Blog Tour: Citadel of the Sky Review

Welcome to the tour for Citadel of the Sky by Chrysoula Tzavelas. This is an adult epic fantasy (clean and appropriate for YA readers). 

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Citadel of the Sky by Chrysoula Tzavelas

 

Her (not very) Serene Highness Princess Tiana tries her best not to think about the dark lords ravaging her country or how the magic in her bloodline makes her family go mad. The descendant of a legendary hero, she prefers bringing the myths of old to life on the theater stage, not on the battlefield.

Then a rash of suspicious deaths strikes the Regents—trusted advisors, friends, and guides to her troubled royal family—and the Noble’s Council tries to cover it all up. Tiana is determined to get to the bottom of the murders and the conspiracy, even if that means making a dangerous pact with a telepathic demon trapped in a magical sword. But he may just be the edge she needs to save the people she loves.

Cursed sword in hand, Tiana and her friends prepare to face the encroaching darkness­—and the ultimate truth about her and her family.

Goodreads

Review:
So before I start this review, I just want to say I love the dedication.  :) It's really cute. xD

Okay, now onto the book itself.  This book was a ride the entire way through - and I think it all had to do with how the book started.    From the very first pages, you're just plunged into the world headfirst and without any warning. ( I thought I skipped some pages or something because it was so intense right from the start lol. )  This could be a good or bad thing, and I think it depends on your personal preference.  Some people like beginnings starting without "mincing words" (so to speak xD)- but for me personally, I love the background story and then easing into the actiony stuff.  I also expected the world and everything to be explained in more detail, but that doesn't really happen either.  You get small hints, but otherwise, you're sort of on your own.

HOWEVER

Once you get past that (and do some Googling on phantasmagory xD), you come to really appreciate how intricate this world is (and the incredible imagination of this author OMG). I honestly think, more than the characters, it was this confusing mass of a world that kept me reading until the end. It was convoluting, twisting, and... addicting? LOL.   I was so lost in it, and I couldn't pull myself away from wanting to learn more and more about the different parts of it.

  I have mixed feelings about the characters simply because there were SO many of them, and I had trouble keeping them all straight (there was a glossary thing in the back, but even so, my goodness- it was a full house ;) ).  Some characters I loved (Tiana!! and Kiar!!), some characters I hated, and some characters that I totally forgot about as soon as I moved onto the next page.  But one thing's for sure: the author made me feel something for each character. Even if it was utter hatred (>.>),  I felt something for most of the characters, and I think that's pretty cool considering the number of characters there were xD.  I think there were only a few characters whom I was completely disinterested in (and those few characters turned out to be minor anyways xD).

I get the feeling this book was more of a set up for the future books (THAT CLIFFHANGER THOUGH), and I'm looking forward to diving back into this world again! :)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As an Air Force kid, Chrysoula went to twelve schools in twelve years and spent a lot of time wondering what made people tick. Books, it turned out, helped with that question. These days she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, which includes many small and demanding creatures who fight over her attention. Her first book, urban fantasy MATCHBOX GIRLS, was published in 2012 by the small press Candlemark & Gleam, followed annually by two more books in the same SENYAZA Series, all of which explore the impact of the supernatural on those who are— or who want to be— ordinary. Her next book, CITADEL OF THE SKY, is the first of a new series about the descendants of a Chosen One and the legacy of power and mental illness they’ve inherited. It’s also about Dark Lords and kicking butt in nice dresses.

AUTHOR ONLINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

The author will be giving away $10 Gift Card to online bookseller of choice (INT) to three winners of the below Rafflecopter.  The giveaway ends June 16th.
 

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Book Tour: Athena's Ashes! Giveaway+Author Interview!

Athena's Ashes (Star Thief Chronicles #2)

by Jamie Grey

Publisher: Clever Crow Press

Release Date: August 26th 2014

Synopsis:

It’s Renna’s biggest job yet – convincing MYTH leadership that she’s put away her lock picks and is ready to save the galaxy, despite the dangerous implant in her brain. But with the Athena on the run, she’s working solo and facing her most ruthless enemy, the traitor Pallas, who’ll go to any lengths to destroy the MYTH organization. Including framing Renna for a devastating assault on MYTH HQ that leaves their defenses crippled and hundreds dead. 

