Saturday, April 27, 2013

Blog Tour, Interview, and Giveaway: Residue (Laury Falter)



Residue (Residue, #1)
When Jocelyn Weatherford is whisked away from a preparatory academy in upstate New York to live with her extended family in New Orleans, she is unprepared to encounter the dangers awaiting her. Yet even as she is thrust into an unfamiliar world of witches and voodoo magic, the greatest threat of all may be the boy she has fallen for.
While handsome and charming, he is also a Caldwell... a member of the family the Weatherford's have been feuding with for centuries. As their forbidden love grows it becomes the volatile spark that forever changes their world and everyone in it.







Kindle Edition, 300 pagesPublished April 13th 2012 
ISBN13: 9780985511067
Edition language: English
Original title: Residue
Series: Residue Series #1










Laury Falter
Laury Falter is the author of the bestselling Guardian Trilogy. She writes young adult paranormal romances and urban fantasy when she's not taking her stray dogs for a walk or enjoying a date night with her husband.Laury has released two series, the Guardian Trilogy and the Residue Series (a spinoff of the Guardian Trilogy books), and is currently releasing her third series, the Apocalypse Chronicles.








To learn more about Laury and her novels, visit her at:

Website: lauryfalter.com 

Twitter page: twitter.com/LauryFalter

Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Laury-Falter/196033543803745


Goodreads page: goodreads.com/author/show/4061922.Laury_Falter 


About you as an author:

How long does it take you to write a book? 
About 3-4 months. My first novel, FALLEN, was an exception. It was written in less than two months and almost literally poured from my fingertips, through the keyboard, and onto the screen. Since then, I marinate the ideas in my head for a few weeks and then charge through the writing of the book. 


Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters? 
They are spontaneously delivered, usually fully-formed, into my mind. For example, I'm writing a book now in which one character goes by the name of Doc, which is a nickname. It's an acronym for Department of Corrections because he's a football player who aggressively "corrects" the opposing teams' assumptions of him during games. He landed in my head while at a stop light. When I looked down and saw someone had sprayed graffiti - DOC - on the median curb, the character formed in my mind right then and there. 


About you as a person:

What books have most influenced your life? 
When I was younger it was The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (which still makes me cry), The Mad Scientists Club by Bertrand Brinley, The Ghost Next Door by Wylly Folk St. John, and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. All of these books, and a few more (I know I'm forgetting some) influenced me to start reading at a young age, which in turn made me want to write. My adult life has been most influenced by Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Reading Twilight rekindled my desire to write again. Thank you Stephenie.


What do you like to do when you are not writing? 
Cook (I pull out recipes from Food & Wine or Bon Appetit and make a few each day during breaks in writing to get my fix and satisfy the craving to be in the kitchen), volunteer at animal rescues (while pleading with my husband to allow me to bring home more adoptees), take artsy classes, and get (much-needed) massages. Writers rarely ever stop writing, though. If we aren't in front of our computers, we're mulling our characters and storyline in the back of our mind. If you're ever talking to one of us and our eyes stray to the side, you now know what we are doing.


What do you think makes a good story?
 Interesting characters, a well-devised plot, and lots of action. Pretty much everything else is icing. 




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Blog Tour: Forty Days (Stephanie Parent)



The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic… …until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive? With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.

Forty Days (Neima's Ark #1)
by Stephanie Parent
Release Date: 02/10/13
125 pages 
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Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.







Forty Days is on sale this week only for only $.99!  Go get your copy!


IF YOU LIKED FORTY DAYS…
THE DOVEKEEPERS BY ALICE HOFFMANSince I’m not a particularly religious person, I’ve never had too much of an interest in fiction inspired by biblical history, even though I’ve always loved historical fiction in general.  But when I began working on my retelling of the Noah’s Ark story, I decided to read a few of these books in the hopes that they’d help me with my novel.  I was really surprised by how incredibly fascinating novels based on biblical stories and history can be.  So I decided to highlight a few of my favorites, in case you enjoy Forty Days and would like to read more…  One of these books is YA, two are adult, but what they all have in common with Forty Days is that they’re told from the point of view of strong female characters who so often lack a voice in the Bible.  I hope you’ll consider picking one of these up!


I have always loved Alice Hoffman’s gorgeous, imagery-rich, magical-realist writing style, and I was blown away by her epic story of the Masada massacre in Israel in 70 CE.  (If you don’t know about this period in history, you can google it, but you might now want to—it will give away part of the story!)  The Dovekeepers is told from the shifting point of view of four women of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life who all become dove keepers at Masada.  The amount of research Alice Hoffman did for this book is astounding, and the descriptions of the harsh but beautiful landscape of Israel absolutely captivated me.  The writing and storytelling lures you in like a fairy tale—a dark and tragic but also hopeful one.

