, so I guess I’ll leave this here:

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Drink: coconut water. Place: beach.

I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the book, but I really miss travelling. 😂

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book/a second novel?

Dealing with expectations. Some people loved the first book, then I was like: OMG, what if they hate this one? 😰

Then some readers wrote reviews clearly letting me know I should be ashamed of publishing that crap. I was like: OMG, if people hate book 1, why write book 2? 😩

I get why some writers don’t read reviews, but I still think it’s important to understand what readers like and dislike and even what kind of readers are enjoying your books and what kind of readers are not enjoying them.

My previous books didn’t get that much attention, and The Cup and the Prince got a barrage of love and a barrage of hate, which surprised me.

It sounds silly but I got stuck for a while. That’s why the book was finished so late. But it was a good learning experience. What I learned was that I had to trust the story and the characters and let them guide me, and that I had to ignore all external noise and just let the story flow. That was how I was able to finish The Curse and the Prince.

What’s next for you?

Book 3, the Dawn and the Prince is coming out in a few months. My goal was to have it out in April or May, but let’s see what happens.

I'm originally from Brazil but I've been living in Canada for over 10 years now. I have some influence from Brazilian writers and Brazilian culture, but I also read popular books in English. I watched some Anime as a kid, my favorite being Yamato. I'm a longtime Star Wars fan and I'm active in the fandom podcasting at Lords of the Sith as Denise.

I've always loved to write stories, and I like to always include romance, action and humor in my writing. I think stories can touch us deeply. I live in Montreal, Canada, with my son.

My books include the Ya fantasy series Portals to Whyland, and the sci-fi standalones The Sphere of Infinity and Star Spark.

Check out my blog for some news, updates, and nonsensical ramblings.

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January 25, 2021 9 comments

Soul of Cinder (Heart of Thorns #3)

by Bree Barton

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: January 12th 2021

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

The Twisted Sisters are coming home.

Prince Quin has returned to the river kingdom, ready to spearhead a rebellion and reclaim the throne. He vows to destroy Mia, Pilar, and Angelyne if they oppose him—even if he must use his newfound magic to set the world aflame.

Across the four kingdoms, the elements have been tipped askew. Volcanoes erupt, glaciers collapse, and cities sink into the western sands. After losing Angie, Mia and Pilar journey to the glass kingdom to seek help, though soon their fragile bonds of sisterhood begin to fray. Mia’s sensations are creeping back, and with them, a deep and searing grief. Pilar, terrified of being broken, once again seeks comfort in her fists. But when they hear rumors of a misty island that promises to erase all pain, they suddenly find themselves with an answer—if they are willing to pay the cost.

As tensions mount, the sisters are drawn back to the river kingdom for a final reckoning with the boy they each loved. The shattering conclusion to Bree Barton’s Heart of Thorns trilogy challenges why we grieve, whom we love—and how to mend a broken heart.

Can you briefly describe SOUL OF CINDER and its characters?

Absolutely! SOUL OF CINDER is the last installment of the story that began in HEART OF THORNS, the final reckoning of love, life, and death between our main characters. In HoT we stick with Mia Rose; in ToC we follow both Mia and Pilar with an occasional jolt of twisted Angelyne; and in SoC, we get a new point-of-view character in Prince Quin. Each of these characters is reeling from the losses they’ve suffered in the first two books, struggling to forgive—or not forgive—the people who have wronged them. They’re pitted against each other, in various ways, the irony being that they are also on parallel journeys, forced to engage with their brokenness—and desperately trying to cauterize the parts of themselves they believe can’t be healed. Tough luck for them, because this is a book about healing.

Oh also volqanoes are erupting and forests are on fire and whole cities are sinking into the sand, so there’s that. It isn’t just the people who are broken: they’ve broken the four kingdoms, too. The question is, how can you heal the world if you can’t even heal yourself?

Could you describe your story with emojis?

Thank you. Thank you for this question. I have dreamed about being asked to describe my story with emojis for the past five years.

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?

I’m going to go with Nelladine. We meet Nell in TEARS OF FROST, but we get to know her much better in SOUL OF CINDER as she takes Pilar and Mia to her homeland. She’s warm and generous and sometimes contradictory—she’s a complicated character, in part because she is in many ways a caretaker, meaning she has a habit of subverting her own desires to give other people what they want. Crafting Nell’s mental health journey was something I worked very hard on; it’s hard to bring in a new character for the last book of a trilogy, especially when you’re already balancing several main characters and POVs. But Nell is more than deserving of her own arc, and I hope I’ve done her justice.

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

I really roughed up my characters in the first books, especially in ToF. Mia, Pilar, and Quin have all lost so much, and it’s my fault—like any author, I’ve made them suffer! So it was important to me that I help guide them back from that dark place. You’ll find pieces of my own healing journey reflected in this book, often with a fantasy twist. Yoga. Breathwork. Therapy. Finding a safe, supportive community. I wanted to fold in little gifts for my characters, things that have helped me heal over the last few years.

For me, travel is always a balm to the soul. I’ve been fortunate to see many beautiful places, and you’ll find hints of them in all four kingdoms—England in Glas Ddir, Peru in Fojo Karacao, Iceland in Luumia, Bahrain in Pembuk. My trip to the Middle East was particularly powerful, and my time there permeates the pages of SoC.