Now that MYTH believes she’s a dangerous double-agent, Renna escapes their firing squad before they put more holes in her than a pair of fishnet stockings. But the ticking time-bomb in her head is the one thing Pallas needs to complete his master plan and he’s not about to let her get away. Even worse, he’s discovered the only thing that will bring Renna to her knees – threatening Captain Nick Finn.

Out of time and options, Renna’s got one shot to take down the traitor before he annihilates everything she loves, even though winning this battle may cost her everything.

1.      What’s your favorite thing about writing?
I think my favorite thing is being able to create whole new worlds and control everything that happens in them. I don’t have that kind of power in real life and sometimes it’s just nice to say This Thing is going to happen Here. Why? Because I want it to!

2.  What are your top 3 must-read books? 

Oh that’s such a tough question! How about top 3 series J The first is the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. There’s romance, a kick-butt heroine, and lots of action. The Grisha Series (Shadow and Bone, etc) by Leigh Bardugo. It’s YA fantasy of the best kind – smart, exciting, and romantic. And the third would be anything by Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is one of my comfort reads. (OMG I LOVE THE GRISHA SERIES TOO!!!)

3.      What are your favorite ice cream flavors? Sea salt Caramel gelato. (Yum!)

4. Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what music?

I mostly listen to movie soundtracks when I write. I love all the atmospheric, dramatic scores, and because most of them don’t have words, they don’t trip me up when I’m trying to write.

5.      What’s your favorite place to write and/or read? 

My favorite place for both is curled up on my corner of the couch. Where I usually end up writing is my desk at work. Not nearly as comfortable!

6.      What inspired the title of this book?

The Athena is the main space ship from The Star Thief (the first book in the series). If I talk too much about the ashes part, there would be spoilers. Let’s just say the poor ship has a rough time of it in this book.

7.      What’s the best advice you’ve gotten as a writer? 

Write what you love and would like to read. Write what interests you. Most of all, have fun with your stories. Writing is hard, but the moment you stop enjoying it, is the moment you should stop writing.

Thank you so much for stopping by!:)

Follow the FFBC Athena's Ashes Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Jamie Grey spent most of her childhood writing stories about princesses who saved the day and pretending to be a daring explorer. It wasn’t until much later that she realized she should combine the two. Now, as a tech-obsessed gamer geek, her novels mix amazing scientific developments, future worlds, and the remarkable characters that live in them.

Jamie lives in Michigan with her boyfriend and their pets, who luckily tolerate her overspending on tea, books, and video games. You can learn more about her at www.jamiegreybooks.com, or follow her on twitter via @jamie_grey.

Win (1) copy of The Star Thief and Athena's Ashes, along with a copy of the ebook novella (All the books in the Star Thief Series) + some Athena's Ashes swag (INT)

Win (1) $25 Amazong Gift Card (INT)

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Thank you so much to FFBC and the author for allowing me to participate in this book tour!!:) 

Crossing the Ice Book Tour! Excerpt+Giveaway

Hi guys! I'm thrilled to be introducing Jennifer Comeaux's new book, Crossing the Ice! There's more info about the book below as well as an excerpt and a giveaway. :)

Release date: August 3rd 2014

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 

jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com 

twitter.com/LadyWave4 

facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor

Excerpt:

 I turned to Josh with my arms folded and my head cocked to the side. “So, you’re an athlete, a dancer and a musician? If you tell me you’re a skilled artist, I’m gonna have to hate you.”

He laughed. “I can barely draw a stick figure.”

“Whew.” I swiped my hand across my forehead.

“Even if I was the next Picasso, though, I wouldn’t have told you.” He paused and held my gaze. “I don’t like the idea of you hating me.”

My stomach fluttered. Josh didn’t often make extended eye contact, but whenever he locked those sinfully blue eyes on mine, I became a mesmerized puddle of swoon.

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Thank you so much to the author and IFB Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!

