Review: CHASING POWER by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: Chasing Power
Author: Sarah Beth Durst (@sarahbethdurst)
Published: October 14th, 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA Paranormal
POV: 3rd Person
Pages: 376
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: eARC / Hardcover
Source: Author, Netgalley / Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

Sixteen-year-old Kayla was born with the ability to move things with her mind-things like credit cards and buttons on cash registers-and she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again . . . which would mean grave danger for them both.

When she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel-a boy with the ability to teleport-he needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family-and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive . . . or survive.

Kayla might seem like your average girl, but she has telekinetic powers, a penchant for thievery, and her father is out to kill her. But, Kayla still feels like she has the act of normalcy down, until a teleporting young man named Daniel shows up and threatens to blackmail her if Kayla doesn't help him find his kidnapped mother. Together, with a little help from Kayla's friend Selena, Kayla and Daniel travel the world in search of dangerous stones and Daniel's mother, before it's too late to save anyone. 

Chasing Power is an action-packed, thrilling, super-powered adventure. The characters have plenty of humor, resourcefulness, and determination. The settings are lush, vivid, and made me wish I had the funds to travel the world. Once the action begins, there's never a dull moment, and Durst keeps this whirlwind adventure thrilling and surprising until the very end. The secrets that are revealed are shocking, and I found it difficult to set this story aside because how captivating it proved to be. Superpowers, secrets, and one epic treasure hunt, Chasing Power is the epitome of entertaining. 

Highlights: The characters with special abilities were fascinating, but I loved how even with their talents, nothing came easily. Selena is easily the most wonderful BFF ever - she may be a privileged and wealthy girl, but she's genuine, smart, and more capable than most people might expect. The romance is only slightly starting to build by the end of the novel, and I appreciate the way Durst put the focus on family and the overall adventure/mystery first.  

Lowlights: Kayla falls victim to an unfortunately normal problem in YA lit - not reaching out to an adult when s#!* hits the fan. So much could have changed or been avoided had she reached out to her mother. But, that's just the reasonable part of me - the bookworm in me is grateful for her mistakes, because it helped create a thrilling story.

Cover: I had to take a moment to appreciate this outstanding cover. Very symbolic, very eye-catching, and it reminds me of Metric's album Fantasies, which is always great.

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf: Highly Enjoyed, 4+ out of 5. Action, adventure, awesome abilities, fantastic best friends, family, and plenty of secrets...Durst makes it easy to love Chasing Power. This is the type of novel that has it all, and leaves you with the urge to start rereading again. 

I received an advanced electronic copy of this novel from the author for review consideration. 

This is no way affected my opinion of the novel. 

Giveaway & Interview with Sarah Beth Durst

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing an interview with the lovely Sarah Beth Durst, where she discusses a bit about her writing and her most recent novel, THE LOST. 

QUICK! Describe THE LOST in 7 words or less!

Town of lost things and lost people.

Which came first – the main cast of characters or the story’s concept?

Actually, for THE LOST, it was two ideas merging together: the town and Lauren.

I remember sitting at a traffic light and thinking, "What would happen if I just went straight and didn't stop?" In that question, Lauren was born -- a woman who doesn't turn left the way she's supposed to and instead just keeps driving and driving.

The answer to what happens is that she runs out of gas in the town of Lost, a town full of only lost thing and lost people. Once I combined these two separate ideas, the story was able to grow.

THE LOST is your first adult novel. What was it like to make the switch from middle grade / young adult novels to writing for adults? Any challenges?

For me, the key is to not think about who you're writing for and instead think about who you're writing about. If you're writing about a twelve year old and see the world through her eyes, then the novel will come out middle grade. If you're writing about a twenty-eight year old and see the world through her eyes... then you'll have a novel with the right tone, style, and story for adults.

Do you have any favorite teaser lines from THE LOST that you can share?

One of my favorite moments is after a six-year-old girl holding a teddy bear and a knife saves Lauren from a hostile mob:

The girl switches direction, pulling me into the alley between the barber shop and a decrepit triple-decker house. She still doesn't speak.

I don't know why I'm trusting her. "Are you helping me, or dragging me someplace private to cut me to pieces and feed me to your teddy bear? Just curious."

The girl looks at me with her wide eyes. "My name is Claire. And my teddy bear is not hungry today."

SCENARIO: You’re on a mission to find something of yours in Lost. What two fictional characters (yours or someone else’s) would you want to help you succeed?