I also have to give a shout-out to Aysha Mutawea, a Bahraini lawyer, advocate, and feminist who gives whole new meaning to “badass woman.” Getting to know Aysha and seeing just a sliver of the world-altering work she does on a daily basis inspired me to write a better book.

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?

Oooh, such a great question. Are you familiar with the Enneagram? It’s kind of like the Myers-Briggs personality assessment (ESTP, INFJ, etc.), only with the Enneagram there are nine unique types. You can take a free test online and then read about your results. It’s fun. Anyway a while back my sister sent me the Sleeping At Last album with a song for each personality type. I listened to my song. Cried. Listened to my sister’s song. Cried. Listened to our brother’s song. Cried. They really tap into what’s at the heart of each type. So at the risk of sounding cheesy, I’m going to choose Three for SOUL OF CINDER. It’s a really powerful song, and I think Mia, Pilar, and Quin would each find something of their own journeys reflected in it. Not sure they’d all cry, though. My money’d be on Quin.

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

I loved The Queen’s Gambit so much, I’m going to have to cast Anya Taylor-Joy. I think she’d make a great Angelyne, but since she can do anything, I’ll cast her as Mia and cast Elle Fanning as Angie. I could totally see Moses Ingram as Nell—she blew me away in Gambit, and her energy feels right for the part. Quin’s got to be Timothée Chalamet, of course. Manny Jacinto as Tobin, assuming he could shuck off The Good Place sweetness and tap into his dark side. Camila Mendes was originally my top pick for Pilar, though I was so impressed by Park So-dam in Parasite I might have to ask the casting director to send them both in. Asante Blackk for Stone—When They See Us absolutely gutted me. As for Shay… is Anya Taylor-Joy still available? 😉

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Hmm let’s do the quarantine edition, then the post-vaccine edition. In quarantine I recommend you tuck yourself into something warm—blanket, snuggie, PJs—and brew a nice cuppa. Maybe something sweet and spicy, like you might find in Pembuk.

Once we’ve all been vaccinated and can finally leave our cocoons, take SOUL OF CINDER to the beach! Sip on some pulped papaya, or find the real-world equivalent to the creamy, frosty sweet concoction the Pembuka call fish ice. It’s not as bad as it sounds.

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SOUL OF CINDER?

Read WENCH by Maxine Kaplan (out next week!), and MIRAGE by Somaiya Daud. Two fierce feminist fantasy books that create magic, wit, and brilliance on the page.

What would you say was the most difficult book in the series to write and why?

Definitely TEARS OF FROST. I think it was difficult for a lot of reasons—I was trying to launch HEART OF THORNS into the world at the same time, and it was extremely hard to travel and do events and promote the first book while trying to carve out enough quiet time and space to write the second.

But it was also a difficult book content-wise, because I had to delve deep into sexual assault and depression, both of which are extremely personal for me. The story demanded a lot emotionally, mentally—even physically—and I’m proud of the result. It’s far from perfect, but it’s one of the most honest things I’ve written, and I hope Mia and Pilar’s journey will bring hope and comfort to the readers who need it.

What’s next for you?

I have a middle grade coming out in 2022! It hasn’t been announced yet, so shhh. I can promise you loads of magic, mayhem, and mataki. ⚡ See, now you’ve gotten me started on emojis and I just can’t stop!

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Youtube

Bree Barton is a writer in Los Angeles. When she's not lost in whimsy, she works as a ghostwriter and dance teacher to teen girls. She is on Instagram and YouTube as Speak Breely, where she posts funny videos of her melancholy dog.

Bree is not a fan of corsets.

January 06, 2021 No comments

December 15, 2020 No comments

December 08, 2020 No comments

Shattered Dreams

Can you briefly describe the AGE OF THE SEVENTH SUN series, its characters and what’s happening in THE JADE BONES?

Could you describe the 2nd book with emojis?

Since writing the first book, has your favourite character in the series changed and why?

How did the story for the 2nd novel occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

If you could choose one song to describe this book, which one would it be?

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish THE JADE BONES?

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book/a second novel?

What’s next for you?

Heart Breaker (Rebels of Rushmore Book #2)

The Curse and the Prince (Kingdom of Curses and Shadows #2)

Can you briefly describe the KINGDOM OF CURSES AND SHADOWS series, its characters and what’s happening in THE CURSE AND THE PRINCE?

Could you describe the 2nd book with emojis?

Since writing the first book, has your favourite character in the series changed and why?

How did the story for the 2nd novel occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

If you could choose one song to describe this book, which one would it be?

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book/a second novel?

What’s next for you?

Soul of Cinder (Heart of Thorns #3)

Can you briefly describe SOUL OF CINDER and its characters?

Could you describe your story with emojis?

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SOUL OF CINDER?

What would you say was the most difficult book in the series to write and why?

What’s next for you?

Fractured

Can you briefly describe FRACTURED and its characters?

Could you describe your story with emojis?

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish FRACTURED?

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

What’s next for you?

Layla

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