:)

Finding Keepers Blog Tour! Review+Giveaway+ Favorite Quotes

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to introduce to you Finding Keepers, a touching tale of a foster kid who finally finds a family and a home.  There's more about the book and the author below, as well as my review and fav. quotes! :) Thanks for stopping by!:D

Genre: YA Contemporary
Release date: July 30th 2014

Purchase: Paperback | Kindle | Nook

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Starting a new life is never easy, but Alyssa Doe has turned it into an art form. Abandoned by her parents at age ten, six years in foster care has taught Alyssa how to get through life the hard way.

Now sixteen and growing desperate for a stable life, Alyssa finds herself puzzled by her newest keeper, twenty-five year old Jessica Sona. A feisty woman who does not accept no for an answer, Jessica’s insistence and passion for safety, family, and unconditional love begin to break down Alyssa’s walls and bring her hope, a dangerous emotion.

Can such a thing as family and love exist for a girl whose birth name is Doe, or will Alyssa be forever left finding keepers?

About the Author

Fixing broken computers, wrangling a very spirited little toddler, and creating new fantasy worlds are all parts of the average day for Kristi Strong. While she has called Virginia her home for two decades, her head has rested in two countries, three states, and far too many houses to count. She was more than happy to give up her nomadic lifestyle and settle down with her husband, daughter, cat and chinchilla.

strongnovels.blogspot.com | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Review:

A sweet story full of heart. :)

After I finished this one, I admit an audible “awww” escaped me.  It was a touching tale of a girl who, after being tossed around multiple homes, finally finds a family.

And if that doesn’t melt your heart, I don’t know what will. ;)

It’s really the characters that made this story.  There wasn’t really an overarching plot or anything, but rather it chronicles the life of Alyssa and her struggles to get through each day.  I loved Alyssa and watching her grow throughout the book.  While she's not fully healed at the end, she’s getting there, and with a group of people that cares for her and loves her, you know she’ll be alright. ;)

 Another favorite character of mine was Jessica.  She was so supportive and understanding, and she had a big heart that was not only big enough for Alyssa, but for her friends as well. While I did see that semi-plot twist a mile away, it in no way took away from all the things Jessica had done for Alyssa.  In fact, I felt it just made me love Jessica even more. :)

As for her friends, I adored Caleb (and yes I did sort of want Caleb and Alyssa to end of together!) and thought Brianna was a great friend as well. They were her rock and her family, and it was so sweet how they stuck with her through everything. I did,however, get the feeling the book was perhaps a bit overstuffed?   Every character had their own issues, and while there was nothing wrong with that (the world isn't perfect), I felt that there were just a lot of stuff that sort of seemed to be added in to try to make some of the characters seem more complex. Nonetheless, I did like how the issues were dealt with in the story and how realistic it was.  Another thing was that the villains in this novel (well, Alyssa’s mother primarily) seemed a little one-dimensional with no real depth to them; I wish we were able to see different sides of them. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that Alyssa’s mother was terribly wrong to say and do those things.

Thanks for reading! :)

Rating: 3 out of 5

My fav. quotes!

-“Well, from where I stand, you need a person that you can be mean to, be psycho around, and that person is just going to have be me.”

-It was a compass, a perfect circle of silver surrounding a pale gold tree of life. The cardinal directions glittered with tiny diamonds, a bright green emerald indicating north.

“Now you can always find your way home, no matter where life takes you,” Caleb whispered, as everyone gathered around her.

-Alyssa felt her heart swell as Jessica just smiled at the teens and said, “Please, call me Jessica.”

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Thank you so much to the author and IFB Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!:)

Six Strings Book Tour! Review+Playlist+Giveaway

Hi everyone! I am super excited to be a part of the Six Strings tour! I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for the second one! :) 

There's more information about the book below, as well as my playlist and review. :) Thanks for stopping by!

Release date: June 18th 2014
Publisher: Booktrope
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Riley Witt is running out of time.

Battling Alzheimer’s disease, Riley’s grandmother Mary suffers from memory loss, mood swings, and a tendency to wander off.

As senior year approaches, Riley has to face the reality that the one person she depends on most is slowly fading. Making matters worse, when Mary does remember the past, she tells tales of time travel and visions. As Mary’s version of the past gets more confused, Riley knows they are running out of time together.