I'd want Peter from THE LOST, since he knows the town so well. (He's the mysterious wild man who helps Lauren. He's a bit like a grown-up Peter Pan who lives in a rundown, twisted kind of Wonderland.) And I'd also want someone very clever, like Sherlock Holmes. (Have you seen BBC's Sherlock? So, so good.) Or better yet, someone with the psychic ability to find things... Or a bloodhound with a really good sniffer.

Failing that, I'd settle for someone with excellent survival skills, like Katniss.

Yes, I love BBC's Sherlock! Excellent choices....Do you ever write any easter eggs or calling cards (signature characteristics, such as a style of writing, a reoccurring theme / name / joke / location / symbol, etc) into your stories? 

Not intentionally, but I do know things from my life sneak into my writing. Sometimes I don't even realize it until long after the fact!

I can say that the ring that Lauren finds in the void -- the star sapphire ring -- is based on my mom's engagement ring. It's an opaque blue stone, and when you hold it up to the sunlight, a white star appears in the center. I always thought it was magical.

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on a middle-grade novel called THE GIRL WHO COULD NOT DREAM, about a girl whose family owns a secret store where they buy, bottle, and sell dreams, but who can't have any of her own, and the adventure that she and her pet monster go on when someone starts kidnapping dreamers. It's coming from Clarion Books in fall 2015.

My next book out will be CHASING POWER, a YA novel about a girl with telekinesis and a boy who can teleport. It's sort of an Indiana-Jones-style adventure, with teens and magic. It's coming on October 14th from Bloomsbury.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

And thank you so much for the wonderful interview! I loved THE LOST, so it's nice to get some bonus information about it. 

And, because I enjoyed this novel, I want to share it with one of my readers. One winner will receive a finished paperback copy of THE LOST (international, so long as The Book Depository ships to you). Enter using the rafflecopter below. 

THE LOST by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by Harlequin MIRA

Available Now

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassable dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing--and what she's running from--before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found...

Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey...and her quest to find her fate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SARAH BETH DURST

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

ADULT NOVELS

THE LOST | THE MISSING | THE FOUND

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

ICE | ENCHANTED IVY | DRINK SLAY LOVE

VESSEL | CONJURED | CHASING POWER

MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS

INTO THE WILD | OUT OF THE WILD

Review: THE LOST by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: The Lost
Author: Sarah Beth Durst (@sarahbethdurst)
Published: May 2014
Series: The Lost #1
Genre: Fantasy
POV: 1st person
Pages: 352
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher & later purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassable dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing--and what she's running from--before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found...

Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey...and her quest to find her fate.

I've always had a strange fascination with things that are lost. We all lose things – our keys, pens, wallets, socks, earrings, and so on. But where do they go? In Durst's first adult novel, she explores a city full of lost items, places, and people. Unsurprisingly, The Lost turned out to be as intriguing a story as I hoped to find. Lauren spends her day driving to get away from problems at home, only to find herself pulling into an odd town called Lost. She quickly finds that leaving will be a challenge when the Missing Man – the only person who can help her find what she's lost – takes one glance at her and leaves. 

The town of Lost is a charming, quirky, and somewhat terrifying place. It is both familiar and bizarre, and inhabited by people from all walks of life. As a narrator, Lauren is a comforting, realistic presence who turns out to have more determination and resourcefulness than one might initially expect from her. With only a light touch of romance, Durst slowly builds the base for what will likely become an interesting relationship between Lauren and Peter. Even though this is an adult novel, older young adult literature fans will also find this story appealing. Peculiar, humorous, and evocative, The Lost is a standout story of the year. 

Highlights: Characterization is wonderful, from the tough yet adorable Claire to the odd yet surprisingly well-read Peter / Finder. Instead of wallowing, Lauren utilizes her strengths, works on her weaknesses, and tries to figure out a way home. The world of the Lost is fascinating, strange, and perfectly described in order to convey it's charm, oddness, and dangers. The romance is very light, sweet, and realistic. Even better, Durst infuses plenty of emotion in with all the entertainment. As a person who knows what it's like to watch someone you love struggle medically to live, Lauren's relationship with her mother really resonated with me. The ending is very bittersweet, and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

Lowlights: I want the sequel now?

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf (5 out of 5). I love this book, so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. The Lost is exciting, imaginative, and simply a spectacular story filled with outstanding characters. I'd highly recommend this book, because it is an incredible story.

Waiting on Wednesday (138): Chasing Power

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

CHASING POWER by Sarah Beth Durst

October 14th, 2014 from Bloomsbury

Lies, secrets, and magic — three things that define Kayla's life.