Song of the Magdalene
SONG OF THE MAGDALENE by Donna Jo NapoliSong of the Magdalene by Donna Jo Napoli is a fictional retelling of the life of Mary Magdalene before she met Jesus.  While parts of the story were inspired by certain Bible verses, as the author shares in her afterword, this story is very inventive and goes far beyond the biblical version of Mary Magdalene.  At the same time, the story is incredibly well grounded in historical detail.  A number of the same places are mentioned in this book as in The Dovekeepers, and I found them just as enthralling here.  This book has a lot to say about the treatment of women and people with physical and mental disabilities in ancient times, and it was an incredibly moving reading experience for me.  You do not have to be religious to enjoy this book, and I encourage everyone to pick it up—the kindle version is only 3.99.



THE RED TENT BY ANITA DIAMANT The Red Tent is probably the most famous example of a biblical story retold from a woman’s point of view, and I actually like to think of Forty Days as sort of a “YA Red Tent.”  In The Red Tent, Anita Diamant takes a woman whose life is only briefly mentioned in the Bible—Dinah, the daughter of Jacob—and creates a rich narrative for her that spans several countries and many years.  Other women mentioned in the Bible, like Leah and Rachel, are also fleshed out much more here.  The Red Tent is a must-read if you’re at all interested in biblical history, and particularly in women’s lives during biblical times!



Welcome to my stop on the Forty Days blog tour hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

YA Bound
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Friday, April 26, 2013

Book Blast: Family Ever After (Michelle Packard)


Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:
  • How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
  • How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
  • Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
  • How to cultivate a sense of humor;
  • How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
  • How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
  • Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love
More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.  



  Praise
"Family Ever After is a must-read for every happily married Cinderella who wonders why she’s still holding the broom." --Rachelle J. Christensen, award-winning author of Wrong Number and Caller ID "Michelle is open enough to have given readers an intimate look into her life and those close to her, allowing us to learn from both painful and sweet experiences. Her self-reflective style and meaningful insights, if applied, would clearly make a profound impact in the lives of readers." --Shawn Edgington Ph.D.  


michelle
  Author Michelle Packard Michelle Packard is a mother to her four very human and totally fabulous kids. Her oldest, Ella is always in charge and leads the pack with creativity and curiosity, Daniel follows with loyalty and loves tenderly, Julia is a doll and always buzzing over something beautiful, and Jackson could hunt down the last sharpie on earth to create art on your bathroom wall. She has been married ten years and is quite taken with her guy. Date night is her favorite and she dreams of weekend getaways with her man. She loves creating beauty through floral design, but apparently has no gift with living flowers (They end of upside down and pressed in books). She finds parties alluring. They beckon her to invite people over, spend way too much time preparing food for murder mystery dinners, and totally enjoy friends and family. Michelle holds a bachelors degree in Home and Family Science from Brigham Young University. She has spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults and finds her greatest joy is happy families.



   

 

  Book Blast Giveaway 
 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13   
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Blog Tour, Interview, and Giveaway: Belonging To Heaven (Gale Sears)




Belonging to HeavenDescended from the Hawaiian royal line, Jonathan Napela became one of the first—and most influential—converts to the Church in Hawaii. A man of intelligence, social status, and wealth, he used his considerable position to further the gospel in his native land. He developed a lifelong bond of brotherhood with Elder George Q. Cannon, helping to translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian and establish a gathering place for the Hawaiian saints in Laie, Oahu. But when his beloved wife, Kitty, was stricken with leprosy, Jonathan made the defining decision of his life. He would leave his life of privilege to become her caretaker and spend the rest of his life on Molokai, the island of lepers. To those who suffered similar heartbreak and banishment, Jonathan’s self-sacrifice became their lifeline. Based on true story, this is an extraordinary novel of a man who chose love in the face of death.





Author Gale Sears
Gale Sears is an award-winning author, known for her historical accuracy and intensive research. Gale received a BA in playwriting from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in theater arts from the University of Minnesota. She is the author of the bestselling The Silence of God and several other novels, including The Route, Christmas for a Dollar, Autumn Sky, Until the Dawn, and Upon the Mountains. She and her husband, George, are the parents of two children and reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.



