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	<title>Book Brats Reviews</title>
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		<title>Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/whispers-moonrise-c-c-hunter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/whispers-moonrise-c-c-hunter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marla</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4 hearts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?post_type=review&#038;p=6026</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13416236.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="13416236" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />Shadow Falls Camp is back in session with the most explosive installment yet.  A shocking new threat will rock Shadow Falls—changing it forever and altering Kylie’s journey in ways she never imagined.]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13416236.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="13416236" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>I may be tardy to the party when it comes to reading <em>Whispers at Moonrise</em>, but that doesn&#8217;t mean I enjoyed it any less.  Finally finding myself ready to revisit Shadow Falls, I picked up <em>Whispers at Moonrise</em> in earnest and immediately found myself enjoying everything that the camp turned school had to offer: magic, danger, intrigue, betrayal, and romance, not to mention all those different magical species.  Now that Kylie knows what she is, you may think that things begin to stagnate.  Well, you would be wrong.  Things are just as puzzling as ever as Kylie struggles to discover the true meaning behind who (and what) she is.</p>
<p>While Kylie is very much the person that she has been throughout the past 3 books, she did have her moments in <em>Whispers at Moonrise</em> that left me feeling as though I needed to reach through the book and shake her.  The thing she decided to freak out about the most was a bit ridiculous and didn&#8217;t pay her intelligence enough credit.  It was very wearing, and that was within the first chapters of the book!  However, once she began to think things through, things got a lot more interesting.  Her meltdown might have been a bit much, but she made up for it throughout the rest of the book.</p>
<p>While things with the love triangle have settled a bit from the last 3 books, it still manages to rear its ugly head once again, meaning that the posturing is still there.  It may just be the jaded adult in me, but it gets exhausting after a while!  I was much more intrigued by the ghost visitations this time around.  They were sufficiently creepy and baffling and were such a stand-out part of the plot.  The truth was very shocking and I was drawn in by the culmination of it all.  The mystery was very well done.</p>
<p>While <em>Whispers at Moonrise</em> may not be my favorite installment in the series, I still really enjoyed its addition to those that came before it.  You can tell things are really coming to a head and the ending has such an impact.  Fans of the series will very likely enjoy this one.  I can honestly say that I didn&#8217;t wait and picked up the next book immediately.  Once you read the end, you&#8217;ll just HAVE to know what happens next.  It definitely captures your attention.</p>
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		<title>Of Triton by Anna Banks</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/triton-anna-banks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/triton-anna-banks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marla</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[4 hearts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?post_type=review&#038;p=5994</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/15513156.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="15513156" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />Last year, I read Of Poseidon, the first book in this series.  While I enjoyed the many laughs that the spunky main character, Emma, provided, there was one thing that did bother me.  That one thing was the dynamic between Galen&#8217;s sister, Rayna, and his best friend, Toraf.  The arranged marriage aspect just wasn&#8217;t my [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/15513156.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="15513156" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>Last year, I read <em>Of Poseidon</em>, the first book in this series.  While I enjoyed the many laughs that the spunky main character, Emma, provided, there was one thing that did bother me.  That one thing was the dynamic between Galen&#8217;s sister, Rayna, and his best friend, Toraf.  The arranged marriage aspect just wasn&#8217;t my cup of tea, especially considering the way it was enacted.  Thankfully, things seemed to have improved.  We&#8217;ll just say that it&#8217;s a good thing Rayna actually wanted to be with Toraf all along.  I still don&#8217;t like how it came about, but I&#8217;m trying to look on the bright side.</p>
<p>That being said, I really enjoyed Emma and Galen in <em>Of Triton</em>.  Their relationship has greatly improved from <em>Of Poseidon</em>.  Galen isn&#8217;t as overbearing, Emma is more independent, and Emma really comes into her own.  Not only that, but we get to find out what the gifts of Triton will finally be revealed and the gifts of Poseidon are displayed in all their glory.  It all makes for a thrilling culmination that I really enjoyed the most out of any other part of the book.</p>