Sixteen-year-old Kayla plans to spend her summer hanging out on the beach in Santa Barbara and stealing whatever she wants, whenever she wants it. Born with the ability to move things with her mind — things like credit cards, diamond rings, and buttons on cash registers — she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up a safety net, enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again. Well, that, and the thrill of using her secret talents.

But her summer plans change when she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel — a boy who needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Daniel has a talent of his own. He can teleport, appearing anywhere in the world in an instant, but he lies as easily as he travels. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family — and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive... or survive.

I adore Sarah Beth Durst's novels - they're always highly imaginative and unique, so I'm excited for CHASING POWER! It sounds fabulous, and I love the cover. 

What are you waiting on? 

The Queen's Library (42): February, March, and April

Books Received for Review

Charm & Strange (hardcover)
To All The Boys I've Loved Before (print ARC)
The Body in the Woods (print ARC)
Since You've Been Gone (print ARC)
The Queen of the Tearling (print ARC)
Liv, Forever (print ARC)
Dorothy Must Die (print ARC)
The Lost (print ARC)
Torn Away (electronic ARC)
The Dolls (electronic ARC)
#Scandal (electronic ARC)
Rites of Passage (electronic ARC)
In A Handful of Dust (electronic ARC)

The Balance Keepers: The Fires of Calderon (electronic ARC)

Thank you so much to Amazon Vine, Macmillan, Harlequin, Edelweiss, and Netgalley!

Gifted From My Family

The Winner's Curse (hardcover) (my review)
The Assassin's Blade (hardcover) (my review)

My parents bought me these books to celebrate my acceptance into my college's English master's program!! YAY for grad school and two fabulous books! *dances*

Ruin and Rising Sampler / Swag

I received this package from the lovely folks at Macmillan + Leigh Bardugo, and it's truly a work of art. The box is gorgeous (seriously, check out that design), and the three candles smell outstanding. But the sampler? The sampler is EPIC. Not only were the chapters incredible, but even the interior designs / extra info was lovely. I am so incredibly excited for Ruin and Rising, I wish it was already June! I must know what happens!

I bought more books too (Kindle deals are my weakness), but I'll save them for the next TQL. 

My Weekly Recommendation

What bookish goodies did you get?

Review: CONJURED by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: CONJURED
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Released: September 3rd, 2013
Series: N/A
Genre: YA paranormal / fantasy
Pages: 368
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: eARC
Source: Publicist
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.

Conjured is undoubtedly like nothing you've read before. The narration twists and shifts between different perspectives from Eve (her normal 3rd person POV, flashbacks in 1st person, and eventually, the novel shifts from 3rd to 1st person) as she attempts to come to terms with her current life in the paranormal witness protection program. But, she is haunted by memories of a twisted circus, a murderous magician, a terrifyingly captivating storyteller. None of her memories make the slightest bit of sense to her. To top it off, her peculiar abilities, when used, sometimes cause her black out and lose track of her recent memories, making it difficult to know who to trust and who is lying to her.

Durst continues to impress me with every story she writes. Her work always includes highly impressive and imaginative storylines, and Conjured is no exception. Eve's point-of-view is odd, peculiar, and the mystery surrounding her and the other characters in the paranormal witness protection program is a thrill to unravel. While I was not completely sold on the romance, the mystery and descriptive writing style make this a challenging story to set aside. With so much paranormal young adult literature, it can be difficult to differentiate between books, but this is one story that truly stands out. Darkly mysterious and eerily entrancing, Conjured is a dazzling tale that will surprise you in more ways than one.

Highlights: The twisted circus memories and realities kept me hooked. I was unable to guess the truth about Eve's origins, even though the hints were presented early on. This would be a fun book to reread, if only to see all of these hints again. Durst develops a fully realized world, both our "normal" world and the worlds in Eve's memories. The writing is lyrical at times, and wonderfully vivid.

Lowlights: The romance is underwhelming and very quick to form (or perhaps it only felt that way simply because of Eve's memory issues).

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf. Conjured is an eerily fantastic story that is worth owning, and  it has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed Conjured very much, despite a one or two small issues, and would highly recommend this eerily magical story to other readers.

The Queen's Library (33)

This week was amazing, and not just because of the books. First, I attended an incredible book signing on Sunday that featured six fantastic authors.  

Then, I found out on Monday that I received four A's for this past college semester - my first ever 4.0 GPA! I could hardly believe it, especially since two of those were from senior-level classes that made me work for those grades. I've been a crazy-happy mess all week!