What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

 My publisher, Deseret Book, had asked for a book to followLetters in the Jade Dragon Box. I was just beginning research for my historical fiction novel to be set in Italy. This book would come out in the spring of 2014 to correspond with the dedication of the Rome temple. The product manager at Deseret Book encourged me to bring out a book in 2013. I was at a loss. What topic? What subject matter? What location? I was brain weary at this time, so offhandedly I thought... where would I like to go to do reasearch? Hmm, perhaps Hawaii? Before you think me totally shallow, I did live in the islands for several years when I was in high school, and I love the people and the culture of the islands. I also knew that the church had an early missionary effort in Hawaii. When I found the story of George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Napela, I knew it was perfect. 

Who is your favorite character in the book?

 Jonathan Napela. He was one of the first Hawaiian converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1850's. He was a remarkable man. 
Which came first, the title or the novel? The novel came first. Through the majority of the writing, the working title of the book was Napela.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why? 

Without giving too much away, I love the scene where Jonathan and his wife, Kitty, chant and dance in the storm in defiance of their fate.
Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now? I think it's to put things in perspective. Realize that publishing is a business and you need to be savvy about the business. Know that if a publishing house rejects your book it may be that it doesn't fit their needs at the moment. If an editor looks at your work and gives you suggestions--carefully consider them. Work on your craft. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Love your story.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

 I love the cover for Belonging to Heaven! I think it immediatly pulls you into a place and time. Sunset, ocean, palm trees? What's not to love?
What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2013? I would love anything from Toni Sorenson.

What was your favorite book in 2012? 

One? I liked Reached by Ally Condie and The Rent Collector by Camron Wright.
What’s up next for you? Another historical novel. This one concerning the mission of Lorenzo Snow to Italy in 1850.

Is there anything that you would like to add? 
 To be able to write is a blessing, but it's also hard work...so, THANK YOU to all the wonderful readers who encourage me. 



Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/5/13


Book Blasts & Blog Tours Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
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Blog Tour, Interview, and Giveaway: The Guardians Book 1 thru 4 (Wendy Owens)




Sacred Bloodlines: The Guardian Book 1


Sacred Bloodlines (The Guardians, #1)



Looking for the new cover? See here.
Tragedy has defined Gabe's short existence in this world. An ominous darkness lurked on the edge of his existence until one day in a subway, strange things start happening. A series of events lead Gabe into a new and fascinating life filled with angels and demons, but he isn't sure if he wants to be a part of it.
Gabe is thrust into the middle of this exciting world that is full of things he has longed for in his life but it comes with a price. This new life also promises constant terrifying dangers that Gabe fears he may not be able to survive.




Kindle Edition, 286 pagesPublished November 25th 2011 by Four Bean Soup Publishing
Cursed: The Guardians Book 2

Cursed (The Guardians, #2)

Gabe thought finding out that he was a Guardian Angel was difficult. Then he found out he is destined to be the great protector who will one day deliver the last prophet to either safety or death. If all of that is not enough Gabe must always be on guard since he is being hunted by the most powerful demon in the earthly realm, Baal.Gabe deals with these struggles because his new life includes Sophie. They grew closer over the summer and now every day seems unimaginable without her in it. Evil doesn't stop though just because Gabe has found happiness. Only this time the evil finds it's way to Rampart manor and Gabe will risk everything to try and stop it.


Kindle Edition, 150 pagesPublished March 30th 2012 by Four Bean Soup Publishing



The Prophecy: The Guardians Book 3



The Prophecy (The Guardians, #3)Gabe has been on the run for five long years, since the night he left Rampart. During those five years he has gone through experiences that have molded him into a hardened man. After the world repeatedly disappointed him, Gabe manages to find peace in solitary confinement. Not only is he safe from Bale's minions, but he finds peace in his solitude.
He thought he had finally found what he so greatly lusted after, a quiet life, all by himself. Until a familiar stranger showed up on his doorstep, pleading for help. Even though Gabe thought he had escaped The Prophecy, things are not always as they seem.
Now Gabe has another chance at love. Choosing to follow his heart could prove to be not only the most difficult decision of his life - but perhaps the most dangerous, too. Just when Gabe thinks he might have it all figured out, he is given the most important duty in his life. If he succeeds it would mean a comfort he has never known and a joy he thought didn’t exist. If he fails it could mark the beginning of the end for all mankind.

ebook, 1
Published January 1st 2013 by Four Bean Soup Publishing



The Lost Years: The Guardians Book 4



Gabe's world was forever altered by the people he came to know and love at Rampart Manor. Although, it wasn't only his life that was changed when he made the choice to leave them all behind. During his five year absence, they each had a battle with personal demons. Dina is faced with a moral dilemma, the path of good leading to certain heartbreak, or evil, and a possibility of happiness. Uri meets a mysterious woman who seems to have a lot of the answers that he has been searching for, and she certainly has a place in his heart, if he can only hold onto her.
Sophie is faced with choices she never knew would be so difficult. Thequestion now is: will the personal demons of the remaining Guardians of Rampart be too much for them to overcome?