<p>There is a wide array of events and emotions throughout <em>Of Triton</em>.  From heartbreak to betrayal, you can find it all.  There is even an emotional reunion laced throughout the story.  The villain is truly insidious in his ambition and greed and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.  In the background you will find the underwater world of the Syrena, a serene yet dangerous world filled with all the things you would imagine (fish, whales, dolphins, and more) and the things you wouldn&#8217;t (namely the Syrena and their underwater territories).  It was definitely an asset to the story.</p>
<p>Though I&#8217;ve become a little burned out when it comes to mermaid books, <em>Of Triton</em> provided a nice reading experience.  With a good dose of humor, Emma makes the narrative sparkle.  The confrontations are riveting and the emotions are well presented.  Overall, I found <em>Of Triton</em> to be a very enjoyable story, one which I wouldn&#8217;t mind continuing with.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>YA in 2013 &#8211; A Flop Year?</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/ya-2013-flop-year/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/ya-2013-flop-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discussion]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=6011</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i0.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/images-2.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="books" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />So far, 2013 has disappointed me in so many ways. I’ve only read one debut so far that I truly connected with, and even among established authors, the only one that has so far blown me away was SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (and I did have a few reservations there).]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i0.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/images-2.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="books" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>2013, where did you go so wrong? Well, in YA world that is.</p>
<p>So far, 2013 has disappointed me in so many ways. I’ve only read one debut so far that I truly connected with, and even among established authors, the only one that has so far blown me away was SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (and I did have a few reservations there). Otherwise, we’ve had a glittering sea of duds with beautiful covers, great synopses, and completely drab executions. Especially when you compare it to some of the offerings in adult literary land – books like RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA or the fascinating Z: A NOVEL OF ZELDA FITZGERALD – I began to realize something. 2013 seems like every successful book of 2011/early 2012 being regurgitated onto a page, except in a much less satisfying manner.</p>
<p>I can count the YA books I’ve loved this year on one hand, books like PIVOT POINT and THE CADET OF TILDOR that blew the competition out of the water. But when your competition features books that are trendy without having any substance or new offerings to the crowded table, it’s not very hard to stand out. But so little HAS stood out.</p>
<p>Why is it that we’re in 2013, a year where agents and editors have talked about dystopia being dead and this year being the year of contemporary, but what we’ve seen so far is more “dystopia” under a different label (and still not dystopian), 500 John Green imitations, a lot of post-apocalyptic nonsense, some good fantasy, and 95% of YA dedicated to romance over plot.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="http://i0.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/bc455fcf538d8b978b2e530ba561938f/tumblr_mljbo6jt7y1rsi3mwo1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>I know there is some preconceived notion out there that YA must have a romance, but is this true? I mean, I’d love to ask teens this question. Is a romance worth more to you than the book making a lick of sense? Publicists and authors and agents and everyone talks about YA being boring without kissing, but what do readers really think? This is a question I think is worth posing. Answer in the comments! I’d love to see what you have to say.</p>
<p>But back on topic. 2013 – the year where YA became boring.</p>
<p>Boring is a good word here. I’m bored. Bored with the same plots over and over again, bored with cut and paste characters, bored with every sci fi book coming out trying to imitate DIVERGENT and failing (but even DIVERGENT isn’t the best example of science fiction for teens ever).</p>
<p>Going to ALA next month left me thinking – what books am I dying to get my hands on? What books MUST I get or else I’ll die a sad little boring death? I sat down to make a list and found that only four books ended up there, and three are books for adults. The YA title on the list? ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill. I am dying to get my hands on that one. Can I haz, please? (and if someone with the power to send ARCs is reading this, me love you platonically long time if you send me one).</p>
