Gretchen C. Hohmeyer's Blog, page 60

Reading in School Tag

So, a little while ago I was tagged in a post about reading in schools by Michaela at The Pied Piper Calls. (You might remember her from a few guest reviews that she did. You can find her post here, with links to the originator of this tag, Ariel Bisset. There are three sections to this tag: elementary school, high school and beyond. Let’s talk!

ELEMENTARY:

What technique do you think teachers should use to engage young readers?

Personally, I think there are a few unique ways to engage readers. You really have to read your class to know which one will work, though. Sometimes it can be as simple as reading aloud a little every day. My brother might never had desired to learn how to read if our teacher hadn’t started reading Eragon by Christopher Paolini in class. My brother got so fed up about how slow the pace was going that he decided to learn how to read faster. It was a huge moment for him.

Then there’s also the way I was taught the alphabet and–by extension–the basics of reading. My teacher drew the letters of the alphabet on the board, and then colored them in to give them personalities and stories. Like, for instance, the letter P because a profile of a woman’s face, a princess who had a little story filled with words about the letter P. We would practice drawing the letter by drawing her portrait and other scenes from the story.

I also really loved being able to read aloud to the little kids. I was ahead in my reading ability, so I got to go to the lower grades/kindergartners and read to them for story time. The idea that a group of people are being enraptured by something you’re doing is very powerful. I love to do it to this day.

Do you think that it is the school’s job to instill a love of reading in children?

No. In fact, I think that if they start to see it as a job, then it’s just going to get worse. Granted, no teacher should ever create a reading list with the hope that their students hate it. Everything possible should be done to make the children want to read. But it shouldn’t be a forced thing. There are always going to be those children who don’t want to read. But the goal is to make sure that those kids who have the ability to find joy in reading are given every opportunity to grab a hold of a book and fall into the fantasy.

What was your favorite elementary school read?

You know, I actually don’t really remember. I read SO MUCH. I read EVERYTHING. I went through the shelves at my library again and again and again. I do have a distinct memory of going book by book through the library’s collection of Nancy Drew novels, though. But I read other things like the Royal Diaries series, Animorphs… If I could get my hands on it, I was trying to read it!

HIGH SCHOOL:

Do you think that incorporation of YA books should be made?  If so which YA books would you add?

Absolutely. I think this is one of the best ways to help engage young readers to the material. There are plenty of books out there that don’t drag about like a lot of the required school reading. I actually did a Top Ten Tuesday post about this a while ago. Not all of these were YA (I think I did one of those a longer while ago…?), but still. I would most certainly add books like:

                  

Do you think it is important to read books from a wide variety of nationalities?

Absolutely. Giving students the world of literature from a narrow scope of humanity is a huge negative. I know for a fact I didn’t start reading most of this until high school, and by then it was almost too late. And people seem to forget that there are books by other writers of nationalities that aren’t specifically, in your face about their cultures. Just reading a work of fantasy fiction informed by a culture behind the scenes can have a huge impact on what you’re reading.

What was your least favorite book in high school?

Ok, this isn’t exactly a book, but I still had to read it so … yeah. Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. I hated that sucker. You can read more about the books I read around that time in The Book Reviews I Couldn’t Give My Teacher.

BEYOND:

Do you think there should be an emphasis on creative writing?

Define emphasis? I got lucky: I walked into creative writing of my own accord when I was younger. But the thing is, I don’t remember someone telling me it was a thing I could do, you know? At the very least, teachers could tell kids that creating your own stories isn’t a bad. thing. I was lucky I was at a school that encouraged creativity. I know other people who’ve been made fun of because they liked to “make stuff up.” Give kids the option. Heck, they could write fan-fic about the terrible required reads they’re stuck with. (Do you know how much fun I could have had making Hedda Gabler better? Because dude.)

How do you think the reading you did in school has affected the reading you do now?

Considering that I had one of the weirdest school experiences you could ever ask for, my answer is also really unique. In a way, a lot of the reading I did for school really pushed me away from “required reads” that took a lot of my brain power. At the same time, the idea that there is an entire class where you read a book and then discuss it blew my mind. English classes made me want to read stranger books with other people and talk about them and puzzle out what the same books mean to different people. My reading taste is strange as anything, but will get even stranger when I’m reading with others. (Example: the Bibliomancy for Beginners Book Club. Search that in my tags.)