Wendy Owens is a 34 year old author, born in the small college town, Oxford Ohio. After attending Miami University, Wendy went onto a career in the visual arts. For several years she created and sold her own artwork. In 2011 she gave her true love, writing, a try. Her first novel flowed from her in only two weeks time, as though it had been fighting to get out. That moment was when she knew she had found her calling. Wendy now happily spends her days writing the stories her characters guide her to tell, admitting even she doesn’t always know where that might lead. Her first series, The Guardians, will be concluded with the fifth and final book in 2013.When she’s not writing, this dog lover can be found spending time with her tech geek husband, their three amazing kids, and two pups, lovingly nicknamed stinks and chubbs. She also loves to cook and is a film fanatic.



For more info on Wendy's young adult fiction visit http://wendy-owens.com/





What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Money, I decided I wanted to be a millionaire and this seemed like the easiest way. Seriously though now that I have you all laughing hysterically... I’m sure most of you already know if you want to be rich, don’t be a writer. I became a writer because it was a passion. I have enjoyed writing since I was a little kid and always dreamed of making it a career one day. My creative writing professor in college always encouraged me to give it a try, but it seemed like an impossible path. For many years I was self employed as a freelance visual artist, but I would always tell my husband that if I could do anything in the world, I would be a writer.

In 2011 he forwarded me an article about Amanda Hocking with a little note encouraging me to follow my dreams. I put my art business on vacation mode and jumped in with the full support of my family. I wrote my first book in two weeks. Amazing right? Now editing... that was another story, it took me four months to get the book to a place where I was ready to release it. What inspired me to write the Guardians series is a little unknown to me. The idea was bouncing around in my head for years, just looking for the opportunity to get out.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

Favorite is a hard thing to define because I like different characters for different reasons. If I had to pick one though, Uri has always held a special place in my heart. His snarky sense of humor makes me smile and he is my kind of handsome. The grittier the better for me when it comes to sex appeal and Uri is dripping with it. I love him so much I decided to add book four, The Lost Years, into the series. It explores what happened to him and the other guardians during a five year gap between book two and three.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

For me the novel always comes first. My books develop in an organic way, growing and reaching their own conclusions. If I created the title first I think I would feel like I was stifling the direction they may want to bloom.

What scene in the book are you most proud of and why?

In the guardian series there will be five books: Book 1 Sacred Bloodlines, Book 2 Cursed, Book 3 The Prophecy, Book 4 The Lost Years, and Book 5 The Guardians Crown (to be released fall 2013). This probably sounds insane, but my favorite scene out of all of these books is the opening scene in book 1, Sacred Bloodlines. Gabe meets Uri for the first time, we discover there is a magical and dark side to the world we live in, and after I wrote that scene I got this amazing rush of “wow, I’m really doing this. I’m a writer and this first chapter proves it.” 

Thinking back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

As a writer I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out promotion and what readers want. What I learned is that while those things are important, the most important thing as a writer is to keep writing. You want people to find you? To read your work? Then write all the time. Keep fresh and solid content in the marketplace and write about what you love. Eventually the rest will follow.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

The entire series covers were done by Claudia of Phatpuppy Art. Only four covers have been released up until now and at the end of this blog tour I will reveal the fifth and final cover (very mind blowing). The cover for for Book four, The Lost Years, though is my favorite (though book 1 and 5 are a close second). The way the elements wrap up and swirl around Seraphine’s body is captivating for me. And yes, after you read the book, if you weren’t sure, that is Seraphine on the cover. 

What new release are you looking most forward to in 2013?

Darkness Kindled, the 4th in the Fire Spirits series, by Samantha Young. Ms. Young was nice enough to help me out when I began my career by giving me endless advice and encouragement. I soon became a fan of her fantasy work and have been devouring new work ever since.

What was your favorite book in 2012?

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover was a shocker for me. I had never read her work before and decided based on the reviews to give it a try. I normally stick to paranormal fantasy type books or dystopian tales. Boy am I glad I did give this book a try; for everything I was able to predict there were two other things that surprised me. I also really enjoyed her style of writing and will be watching for more of her work in the future.