But when Riley discovers a guitar belonging to a famous rock star at Mary’s house, the truth behind the crazy tales finally comes out.

SIX STRINGS tells the story of Riley’s journey back to 1973 where she enters a world of music, long-lost family, and first love. Her adventure is all about discovering her past, understanding her present, and figuring out how to step into her future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jen Sanya Williamson is a graduate of the University of Arizona where she received a BA in creative writing. She spends most of her time with her junior high students, teaching and talking books. When not in a classroom, Jen is writing, watching TV shows from the ‘90s, or cheering on the Wildcats with her husband and children in her adopted hometown of Tucson, Arizona.

twitter.com/jen_sanya | facebook.com/jensanya


Review :

This book surprised me- in a really good way.  Based on the blurb, I didn’t think this was a time-traveling novel, and I still didn’t believe it until she, well, actually time-traveled. LOL. I really liked how that time traveling aspect was played out. Time-traveling in this book wasn't for some mission to save human-kind, but rather time-traveling is very personal for the traveler.  I’m still not sure as to why she leaps back (there are a few hints), but I’m assuming that will be cleared up in future books (which I am ANXIOUSLY waiting for!!). The book started off kind of slow, but it picked up its pace as it went on, and in fact, towards the end, I began nervously counting down the pages I had left.  This book ended too soon!! 

>.< 

I was a bit indifferent towards the main characters in the beginning because there was a lot of telling, rather than showing, but as the book progressed, they all grew on me.  Riley was an interesting character because she does grow throughout the novel, but I feel her real growth is still to come in the future books.  This is just the beginning- and I'm so excited for that future awesome character development!! :) (In fact, I felt this book in general was really just to set up the series and to help set up the future books and the characters. Not a bad thing- except for the fact that I need more D':) 

I sort of sense a love triangle between Nathan and Lucas- and I have really complicated feelings about this (LOL). For one thing, Lucas is in the past, so I don’t know how that’s going to work?? But they actually had a great chemistry, and it wasn't insta-love (YAY!).  I liked their relationship, and while they’ve only known each for a few days, there was like this connection between them.  This couple had this feeling of those first few days when you first fall in love. :) With Nathan, he and Riley had been friends since they were young, and I felt his development was a little lacking.  I think this had to do with the fact that there was a lot of telling and not so much showing in the beginning of the novel; also, because they were childhood friends, we were supposed to just assume that they were close. I REALLY hope we do get to see more of Nathan’s and Riley’s relationship in future books.  As for the love triangle in general, I am not a big fan of them because they are tricky. BUT I have seen some great love triangles (even though I thought that that was NEVER possible), and I’m just assuming that there might be one here; I won’t know for sure until I get my hands on that second book… D:   

Final thoughts: This book has a warm feeling to it. I didn't really address this in the review because this warm feeling was more towards the end (even though it did sort of permeate throughout the book I guess?).  It's kind of hard to explain, but I think this warm feeling comes from the fact that this book is a lot about relationships and possibilities- and there’s always something about those two things that gives me a sense of hope. ;)

Thanks for reading! :)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Playlist:
One of the things I loved about this book is that it introduced me to so many new (well old new LOL) music. I liked a lot of them, but I only picked two from the book because I felt these were the ones that really fit with the mood of the novel.   

I’ve never done a playlist for a book before, so I’m not exactly sure if there was a certain way to do this or something LOL.  I picked the first two songs from the book, and the rest I sort of picked to suit the mood of the book I guess? :D. Click on the title to go to the Youtube video. :)

Desperado by the Eagles (I imagined this song was what Cordelia sounded like.)

A Whiter Shade of Pale  by Procol Harum (That scene where they’re just holding each other and talking... not heavily making out or anything... just enjoying each others' presence... I wish there were more scenes like this in books... )

Miracles in December by Exo (So I'm not really a fan of Exo, but I actually liked this song.  That title doesn't fit the book LOL, but I felt this song, along with Cordelia, would be something that Lucas would have sang for Riley-ya know, if he could speak Korean LOL :D And also this song is kind of dramatic, but the lyrics fit perfectly. ;) )

Yuugure no Yakusoku- Toradora Ost (Pretty piano song that I can imagine Riley playing.)