Finally, I changed the design for YA Book Queen. Changed, as in, I gave it a clean slate. It's not flashy, but I'm happy to see YA Book Queen looking less cluttered. I deleted most of the items in my sidebar, moved a few around, and changed my social media icons (thank you Lori, for the free & fabulous options). I'm attempting to find / make a decent background, but in the meantime, I'll likely keep changing it to different colors. Although, I'm pretty sure I screwed up coding somewhere, because I don't seem to be capable of using bullet points without it looking like a mess...but that's what I get for messing with HTML myself! I'll have to put "professional blog design" on my Christmas list!

Now, onto the books! 

GIFTED FROM FAMILY
IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby (autographed to me)
LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger (autographed to me)
THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS by Sarah Ockler (autographed to me)

FOR REVIEW
NOT A DROP TO DRINK by Mindy McGinnis (via Edelweiss)
THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales (via the fabulous Ksenia)

PURCHASED
JANE by April Lindner ($3.60 at Amazon!)

I also got my copies of THE BODY FINDER, THE DESIRES OF THE DEAD, MOONGLASS, and all of Sarah Ockler's books autographed. I still can't believe I got to meet the authors! Many thanks to my family for the books, to Ksenia + Macmillan for TSWSYL, and to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for NaDtD!

What books did you get this week? 

The feature is inspired by Pop Culture Junkie's This Week In Books, The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, and Mailbox Monday. The Queen's Library is a way for me to feature books that I add to my bookshelves and a place to post my weekly recommendations. This is not a new meme, but merely an adjusted feature that is better suited to my blog and needs.

WoW (108): DROP DEAD DEMONS and THE LOST

DROP DEAD DEMONS by A and E Kirk

Releases July 2013

(YA Novel)

"Seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey has figured out why everyone is trying to kill her...now she just needs to figure out how to stop them.

Between all the hell-hired assassins and secret society traitors hunting her down, Aurora didn’t think life as the Divinicus Nex could get worse.

Sure, she's discovered some lethal powers of her own. Plus, six sexy, super-charged, demon-hunting Hex Boys are watching her back. And yes, Aurora doesn't mind running into the muscled arms of the hottest one—and he’s not complaining either.

But when a seductive stranger with questionable motives delivers a deadly ultimatum, Aurora and the Hex Boys plunge into a do-or-die hunt for a legendary treasure that will either finally shift power in their favor or unleash hell on earth.

Pursued by demons of mythical proportions, Aurora and the Hex Boys race deeper into a shadowy world of a centuries old mystery and brutal conspiracy, where no one and nothing is what it seems. Where love and betrayal go hand-in-hand, and trusting the wrong person not only breaks your heart, but can get you killed.

Hiding her Divinicus Nex status from those chasing her, lying to her pretend-wish-he-were-real boyfriend, dodging demons, breaking into tombs, hunting her blackmailer, and passing Physics...Aurora could do that in her sleep.

Or more likely, die trying."

I highly enjoyed the first book, so I'm excited to see what happens next in the sequel!

THE LOST by Sarah Beth Durst

Releases October 29th, 2013

(Adult Novel)

"Lost your way? Your dreams?

Yourself?

Welcome to Lost.

It was supposed to be a small escape. A few hours driving before turning around and heading home. But once you arrive in Lost...well, it's a place you really can't leave. Not until you're Found. Only the Missing Man can send you home. And he took one look at Lauren Chase and disappeared.

So Lauren is now trapped in the town where all lost things go-luggage, keys, dreams, lives-where nothing is permanent, where the locals go feral and where the only people who don't want to kill her are a handsome wild man called the Finder and a knife-wielding six-year-old girl. The only road out of town is engulfed by an impassable dust storm, and escape is impossible....

Until Lauren decides nothing-and no one-is going to keep her here anymore."

I'm a SBD fan, so I was instantly interested in this story. But, I became even more curious after learning about the lost things aspect - I'm quite intrigued by stories involving lost things (which is probably why I adore the second Halloweentown movie, even if it wasn't as great as the first one). I'm loving the cover, too!

What are you waiting on this week? 

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Waiting on Wednesday (106): THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING and CONJURED

THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Robyn Schneider

August 27th, 2013

"Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?"

I've been curious about this one ever since Robyn Schneider posted a video of herself reading the first chapter (it used to be titled SEVERED HEADS, BROKEN HEARTS -- although, I think the UK version will keep that title). It seems like an interesting story, I'm excited for it to release!