What’s up next for you?

Of course I want to finish the guardians series and I will be doing that later this year, but I also have some other outlines in the works. A vampire princess Romeo/Juliet type series, a series about a dystopian future full of mutants, another installment in my zombie novellas, a thriller series about a serial killer and detective, and a book about a woman struggling with grief. All over the board, right? What will be the next thing I choose to write? I can’t say. I don’t like making a schedule beyond a couple books because I don’t know what will be inspiring me at that moment and I never want to force what I am writing. All I can say for sure in 2013 is you will see more from Ruination (cause zombies rock) and the conclusion of The Guardians.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

Thank you to all your readers out there who have taken the time to read my words. I would like everyone who has not discovered my writing to be able to try it at no risk so I have worked hard to make Book 1 available to everyone for free. Currently you can download Sacred Bloodlines on Smashwords, sony, B&N, and Kobo for free. At the time of this interview I was still trying to make the book free on Amazon but they had not yet updated the pricing. Hopefully that will be done soon. If you enjoy the book I would love for you to read the rest of the series and also leave me a review on Amazon. Reviews are the life force that keeps indie writers going!









The Guardians Series Blog Tour Schedule April 15th-May 4th 

4/16 Kathleen Smitheram Musigbookworm@gmail.com http://www.musingofabookworm.wordpress.com Review All/ Guest Post?
4/18 Alaiel Krauz alaiel.kreuz@gmail.com http://www.librarianmouse.com Review book 1
4/19 Bella Colella paranormalbookclub@gmail.com http://paranormal-bookclub.com Review book 1/Interview
4/20
4/21
4/23 Michaniya Cunningham finallyacceptingme@gmail.com http://acceptingallofme.com Review 1
5/01

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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Review: Not A Drop To Drink (Wendy McGinnis)


Not a Drop to Drink Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.
Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.



Author: Mindy McGinnis
Hardcover, 352 pages
Genre: YA/Dystopian
Expected publication: September 24th 2013 by Katherine Tegen BooksARC Provided by Publisher For An Honest Review




Pre-Order Not A Drop To Drink



Mindy McGinnis



I'm a YA librarian and author, represented by Adriann Ranta of Wolf Literary. My YA debut, NOT A DROP TO DRINK, is a survival tale set in a world with limited fresh water. It will be available from Katherine Tegen / Harper Collins, September 9, 2013.
I'm an avid blogger, posting six days a week to my personal blog, Writer, Writer Pants on Fire, which features interviews with agents, established authors, and debut authors. Learn how they landed their agents, what the submission process is really like, and how it feels when you see your cover for the first time. I also do query critiques every Saturday on the Saturday Slash for those who are brave enough to volunteer.
I also contribute to the group blogs From the Write Angle, Book Pregnant, Friday the Thirteeners, The Lucky 13s and am a member of the Class of 2k13.



The title is what drew me to this book. The title “Not A Drop To Drink” led me to believe that this would be a creepy, survival story and so I was immediately drawn in. The cover is gorgeous. A lone barn with a pond in a dark atmosphere…hmmm.. Veryyy interesting…

So the story begins 
“Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond” 

…UM YEAH!!! Hello Hunger Games! Lynn and her Mother are lone survivors on a small piece of land with one of the only watering ponds left and their entire existence depends solely upon the protection of their water supply. 

The first couple of chapters are incredibly intense with Lynn and her Mother “protecting” their land and let me tell you ….They leave NO prisoners!! I mean it was intense! Lynn’s mother spent her years training Lynn for anything and everything that involved war. She prepared Lynn for the worst and this is all she has known. 

For a while it is only Lynn and her mother in the story and then in comes the neighbor, Stebbs. I like his character. He is more fatherly and protective and something that Lynn has never known. 

There are several twists in the story that I DID NOT see coming and they really threw me for a loop. I liked it though. I liked that I was getting used to something and then the writer just totally recreated it and for the better. 

I like the introduction of Eli and his family. I really liked Lucy’s character. She dug into Lynn and made her feel emotions. She had been taught for so many years to be hard as stone and show no mercy and the introduction of this one little girl changed all that for her. 
If I say much more I will totally give away the story so I will leave it at this. This story is full of action, suspense, SURVIVAL, and a little romance on the side. I really liked the survival aspect the best and would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Hunger Games YET…Don’t expect a lot of characters because they are very few…but just enough to make the story perfect.



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