Immortal Circus Blog Tour: Guest Post and Giveaway ::Week Two::

I'm so psyched to be representing the Summer Court with Fiktshun as a part of the Immortal Circus Blog Tour!

Stop by every Wednesday for the next ten weeks for Immortal Circus fun! There will be reviews, guest posts, teasers and of course an incredible giveaway! We're competing with the Winter Court, and whoever has the most comments wins! You can show your support for the Summer Court by entering in the contest here or on Fiktshun's site and leaving us a comment. 

Also, feel free to grab the Summer Court button from the right sidebar and put it on your blog or wherever else you want to show your support! 

Before I jump into this week's goodies, which includes a letter from King Oberon, here's more about The Immortal Circus and about the author!

About the Book

Publisher: 47 North

Publication Date: December 4, 2012

Format: Kindle eBook

Murdered contortionists aren't exactly what Vivienne signed up for when she ran away to join the circus. But like most things under the big top, nothing is what it seems. With a past she can't quite remember, Vivienne finds that running away forever might not be as appealing as it once sounded - especially not when she realizes the devilishly attractive ringleader Mab is the Faerie Queen of legend...and that she and the rest of the troupe are locked in an age-old rivalry between the otherworldly courts. 

Aided by her friends Kingston - a feisty stage magician whose magic is quickly stealing her heart - and his smart-ass assistant Melody, Vivienne finds herself racing against the clock to discover the culprit behind a series of deaths that should be impossible. However, the answer she seeks might reveal more about her own bloody past - and future - than she bargains for. 

The show's just beginning.

Step right up...

Find the book:

BOOK WEBSITE :: FACEBOOK :: GOODREADS :: AMAZON

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About A.R. Kahler

Most little boys dream of running away to join the circus.

Alex didn't just dream it: he did it. But then, he rarely lets a good dream pass him by.

In the past six years he's toured and trained across America and Europe. He's performed in Amsterdam, taught trapeze in Madrid, studied in Glasgow and even had a stint as assistant to Holly Black and Cassandra Clare in New England. He's constantly on the lookout for new places to explore and new worlds to invent. He's a Sagittarius fueled by full moons and espresso. The way to his heart is a latte and fan art. Just for the record.

THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS is his first New Adult novel, and is being released exclusively through the Amazon Kindle e-Serials program by 47North. It will be available in print and audio when the episodes are complete.

MARTYR the first book in his post-apocalyptic fantasy, will be published by Spencer Hill Press in October 2014.

Find him:

TWITTER :: @ARKahler TWITTER :: @ImmortalCircus WEBSITE :: http://www.arkahler.com

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Guest Post:

From Oberon, King of the Summer Court and Publishing Warlord:

Friends –

It is becoming increasingly clear that the salacious Mab will resort to any means at her disposal to win your over. I trust that you will not be swayed by her lewdness, her propensity toward indecent dress and vulgar displays of sexuality.

This leaves me no choice.

I will have to begin loosening my moral bounds.

This week, I have done something that pains me deeply.
I have stolen Vivienne's mp3 player.
And I do hope you can forgive me for it.

We did return the mp3 player. We promise. But elves and technology rarely mix, and it might have been returned with only music from Enya on it. 
It's not my fault.

In any case, here is the playlist!
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv1slzpyrUxfxSWKQVdR42TMcQZrZoIDp

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Week Two Tour Schedule:

Monday, Dec. 17: Summer – We Fancy Books – REVIEW & TEASER – Episode 1

Tuesday, Dec. 18: Winter – The Bookish Brunette – REVIEW & TEASER – Episode 1

Wednesday, Dec. 19: Summer – In the Best Worlds – GUEST POST

Thursday, Dec. 20: Winter – The Non-Reluctant Reader – GUEST POST

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Giveaway:

THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS Prize Pack Giveaway will be for a signed copy of the book, illustrated trading cards and circus-y goodies.

The giveaway will run for the length of the tour and will end on Friday, February 15th.

the giveaway is US-only. 

There are FOUR prize packs up for giveaway.

There are extra entries for tweeting daily. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. 2012YASSH challenges you with the knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check it out here for more info. And be sure to read the rules! 

Without further ado, today's questions come from The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.

Easy: On what holiday does Blue go to the churchyard to watch the soon-to-be-dead walk by?

Medium: Who is Gansey searching for in the novel?

Hard: What does Ronan name the Raven he finds? 

Enter your answers in the form below!

Venom - Fiona Paul

Synopsis: Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco? Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself. 

