Kelley Armstrong's Blog, page 11
November 20, 2015
I absolutely love the darkest powers series but one thing that bugged me was that at the end of the rising Maya said that they'd bring in Chloe's dad and in atoning it mentioned him and I wasn't sure what happened there. Like does he know about supernatura
Yes, one problem with Atoning is that, because it’s a novella, I couldn’t “check in” on nearly as many characters and situations as I’d have liked. He does uno what Chloe and the others are. And he had no more issues with Derek than the average parent would have to their kid’s new boy/girlfriend–he’d have been apprehensive at first, but once he got to know him and knew he treated Chloe well, he’d have been fine.
October 13, 2015
The Masked Truth is out!
The Masked Truth is out today! This one’s a standalone, meaning you get the whole story in one book–no cliffhanger ending, no unfinished plot threads. It’s a dark thriller aimed at older teens and adults. It also deals with mental health, and that’s what makes it special for me–it fulfills a dream of incorporating this into a mainstream teen novel. I wanted to show this aspect as one part of their lives, rather than the aspect that defines them. So this isn’t an “issue book,” but it’s a book that includes issues…if that makes sense ;)
To give a little more on the flavour of the novel, below are my two industry reviews so far, a starred one from Publishers Weekly and a very nice one from Kirkus.
If you read it, I would absolutely love it if you posted a review wherever you bought it and/or Goodreads. Good/bad/indifferent, ALL reviews help a book and are appreciated.
★ The Masked Truth - Publisher’s Weekly
Armstrong (the Age of Legends trilogy) specializes in the unexpected in this terrifying thriller where suspense and psycho- logical horror serve as perfect counter-points to themes of forgiveness and growth. Riley Vasquez was settling in for a night of babysitting when a deadly crime was committed in the house. She survives, but nightmares and guilt leave her a shadow of her former self. In an effort to return to who she was before the tragedy, Riley agrees to attend a weekend therapy camp held in a renovated ware- house. Max Cross shares a therapy group with her, though they don’t interact much. His dark secret and sarcastic attitude keep him from getting close to anyone, yet when the camp attendees are taken hostage by three masked men, Riley and Max must dig deep to trust each other in order to escape the warehouse. Masterful storytelling, particularly in the setup and execution of a plot overflowing with twists, and edge-of-the-seat mystery provide spine-tingling chills, and while Armstrong doesn’t shy from violence, it isn’t gratuitous. Ages 14–up.
The Masked Truth - Kirkus Reviews
A weekend therapy camp becomes a living nightmare for a group of troubled teenagers when it is taken hostage by masked gunmen. Riley Vasquez has suffered from PTSD since the parents of a young girl she was babysitting were brutally gunned down in their home while Riley hid upstairs with the child. Max, recently diagnosed with schizophrenia, is acutely aware that he cannot always trust that his subjective experience matches reality. The two become each other’s best hope for survival as the violence and chaos progressively escalate. The novel begins with a punch of adrenaline, and the pace rarely slows as Riley and Max race to unravel who is truly behind the murderous plot. As they struggle to stay alive, they also grapple with their own psychological conflicts, revealed largely from Riley’s first-person point of view and occasionally from Max’s third-person perspective. The violence in this thriller is not for the faint of heart; there is a substantial body count by the story’s end. However, the dry wit and gentle compassion exchanged between the two protagonists help to keep the tension from becoming overwhelming. Riley’s trauma and Max’s mental illness make them fragile, but the teens are not broken. In each other they find the understanding and the strength they need to survive. Action-packed suspense from beginning to end. (Thriller. 14+)
June 11, 2015
Giveaways...
My Canadian publisher also has a very nice giveaway for 20 ARCs of The Masked Truth That one's limited to Canadians, but it definitely improves the odds ;) You'll find that contest here
Can't enter that Canadian contest? Over on Tumblr, I'm giving away an ARC of The Masked Truth in a contest open to everyone. You'll find that post here
And on Facebook, I'm running my monthly "tell me what you want" contest, where the prizes are, well, whatever you want from my goodie room (books and swag) presuming I actually have it ;) That contest is also open to all and you'll find it here
June 10, 2015
The Masked Truth - covers, summary, excerpt, ARC giveaway
Yes, I’ve been Tumblr-awol (and not doing much better on Twitter, I’ll admit) Just a very busy year when I’ve had to re-prioritize my time. That means, instead of getting posts for the Masked Truth covers and then a summer and then an excerpt and then an advance copy giveaway, you get it all at once :)
The Masked Truth is a standalone YA thriller coming October 13. You’ll see the North American cover at the bottom (top cover) and the UK (bottom cover.) Here’s the synopsis:
Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.
Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.
The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.
The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.
Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to find out that even escape doesn’t equal freedom.
Want to read more? I’ve posted a decent sized chunk already–the first five chapters, which are here (scroll down if it looks blank–it’s just that the title is set low)
And now to give away an ARC (advance reader copy) To enter, e-mail contest@kelleyarmstrong.com & tell me what is the diagnosis that the summary cryptically mentions for Max. It’s in the excerpt :)
Deadline: midnight Sunday June 14. One correct entry will be chosen at random.
Contest FAQ here: http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/contest-faq/
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
I've never been terrified when reading a novel before, but I've never really read any horror. The scene when Eve's in the hell dimension, especially in the cave, oh god the cave, I was scared shitless. I think it was because I knew she couldn't die but tha
I love hearing when that scene worked for a reader. It might be the only scene I’ve written that actually scared me. The idea that you can’t die–no matter what is done to you–terrifies me. But when readers talk about which of my scenes scares them, that one is rarely mentioned, so I do like to hear I’m not alone in my fears ;)