CONJURED by Sarah Beth Durst

September 3rd 2013

"Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined."

I'm a fan of SBD's novels, so I'm naturally curious about this one. It sounds fantastic!

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel
Sarah Beth Durst
September 11th, 2012
424 pages (Hardcover)
Margaret K. McElderry
POV: 3rd person
Source: Author/Publisher

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Gods and goddesses, deserts and droughts, fate and freedom....Sarah Beth Durst's newest novel has it all, and then some. Easily one of the best stories I've read all year, VESSEL is a highly creative, richly cultured, and wonderfully executed fantasy novel that sweeps across the harsh desert lands as one extraordinary young woman tries to save her people. Liyana, destined to give up her body to her goddess Bayla, is determined to find her missing goddess and unwilling to yield or give up without a fight.

Despite how very journey-orientated this story is – since Liyana and Korbyn¹ are wandering the desert as they look for the other vessels and the missing gods and goddesses – Durst throws in quite a few surprises along the way to keep a reader hooked and guessing about the final outcome. The pacing picks up and slows down repeatedly, and kept me completely entranced by this story from start to finish. If you're a fan of fantasy stories rich in culture, amusing characters, and brimming with unpredictability, then VESSEL should be the next novel on your To-Read list. 

Highlights: The worldbuilding, characters, story...everything is exceptional in VESSEL. Durst takes her characters in different directions than expected. Liyana's family rocked. Liyana is an excellent and humorous protagonist that's easy to like. I loved seeing the other clans and their vessels. The sporadic second narration kept me curious in the beginning and it was interesting to see how it all tied together with Liyana. 

Lowlights: I was a bit sad about the way the story ended (especially romantically, it didn't work out the way I hoped it would), but it was the best possible ending for the story. It's too bad this book is a standalone, because I really wish there were more books! 

Rating: 

1 Who doesn't love a trickster god? *swoons*

The Queen's Library (19)

For Review

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Autographed Books Won from April

White Cat by Holly Black (REVIEW)

Red Glove by Holly Black

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

I'm surprised the "won" books made it since they lost their original wrapping along the way, got a bit banged up and bent. Plus, my post office lost the package, found it, and then I had to pay for the replacement box USPS put the books in before they let me receive the package. Kind of a miracle they made it to me, all things considered!

Purchased Audiobooks

Matched by Ally Condie (REVIEW)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

With the Whispersync technology (read kindle books + listen to audio version at the same time on select devices), some audiobooks are discounted if you own the Kindle version. Since I own the Kindle versions of Matched and WfE, both audiobooks were only $3.95 each on Audible! I couldn't resist a deal like that.

Many thanks to Sarah Beth Durst + Simon & Schuster for VESSEL! And huge thanks to April for the signed books!  :)

Inspiration / Credit

Interview and Giveaway: Sarah Beth Durst discussing VESSEL

Today I have an interview with the lovely Sarah Beth Durst, the author of fantastic novels such as DRINK SLAY LOVE, ENCHANTED IVY, ICE, and more. Today, we are discussing Sarah's upcoming novel, VESSEL, which releases tomorrow on September 11th. 

Quick! Describe VESSEL in 7 words or less! 

Epic fantasy in a harsh desert land

Ooh, that's a good answer....What was the experience like writing VESSEL in comparison to your previous novels?

In my previous novels, I injected magic into the real world (a magic polar bear in the Arctic, talking gargoyles at Princeton, vampires and were-unicorns in the suburbs, fairy tale characters in a sleepy New England town...), but VESSEL is my first novel set entirely in a fantasy world.  It takes place in a desert filled with wolves made of sand and sky serpents made of unbreakable glass and monstrous worms and gods and goddesses.  Writing it was intensely immersive.  I'd sink into that world while I wrote.  In a way, writing this novel felt a lot like reading!

From reading the VESSEL excerpt posted on your website, I noticed that the world in VESSEL seemed very developed and rich in culture…what steps did you take to achieve this? Did you draw inspiration from other cultures?

I love mythology, and I really wanted to create a world that felt steeped in ancient mythology.  I didn't draw from any particular mythology for my world, but I tried to create the feel of an oral storytelling tradition with rich, archetypal tales.

VESSEL has a first line that really grabs your attention: “On the day she was to die, Liyana walked out of her family's tent to see the dawn.”-- What are your thoughts on first lines? 

I love writing first lines.  I agonize over them, as if they're some magic spell for unlocking the rest of the novel.  Once I have the first line, then I'm free to write. 