I had a pretty epically awful trip to Italy in 2006, and ever since it's kind of hard to think about Italy and not be a little sour. Don't get me wrong, the country is beautiful, the history fascinating, and everything about it is pretty amazing. I just have some bad memories and feelings associated with it. However, since I revisited it a couple years ago when I went to Rome with a couple friends, I've been slowly forgiving Italy. Now, after reading Venom, I'm so much closer to falling in love with the country. I couldn't help but relive some of my fonder memories while hanging out with Cass in Venice. Even memories that made me a little bitter at the time - like my little brother ditching me to give roses to random girls - filled me with happy nostalgia.

This book is a trip to Venice. Even better, it's a trip to historical Venice. I absolutely love that you get to see both sides, as well. You get the gritty, dangerous side with the masks, the frivolity, and the loose morals. But you also get the pious side where social protocol and religion govern the household. Fiona Paul is incredibly skilled at bringing such a beautiful place to life. The gondolas, the streets, the people, the graveyards - everything was described so wonderfully.

Then there's the mystery of missing bodies, girls being murdered, and an abandoned place with dead bodies. So chilling. I'm very selective about the mystery books that i read because they have a tendency to be disappointing to me. I picked this one up for the historical fiction aspect, more than the mystery. Yet, I'm so impressed with the way it was handled. It isn't your typical -figure out why this is happening and find the person responsible mystery. It's more complex than that and there really isn't one answer. Somehow, by the end the web seems more tangled, which is generally what happens when you start asking questions and getting answers.

Even better, this book made me actually sit back and think for a few minutes. Cass has to make a decision between who she loves and who is "right" for her, but like the mystery in this story the answer isn't obvious. It had me thinking about who I would choose in that situation. A lot of books, a lot of stories, are about falling in love with the wrong person. Or the wrong person in the eyes of society. In dystopian fiction or historical fiction, the heroine is often given a choice. Choose the right boy - the one that won't rip your family apart, devastate your country, upset your social balance even though you don't have feelings? Or choose the wrong boy - the one who you can only be with after you give everything else up, but you know you can't live without him? Who do you choose? The right boy or the wrong boy?

This book is beautifully written and definitely intriguing. I wanted to applaud at the ending (if you've read it you're probably perplexed by this reaction, but to me she makes the right decision) and I believe the second book, Belladonna, will live up to the first. I'm very interested to see where Cass goes from here. And I'd really like to know what your answer is to my above question, who would you choose? Let me know!

Hooked - Liz Fechera

Synopsis: HE said: Fred Oday is a girl? Why is a girl taking my best friends spot on the boy's varsity golf team?
SHE said: Can I seriously do this? Can I join the boys' team? Everyone will hate me - especially Ryan Berenger.
HE said: Coach expects me to partner with Fred on the green? That is crazy bad. Fred's got to go - especially now that I can't get her out of my head. So not happening.
SHE said: Ryan can be nice, when he's not being a jerk. Like the time he carried my golf bag. But the girl from the rez and the spoiled rich boy from the suburbs? So not happening.But there's no denying that things are happening as the girl with the killer swing takes on the boy with the killer smile... (From Goodreads)

Here's the thing: I really liked this book, but I can't point out why. It's odd, because I could point out all the things this book did wrong, or that would get to me in any other scenario, but for some reason they really didn't bother me in this book. This book was thoroughly enjoyable - it was cute, sweet, and it actually dealt with some tough issues.

I've read quite a few books that have Native American characters, only a few where they were the acutal protagonist, but I think this was the first I've read where the main character is both Native American and female. That was refreshing. I think books like this are important becuase they aren't heavy in subject matter, but they still provide an access point for the general reader to gain an understanding of another culture. Fred deals with a lot, and she's sequestered the other people at school because of her heritage and where she lives. But I really like that it isn't overwhelming or even the main focus of the book.

The fact that she lives on the Rez is a big part of it, but it's accompanied with a lot of other issues. Like socioeconomic classes, girls playing boy sports, and even just being a girl in high school who's falling in love for the first time. This book reminds me a lot of Perfect Chemistry, where you have this window into gang life, but it's not the main thing going on, making it so much more accessible.

There are some issues with the story line. I kind of missed how the connection between Fred and Ryan started. The emotion behind their relationship was very real, but I missed how they changed from hating each other to being attracted to each other. There are a few things in their relationship that seem rushed as well. The parents are a little too bipoloar in their treatment of their children. And an incident at the end that seems far too convienient to make everything okay again. Still, all the emotions where there and while I was immersed in the story I didn't question these things too hard, so I kind of give them a pass.