If you had to choose one book that you’ve read in the past year outside of school, to be taught in schools, which would you choose?

Without fail and without question, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I’ve written dozens of Top Ten Tuesdays and other posts about this (seriously, search it) so I won’t do it again. But, I mean, I just presented in my Studies in Children’s and Young Adult Literature class about this book because IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET YOU HAVE FAILED YOURSELF. Seriously.

Cover Reveal: “Born of Deception” by Terri Brown + Giveaway!

Welcome to the cover reveal of Born of Deception by Terri Brown! You might remember the first book, Born of Illusion, from my review a while back! If you don’t, that’s fine. Click on that link! Now, let’s get started with the awesome. First, let me tell you a little bit about Terri – and her giveaway message for you!

About the Author

I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.

It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.

The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?

Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.

Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write..


Twitter: https://twitter.com/teribrownwrites
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/teri.foremanbrown
Website: http://www.teribrownbooks.com/

Now. Are you ready for the cover? HERE WE GO!



Synopsis 

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17876228-born-of-deception?from_search=true
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Born-Deception-Teri-Brown/dp/0062187570/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381259494&sr=8-1&keywords=born+of+deception

And here is the giveaway I promised you! US only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five Cool Short Stories You Can Read Online

I don’t think short stories get enough love.  Novels will always have my devotion because I love being immersed, but sometimes short stories can do things that novels can’t.  They can do more in less time, and leave you with incredibly strong impressions because there’s often only one big thing per story.  Instead of following a whole sprawling plot, you are entirely absorbed by that one big thing.  Good novels leave you with contentedness or complicated feelings; short stories leave you feeling like you just had a really, really vivid dream, or maybe got punched in the gut.

So because short stories don’t get enough love, and because the novel I’m reading right now is a beta-read and therefore not up for review, I thought I’d post a few short stories I like that can be read online, and why I like them, and then invite everybody to share their favorites, or their thoughts on the ones I posted.

Giantkiller, by Brenna Yovanoff: YA authors Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, and Maggie Stiefvater used to run this short story blog.  There are years‘ worth of stories up there, especially if you go into the Livejournal archives.  This one is one of the last ones posted, and…I have an unreasonable amount of love for it.  It starts out as a story about a couple of dysfunctional brothers, and then rapidly devolves into something weird and alien and scary.  And even then it’s about the choices, not the monsters.

Oh, and there are predatory groupies.

How To Talk To Girls At Parties, by Neil Gaiman: I don’t know if this counts as YA.  It’s kind of hard to pin this guy down to a genre sometimes.  In a nutshell: a couple of awkward boys go to a party to meet girls.  It is definitely, definitely not the party they were looking for.

My reasons for liking this one are pretty simple: it’s kind of surreal, and the main character is so charmingly clueless as he tries to make normal conversations with abnormal people, and nobody is apologetic about how weird they are.  Also, I kind of like seeing people find out that they’re in over their heads.

Blood Like Apples, by Tessa Gratton: another story from the Merry Fates blog!  If you like new twists on old mythology, you’ll like this one.  If you read The Lost Sun and liked it, here’s a familiar character for you, but it stands alone beautifully.  Fenris Wolf talks about why she has not swallowed the sun and ended the world yet.  There is kissing.

The Rapid Advance of Sorrow, by Theodora Goss: this story may be one of my favorite things I’ve read all year. It’s the most literary thing on this list, but it’s also definitely fantasy, in a strange, metaphorical, nightmarish way.  There’s an invasion, but not the kind with tanks.  There’s magic, but not the kind that can be explained.  There’s a lot of snow, and sad people.  It’s gorgeous.

What Used To Be Good Still Is, by Emma Bull: I read this one in the Firebirds Rising anthology, and I adored it, and I still adore it.  It’s about a mountain being dug up for mining, and a girl who can feel what’s wrong with the mountain.  It’s wistful, and sweet, and kind of beautiful.  I can’t say what else I like about it due to spoilers, but it’s really awesome.

So what are your favorite short stories?  If you decided to read one or two or all of these, what did you think?

Waiting on Wednesday: “Starling” by Fiona Paul

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: Starling (Secrets of the Eternal Rose #3)

Author: Fiona Paul

ETA: March 20, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:  In the final book in the trilogy, Cass and Luca are back in Venice trying to find the Book of the Eternal Rose to clear Luca’s name and keep them both out of prison. But the hunters become the hunted when the Order of the Eternal Rose figures out their plan. Filled with twists and turns, danger and torrid romances, this novel brings the Secrets of the Eternal Rose novels to a thrilling, heart-pouding, sexy conclusion.