Scenario: You are a vessel, destined to give your body to a goddess. What you would do on your last day, and what type of goddess (of any mythology) would you hope to have inhabit your body? 

I'd spend it with my family.  And I'd write for a while.  And eat a lot of chocolate-covered strawberries.  As to what goddess... I think I'd pick an earth goddess so she could save the rain forests and so forth.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on a YA paranormal thriller called SWEET NOTHINGS (coming fall 2013 from Bloomsbury/Walker).  It's about a girl in the paranormal witness protection program.  I'm also working on my first trilogy for adults (from Luna) called THE LOST, THE MISSING, and THE FOUND.  I'm really, really excited about both projects!

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

It is always a pleasure to interview you, so thank you for agreeing to answer some questions!

VESSEL by Sarah Beth Durst

September 11th, 2012

Margaret K. McElderry 

"In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own."

Because I'm a Sarah Beth Durst fan and I think VESSEL sounds beyond incredible, I'm going to give one copy away:

RULES: 
International (so long as TBD ships to you)
Please read my Contest Policy

Please enter using Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Queen's Library (15)

ARC's From Netgalley

Shadows (Ashes #2) by Ilsa J Bick

Sneak Peek of The Archived by Victoria Schwab 

Purchase for Kindle

The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J Maas

Thanks to Netgalley, Egmont for Shadows, &  Disney Hyperion for the sneak peek of The Archived! It made me very excited for the release :)

What did you get this week?

Credit / Inspiration

Review: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Drink, Slay, Love

Sarah Beth Durst
September 13th, 2011
386 pages (hardcover)
Margaret K. McElderry
Source:  Author + Purchased (gave away review copy)

"Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire...fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil...until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?"

Being stabbed by a mythical unicorn is just the beginning of Pearl's problems. After the unpleasant stabbing incident, she gains the ability to venture out into the sunlight unharmed. So, when it's up to Pearl to please her vampire Family by figuring out a way to serve up the local high school students as entrees at the Fealty Ceremony, things quickly go from easy to catastrophe as Pearl starts having a change of heart. But when it comes to the Family, you don't say "no" and get away without any consequences.

Within the first two chapters, Durst made me a fan of her tough, zero-mercy vampires. Durst's vampires are fierce and only loyal to one another to a certain extent. No matter any kindness they show, they still wear a sharp edge of cruelty wrapped firmly around their shoulders, which made for a very fascinating story as Pearl began to change and veer away from her Family's ways. For Pearl, betrayal is imminent: betraying her family or the humans she starting to relate with. All in all, Drink, Slay, Love is humorous, exciting, and full of surprises. It is so much more than your typical vampire story. 

Highlights: The lore is nicely explained. Pearl's slow transformation from a courageous, cruel vampire to a little more caring was believable and engaging. The characters¹ made this book spectacular, especially Pearl. Whether it was Pearl's first day of school or her intense interactions with her scary Family, I enjoyed it all. Sharp and witty humor, great fight scenes, fabulous description, a budding romance, excellent characters, unicorns and plenty of bloodthirsty vampires -- what's not to love? Drink, Slay, Love is simply extraordinary.

Lowlights: Jadrien (both him and his name). Evan was almost too nice and too perfect. There were a couple predictable moments, and while the ending wrapped up everything important, it did leave me with one lingering question.

Rating:  

1 Zeke and Matt - love those two! I wish they'd had more page-time

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Vessel

Sarah Beth Durst September 11th, 2012Margaret K. McElderry Books

In a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so that her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes.

That eye-catching and absolutely beautiful cover!! The (way too small) summary!! The intriguing tagline! *dies*
Wolves made of sand. Unbreakable glass serpents? Sarah Beth Durst is lucky I don't know where she lives, or else I'd be knocking on her door right now, demanding (or begging) to see this book immediately. I cannot wait to see the final summary :)
What are you waiting on? 

In My Mailbox 58

***

For ReviewDrink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst The Faerie Ring by Kiki HamiltonLiesl & Po by Lauren OliverTempest by Julie Cross
For Review (Unsolicited)The Radleys by Matt Haig
Bought for Kindle (freebies + .99 cents)Bright Young Things w/ bonus material by Anna GodbersonBrightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. MichelleStraw House by Daniel Nayeri
Won and/or Received (not pictured)signed Fail Invitation + a colorful/slightly fractured lollipop (from Jackson Pearce)Team Adam button (from Gayle Forman)
Many thanks to Sarah Beth Durst, Simon and Schuster, Tor Teen, Jackson Pearce and Gayle Forman! :) What did you get this week?