Actually, what makes this book are the rare appearances by seconary characters. Fred's dad is amazing. Sam is uber sweet. And Ryan's best friend is such an evil dude. He actually rouse the most emotion out of me because he was pure evil, yet there was some conflict behnd his actions as well. All these characters are ones I'd love to read more about and find out more of their story.

I did really enjoy this book and I really thing that fans of the Perfect Chemistry series or of Miranda Kenneally will really enjoy this book. It has meaning, but it's a light, quick read. Also, Liz Fechera is giving away a pre-order of the book and some other Harlequin Teen titles, so make sure you check that out!

2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. 2012YASSH challenges you with the knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check it out here for more info. And be sure to read the rules! 

Without further ado, today's questions come from The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa.

Easy: Who are Kierran's parents?

Medium: What kind of fey is Todd?

Hard: What state is the half-troll Thomas from?

Enter your answers in the form below!

Altered - Jennifer Rush

Synopsis: Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 
Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away. (From Goodreads)

This book took me completely by surprise. There's all these things and feelings that I feel like I need to sort through, but I hardly know where to start. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, or where the story was going, I was totally taken by surprise. I don't really remember the last time this book kept me so completely on my toes. By the time I was heading into the last half of the book, I was flipping through the pages so fast. Jennifer Rush is amazing at making intense situations ambiguous so you have to keep reading so you can know how it turns out.

Oh. And have I mentioned yet that there isn't just one hot boy, or even just two. THERE ARE FOUR. And I love them all. Each one has his own personality, quirks and little things that just make me want to squish their cheeks and tell them how adorable they are. Even Sam, who's all business, is endearing. Nick is pretty much the only one I wouldn't go all squishy-cheeks over. He's scary. But in a way that makes me question my sanity because all I can think about is how hot he is when he's being scary. He's actually my favorite, mostly because I just want to know more about him and what he's thinking. Because he's always just on the verge of saying something revealing and meaningful, but he never quite gets there.

This is a story that just gets better and more complex as it goes on. It's like Sam's tattoo (a whole scene of birch trees on his back...which sounds incredible - can someone draw this please?) which is so much more than it seems. With all the memory loss there's just so much to find out when it comes to government experiments and secrets. It's all fast paced, but it's not breakneck. The beginning takes off pretty quick and the end happens so fast, but there's a nice plateau in the middle so there's a chance to get to know and connect with the characters.

This book is well written and entertaining. I'm definitely going to need more of this story - because the complexities raise so many more questions. Plus, I NEED to know more about why Nick is so intense. If you liked False Memory by Dan Krokos, definitely check out this book. There are some of the same things going on - memory loss, government experiments to turn people into weapons, and all the things that go along with such scenarios.

Gilt - Katherine Longshore

 Synopsis: When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head. (From Goodreads)

I freaking love the Tudor court. It's just so screwed up. You can't turn corners without stumbling into secrets, or blackmail, or accidentally tripping and getting your head chopped off. It also has this really great dichotomy of purity and pleasure going on. You have to be pure on the face of things, but everyone is just so slutty. Entertainment also has a high value, and you know if you're bored - then you're being punished. With all the secrets, lies, transgressions, and plots, it's impossible to be innocent. Just so awesome.

And Katherine Longshore takes all the things that make the Tudor court great and depicts it perfectly through a girl who struggles to remain innocent and good. Kitty is almost frustrating, because she generally refuses to give into pure pressure. Which, okay, is generally a good thing, but ultimately it puts her in a pretty impossible situation. Loyalty seems hard to come by, and Kitty is nothing but completely loyal. She's just loyal to the wrong person - Catherine Howard.

Seriously, I hate Catherine. I just want to lock her in a closet and stick some duct tape (what's the 16th century version of duct tape?) over her mouth. She drives me up a freaking wall. But it's in an I-love-to-hate-her kind of way. Because at the same time, she's sort of the embodiment of the Tudor court itself. She's take what you want, do what you please, worry about consequences later, and don't care about who you drag down with you. Mostly, I think I hate Catherine because I liked Kitty so much.

But onto the sluttiness. Okay, they aren't really slutty, but they do talk about sexy times a lot. And while Kitty is as innocent as you can get at court, she still sees her fair share of action. There's William, who is so swoony - I'm thinking whats-his-face from Shakespeare in Love kind of swoony. Just look at the paperback cover. That about sums it up. Yup. Their relationship was incredibly frustrating, though, because Kitty chose Catherine over and over. Yet it makes complete sense that it's nearly impossible for love to thrive in this world.

Whether you like historical fantasies or not, I think this book is definitely worth reading. Katherine Longshore casts a masterful web of secrets and deceit and it's impossible not to get tangled up in it.