Yasashisa no Asioto- Toradora Ost (Nice guitar song I can imagine Lucas playing.)



 GIVEAWAY!!!

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Thank you so much to IFB Tours and the author for letting me participate in this book tour!! :)

Soul Twister Blog Tour: Q&A with Robin Jones + Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on the Soul Twister (A Touched Girl #3) by Robyn Jones Blog Tour!

Hi guys!! Hope everyone is having a fabulous week. ;) I'm super excited to be a part of the Soul Twister Tour! Soul Twister is the third book in the Touched Girl series, and you can find more information about it below. :)

Soul Twister (A Touched Girl Novel #3) by Robyn Jones
Published: Expected Publication - 2014
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Goodreads Summary:

Months into recovering from the bloody events that took place in Soul Bender, Anna Pierce is ready to get back out there and fulfill her self-crafted destiny. Sadly, no one in her life feels the same way. The emergence of buried memories and out-of-the-blue powers send her straight into regular sessions with the school counselor. If only she could talk about her overly protective vampire boyfriend or the real threat posed by former friends turned enemies or her new guide who makes her former guide look like a bowl of sunshine. Anna has a lot going on, but at least she's too busy to think about her first Christmas at Ella's.

Sounds pretty awesome, eh? I'm reading the first book right now, and I'm loving it so far! I'll have the review up later this week. ;) Now without further ado, I would like to introduce Ms. Robyn Jones! :)

Author Interview:

1. What inspired you to write your first book?
I started writing to keep from going completely silent and disappearing. As soon as my oldest was diagnosed with mild autism I knew the world would bend over backwards to help him as long as I didn’t get in the way. As he grew and thrived, I continued to blend into the background. My husband (at the time) being hard of hearing made it easier to go unheard. Then my youngest was born with a bum kidney. When he was 6 months old, I knew the doctor was going to tell me we had to take the kidney out. It felt like I was standing on a cliff shouting, but motherhood stole the sound of my grief. I had to do something that didn’t involve eating a bag of chips a day. So I made a rule. Read until I don’t want to put the book down, and then write. I wrote my first book (to be shelved forever) in three weeks. Then I wrote Soul Walker and I just kept reading and writing.

2. Who are your favorite authors?
Patricia Briggs, team Ilona Andrews, Craig Johnson, Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, Sue Grafton, Kristen Ashley, Katie McGarry...the list goes on and on

3. What message would you like your readers to take away from your books?
I’m not much of a message girl. I would like to create an escape so the readers have a place to go. That is what writing the books creates for me.

4. What’s an interesting fact that most people don’t know about you?
A lot of Anna’s adventures in the books with her family are from personal experience: scuba diving, para-sailing, hiking, surfing, and getting lost in the airport in Japan.

5. Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what music?
Sometimes I need music to find the right headspace. I’ll go in search of music that fits the emotion in a scene. Anna listens to a wide variety from The Mamas and the Papas to Pink. I like that about her.

6. Have you ever experienced writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?
Oh, yes. After my divorce, I really thought I was done creating stories. I used have a live stream of ideas running in my head most of the time and then nothing. Not a single spark. I decided if I couldn’t write, I’d learn how to write. When I have writer’s block, I keep up the reading because I can’t live without a current read and I study. The stream is back and I feel crazy again. Good stuff.

7. Is there any place you would love to travel to?
Heck yeah! So many places, but my number one place has always been New Zealand and that was before Lord of the Rings. Now I really, really have to go!

8. What’s the best advice you gotten as a writer?
I’m not good at quoting, but the gist is, writers have to read. Stephen King says the same thing in more words and comes across as brilliant and know-it-all-ish, but it’s true. (Awesome advice!! :) )

Thank you so much to Ms. Robyn Jones for stopping by and for the interview! :D

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For a limited time, the First 2 Touched Girl novels are on sale for $.99 at Amazon!

Purchase Links:     Soul Walker |    Soul Bender

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About Robyn Jones:

I laugh when people fall down. It's a glitch in my programming, but even my mom has suffered this quirk. I have a BA in Studio Art from the University of Puget Sound. My boys make me laugh every day. I steal pens; I try real hard not to. I collect those free bookmarks at the checkout counter at libraries. I've had more stitches than anyone I know. I love stories; writing them, reading them, watching them. You can email me at robgirlbooks@gmail.com.