Why: Did you miss my reviews of Venom and Belladonna? Read them for more as to why I can’t wait to see how this series ends!

Cover Reveal: “Push” by Eve Silver + Giveaway!

Ready for the cover reveal for the sequel to Rush by Eve Silver? I am! There’s even an ARC giveaway at the bottom! Now. ARE! YOU! READY?

Push (The Game #2)


by Eve Silver


Release Date: 2014


Harper Teen



Book Summary:


It’s either break the rules or die.


Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.



But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.



And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.


Push  is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.




Pre-Order from:



Book One:
(linked to Goodreads)


Available from:

       

 

About the Author

Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults. 

 

 

Author Links:

     

GIVEAWAY:
Harper Teen is offering

an ARC of PUSH as the prize, which will be mailed to the winner early 2014, as

soon as ARCs become available. (US and Canada only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal

Organized by:

 

Review: “Anne of Green Gables” by L. M. Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables #1) by L. M. Montgomery

Goodreads | Amazon

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables send for a boy orphan to help them out at their farm, they mistakenly get Anne Shirley, a feisty, independent, but warm-hearted eleven-year-old girl. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination win the hearts of her reluctant foster parents and everyone in the community. But not a day goes by without some memorable adventure or prank in the tragicomedy of her life.

3 1/2 stars

Yes, this is a re-read. But I sat there and read the whole thing and I don’t have anything else finished for today so HERE WE GO! Besides, I think it’s quite interesting to compare reading this now to how it was when I read it as a child.

If you had asked me to rate this as a kid, I probably would have given it at least a solid four. While not one of my favorite series, I did decide to read through the entire series. It was in my library, so why not? I thought that Anne was a lot like me. Not the red hair, no, but rather her affinity for school and big words and imagination, but also her ability to do really stupid things.

This book has yet to lose any of that charm for me. Granted, I now find Anne slightly more annoying, in the way that I find the childhood me embarrassing and annoying. (You know what I mean. Nobody likes themselves as kids.) I also find Anne’s tendency to get into “scrapes” just as amusing (and embarrassing), even if it leaves me shaking my head more than anything else.

The over-dramatization of Anne’s moods certainly get to me now more than they did as a kid. She easily slides from cutesy to goodness sake shut up much faster than she used to. Her dealing with Gilbert, especially, makes me eye roll. He tried to hard to be nice, Anne! Her vanity is something I didn’t notice much before, either, that now bothers me a lot. The novel’s set up as Anne’s lessons to be learned is also more apparent and heavy handed than I used to think.

I know that when I first read the book, I thought that making Anne grow up was a bad thing. I felt so sorry for her, when she had to leave all her dreams and imagination behind. I felt angry that she would so easily abandon her imagination and dreams. This is where my understanding of this book has grown by leaps and bounds.

I’m still sad about what happens to Anne in the end. Whether I found her mostly annoying or mostly not, the abrupt change in her attitude by the end creates a sense of wistful regret. I have to admit that Anne responded marvelously to everything that happens to her, but it still makes me sad. The first book in this series is a sad little reminder of what we lose when we grow up, when we understand the world is bigger than we think it is. It is easy to find your childhood self resembling Anne, but it is harder to admit that we all went through the same transformation that Anne does. We all had to leave a bit of our fanciful imaginations behind when we grew up. This realization makes the end of the book even more emotional than it was before.

All in all, this book is one that stood the test of time for me. It never was a book I was crazy over, but now it’s developed a special place in my heart because of what it makes me feel and what it represents. I’m sort of curious about re-reading the whole series over again, just to see how I take the whole thing, now. Maybe when I have free time. If you would like to do so, this book is free on the Kindle. So go read!

Book Blitz: “Leap of Faith” by Jamie Blair – Excerpt + Giveaway!

Welcome to the Leap of Faith Book Blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours! I’m excited to be able to offer you guys a giveaway, an excerpt and some knowledge of a great sounding book! Let’s get things started with an introduction to the author, shall we?

AUTHOR BIO:
Jamie Blair spent most of her teen years choreographing moves for her dance team routines, kissing boys on the couch after her mom went to bed, and pondering the mood enhancement qualities of Lemon Heads when consumed with Diet Coke. Writing under Kelli Maine, she’s the USA Today bestselling author of Taken. Leap of Faith is her debut New Adult novel.