Blog / Twitter / Goodreads

Giveaway: 8 Winners!

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Thank you so much to Ms. Robyn Jones and JC's Book Haven  for allowing me to participate in this blog tour!! :)

Book Blast: Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the book blast for Primordial Dust! :)

This book sounds so epic (the title, the cover, everything!), and I can't wait to read it! :D

Synopsis:

A princess, trained to behave. An assassin, betrothed to her. A thief, whose eyes she dreams of at night. A kingdom at war, torn apart by the suppression of magic and truth, as well as family secrets that threaten to destroy decades of peace.
Questions of loyalty, of morality, and of free will culminate in a fantasy novel about forging one’s own path and choosing one’s own destiny.

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Primordial-Dust-Sarah-Daltry/dp/1500294349/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=jamesval-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=3QAQUDGR4ASWDQ6V&creativeASIN=1500294349
B&N: http://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=OSM9yXwjjU4&offerid=239662.9781498998468&type=2&murl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.barnesandnoble.com%2FPrimordial-Dust%2FSarah-Daltry%2Fe%2F9781498998468
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/441741

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id882388686

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/primordial-dust

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-primordialdust-1522644-153.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She’s written works in various genres – romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn’t as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she’s been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships – romantic, familial, friendly – because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn’t matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future – human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah’s stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

TWITTER: @SarahDaltry
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahDaltry
WEBSITE: http://sarahdaltry.com/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012679.Sarah_Daltry

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway is open Internationally | Must be 13+ to Enter

3 Winners will receive an E-Copy of Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and Swag pack by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a Swag Pack by Sarah Daltry.

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* Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Book Nerd Tours for allowing me to participate in this book blast! :)* 

The Rose Master Blog Tour: Guest Post by Valentina Cano

Hi everyone! 

I'm super excited to introduce Ms. Valentina Cano, who wrote an awesome guest post on historical fiction! :) Check it out below! 

Historical Fiction: How Does One Start?

by Valentina Cano

It’s all in the details. This is the one very important thing I learned while writing The Rose Master. Yes, we know people in Victorian England drove around in coaches and carriages, but what kind? Did they have two horses or four?

These were the types of questions I asked myself as I wrote the novel. As someone who has loved England’s Victorian period, I knew that I wanted it as my setting for The Rose Master. I knew the basics, like an outline in chalk, but I needed to fill in all the details that make historical novels so wonderful to read. You want to be immersed in this other era, to wholly place yourself in these drawing rooms and foyers, so the author has the large task of bringing these rooms to glittering life.

In The Rose Master, since the protagonist is a parlor maid, a lot of my research went to maids’ everyday lives. I researched how early they got up, when they had their breakfast, how they treated their masters and mistresses and how they treated one another. There was so much to learn about the way they cleaned silver and wooden floors. Even how they made toast, because it’s not as if they had toasters laying around. All of these elements were vital to bringing the Victorian lifestyle to the page.

I started by gathering everything I knew from all the previous Victorian novels I’d read, especially those that had maids or governesses as protagonists. Then I moved on to actual research, buying books on Victorian cleaning methods and other esoteric topics. If someone had looked at my shopping cart in Ebay, they would have been very confused.

It was a fascinating few weeks of reading. Although it was time-consuming and I was itching to get started on the novel, I knew that the more research I did, the more prepared I would be to write.

A historical novel depends on all of the details that make days complex. Just think of the countless little things we do every day, and then try to imagine how they would be done two centuries ago. This is the kind of work that a historical novel needs, but it is also what makes it such a rewarding adventure to write and to read. 

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Thank you so much to Ms. Cano for stopping by! :) 

Bio:

Valentina Cano is a student of classical singing who spends whatever free time she has either reading or writing. She also watches over a veritable army of pets, including her five, very spoiled, snakes. Her works have appeared in numerous publications and her poetry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Web. She lives in Miami, Florida.

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*Thank you so much to the author and Reuts Publications for allowing me to participate in this blog tour! :) *