Author links:
Website: http://jamieblairauthor.blogspot.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamieMBlair
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5418337.Jamie_Blair
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamie-M-Blair/280042602029930

Leap of Faith by Jaime Blair
Goodreads | B&N | Amazon

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.

Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?

EXCERPT:

“I’m Chris.”  His eyes are hazel.  They’d be bluer or greener depending on what he wore.  His gray shirt keeps them the in-between shade.  He plays a few more chords and sets his guitar on the couch beside him.  “Well?  What do you think?”

I glance around.  There’s not much to it, but it works.  “How much?”

He rubs his chin.  It’s covered in stubble.  I imagine how it would feel against my cheek, and my face gets hot.

Addy squirms and lets out a small shriek.  Chris’s eyes dart to her.  This could be the deal breaker.

She squawks again.  “What time is it?” I ask, realizing she’s probably hungry.

He shrugs.  “Around five or six.  She need to eat?”

“Yeah.  Guess I better go so I can feed her.”  I take a step toward the door.

“Here,” he comes forward, reaching his arms out.  “I’ll hold her.  Go on out and get her a bottle.  You have one with you, don’t you?”

I nod, watching him take Addy out of my arms, place her against his chest, and rub her back.  “Do you have kids?”  It seems like a dumb question, but he’s a natural with Addy.

He laughs.  “No.  Fortunately, I’ve never been in that predicament.”  He looks from Addy to me, and his face falls.  “I mean…”

Right.  He thinks I got knocked up.  I’m a teen mom.  “It’s okay.  Don’t worry about it.”  I smile, trying to put him at ease.  “I’ll be right back.”

After opening the door to the stairs, I glance over my shoulder.  He’s running his fingers over the top of her head and bouncing her gently.  “Shh, baby, don’t cry.  Mommy will be right back.”

GIVEAWAY:

Prizes (open US only):
10 winners:
–5 prize packages of a signed hardback, a t-shirt and a guitar pick,
–5 e-books with an autographed Leap of Faith notecard, a guitar pick and stickers

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown,  by Holly Black

Amazon | Goodreads

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

4 stars

Read this book if: you’re looking for adventure, fantastic worldbuilding, and vampire fiction that thinks outside the box.

Do not read this book if: you’re looking for sweet-and-broody vampire romance, or you don’t like blood.  Seriously.  There’s a lot of it.

I read the short story this book started with a while back, and when I found out she was writing a book off the idea, I was very, very excited.  The short story was an interesting take on the vampire myth, free of stereotypes and surprisingly believable.   The novel absolutely lives up to that, and more.  

In this take on the vampire myth, vampirism is well and truly a disease: once infected, people must either drink human blood and turn into vampires or find someone to lock them up for 88 days while they scream and throw up and try to attack anyone who comes close.  If the government finds out you’re infected, you’ll be quarantined in a Coldtown–a walled vampire city–and never, ever allowed to leave, even if you beat the infection.  Due to the existence of the Internet and TV, the public has a somewhat unhealthy fascination with the goings-on in Coldtowns, and lots of people dream of being infected.  In a way, I think what made this book work so well is that it’s not about vampirism so much as it’s about people’s reactions to vampirism.  Some people dream of being turned, romanticizing the idea; some people fight the idea for all they’re worth, even after being infected.  Some people become vampires and stay exactly the same, and some people turn into bloodthirsty maniacs.  Some families lock infected family members in the basement for 88 days and suffer through the screaming, and others turn them in to the police and ship them off to Coldtown.  There’s a broad range of humanity explored through the idea of vampirism here, and I really love how multidimensional the idea gets.

Tana is a very…appropriate main character for her setting.  She’s got some nastiness in her past and some problems in her present, and she ends up going to Coldtown for not-very-good reasons, with minimal preparation and a vampire chained up in the backseat.  Once she gets there, though, she is no helpless vampire-romance heroine.  She is drugged and locked up with two very bad options to choose from, and instead of playing along she makes a third option.  She is threatened and she doesn’t back down; she’s attacked and she defends herself.  Often writers of vampire fiction play up their human characters’ helplessness in the face of such supernatural strength and give the vampires all the agency, but Tana seems to be at her strongest and most formidable when surrounded by people who think she looks yummy.  She gets involved in big, dangerous events and refuses to be sidelined.  She is not taking any of your bloodsucker BS.

I think one of this book’s biggest strengths is its ability to produce character development and worldbuilding without slowing the action down at all.  The author really does her ensemble cast justice here, and it’s delightful.  Even the jerk ex-boyfriend mentioned in the blurb actually gets some interesting character development and does some good things.

Romance didn’t play a very big part, and I was pretty happy with that.  Gavriel, the obligatory mysterious/hot vampire boy, is a good character, there’s no denying that: he’s driven, he’s angry, and he is insane–legitimately crazy–in ways that make a really weird amount of sense.  He fits right in in the opulent, bloody environment of Coldtown: extravagant, devious, gleefully mad, and dangerous in ways even the other vampires can’t guess at.  Which brings me to a plot element I had to think about a LOT before I decided what I thought of it…

–WARNING: Thoughts on relationships ahead.  Spoilery, but only with plot elements that you probably guessed anyway!–

Gavriel is everything I could ask for out of a character, but NOT someone I would want my friend dating.  He and Tana circle each other throughout the book, which, anyone who’s read any YA at ALL knew from the blurb that there would be romantic tension there, right?  I’m super-happy that it’s mostly just romantic tension–these people are REALLY BUSY, they don’t have TIME for smoldery vampire sex.  And Gavriel is not…safe.  He’s unstable, and a self-acknowledged monster.  But he never shows any violence or cruelty or even abuserish tendencies towards Tana (which is better than I can say of 99% of vampire boyfriends out there), and although any relationship between them is going to be inherently abnormal and a bit twisted…I think that’s more because both parties are really abnormal.  They live in a weird, violent world, and they’re both weird, somewhat violent people (okay, Tana’s only violent out of necessity, but she doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with it).  So although it’s certainly not a normal relationship,  it doesn’t seem inherently damaging, just a product of Coldtown and of the two people involved–and I actually am glad that the weirdness of it is acknowledged.  Gavriel gives me the creeps, but he’s supposed to.  At least the narrative acknowledges that he’s not stable, and Tana is aware of it.  And honestly?  I think she can handle him.

–End Predictable Spoilers–

So, basically: this book is dark and bloody and sometimes twisted.  The world is extravagant and insane and manipulative.  People are desperate.  Some of the vampires are still people, and some of them turned into monsters as soon as their bodies gave them permission.  This book has a lot of desperate people (human ones) in it, and also a lot of blood.

If those are not turn-offs for you, I definitely recommend this book.

Waiting on Wednesday: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: Cruel Beauty

Author: Rosamund Hodge

ETA: January 28th, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:  Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl’s journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Why I’m Waiting: Because it SOUNDS like there will be heavy folkloric references as well as magic and a badass girl-protag.  This is my curious face.  Fingers crossed for action, moral gray areas, and awesomeness rather than another cookie-cutter YA romance!

Plus, LOOK AT THAT COVER.

Top Ten Book Turn-Offs

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish!

Alright, I’m not going to lie. This one is going to be centered around one thing, probably. YA romance is currently a huge headache for me, and I don’t pull punches where it’s concerned. So here we go!

1. Love triangles

I don’t want to talk about this again. You’ve all heard me scream about this again and again. I hate these, and I’ve basically stopped reading a bunch of YA because of them.

2. Insta-love

People need a little bit more to fall in love than hot stuff. I mean, that can start a flirtation, sure, but there needs to be something else. Which reminds me…

3. Creepy relationships

You know those romances where the girl loves the guy despite the fact that in real life she should be RUNNING AWAY FAST AND HARD? Yeah, those bother me.

4. Boarding schools

I’ll read one of these every now and again, but I’m pretty done with this trope all together.

5. Romance-centric books

Alright, I tried to avoid romance but it didn’t work. Basically, if your blurb centers on a romance, I’m done. I’m so done.

6. Zombies

I don’t like zombies! I’m sorry!

7. Horror/Thriller

I don’t like things that are meant to scare me or even get my heart rate screeching. I’m fine with a little tension, but NO SCARING

8. Mermaids

I liked Of Poseidon! I did! But after that, not so much.

9. Retellings of classics

These just don’t go over well with me. I don’t usually even like the original books.

10. Lyrical prose

I like straight forward books, written in plain English. Lyrical nonsense doesn’t work for me.