<p>It’s just kind of frustrating that finding one book you want to read in the masses of books that all sound the same is becoming the norm.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i0.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/abba18dc032a24538285b54247e31098/tumblr_mmceppzuM81r8zkr9o1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>At least in the meantime, adult literary fiction is the best I’ve seen it in a long time so far in 2013. Books like RECONSTUCTING AMELIA have restored my faith that I’d lost after Oprah gave me one too many books that made me roll my eyes versus cry. Although I still do try to read her book club selections and remind people that I read MIDDLESEX before that was the cool thing to do.</p>
<p>I can honestly say that after reading sales reports and browsing synopses for upcoming books, I am desperate for someone to prove me wrong, to show me that YA in 2013 isn’t a complete loss. And I’d also love your suggestions in the comments for books that you think will turn my frown upside down! I want to love YA again! I just need someone to show me how.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/ec3fe313ca0b68b9431f5f70365df5aa/tumblr_mmugnchCzh1r2dgtco1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
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		<item>
		<title>It&#8217;s Nice Out! Giveaway</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/nice-out-giveaway/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/nice-out-giveaway/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 13:50:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rywn</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[giveaway]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=6005</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i2.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/stock-photo-8664639-beautiful-tulips.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="stock-photo-8664639-beautiful-tulips" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />It&#8217;s a gorgeous day out in Chicago, and I&#8217;m loving the Spring &#8211; my favorite season! The grass could not be greener, and the flowers and trees are blooming. In spirit of that, I thought I&#8217;d share my cheer &#8211; so here&#8217;s a giveaway! International as long as TBD ships to you, or Amazon two-day [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i2.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/stock-photo-8664639-beautiful-tulips.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="stock-photo-8664639-beautiful-tulips" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>It&#8217;s a gorgeous day out in Chicago, and I&#8217;m loving the Spring &#8211; my favorite season! The grass could not be greener, and the flowers and trees are blooming. In spirit of that, I thought I&#8217;d share my cheer &#8211; so here&#8217;s a giveaway!</p>
<p>International as long as TBD ships to you, or Amazon two-day shipping to anyone in the continental US. (Yey for Amazon Prime!) Pre-order, old book, new book &#8211; whatever you want, as long as it&#8217;s $15 or less. (You know what, if you can find two books for the $15, I can make that happen too.)</p>
<p>So enter away, and for a bonus entry &#8211; what&#8217;s your favorite season, and why?</p>
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-f4d8f62" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f4d8f62/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>31</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/eternity-cure-julie-kagawa/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/eternity-cure-julie-kagawa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marla</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5 hearts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?post_type=review&#038;p=5985</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13581990.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="13581990" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />In this, the second book in the Blood of Eden series, Julie Kagawa is back with a vengeance as the adventures of Allison Sekemoto continue.  Set months after the ending of The Immortal Rules, The Eternity Cure is twice as frightening and the stakes are raised higher than before.  Allison&#8217;s pursuit of the evil, psychotic [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13581990.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="13581990" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>In this, the second book in the Blood of Eden series, Julie Kagawa is back with a vengeance as the adventures of Allison Sekemoto continue.  Set months after the ending of <em>The Immortal Rules</em>, <em>The Eternity Cure</em> is twice as frightening and the stakes are raised higher than before.  Allison&#8217;s pursuit of the evil, psychotic vampire, Sarren, leads her on a long journey filled with many challenges and new dangers.  If you thought the rabids were bad, just wait until you meet the bleeders.  If you thought this series couldn&#8217;t get more scary, think again.  Things are just getting started.</p>
<p>Allison has come a long way since being turned into a vampire in <em>The Immortal Rules</em>.  She has discovered a lot about herself and has put a lot of thought into what it means to be human and what the real meaning of humanity is.  This is well illustrated by her interactions with Jackal, who is pretty much the antithesis to Allie.  Seeing the two side-by-side really brings the point home as to the differences between Allison&#8217;s connection to humanity and Jackal&#8217;s dismissal of it.  I found her development in that area to be an interesting facet to the story as a whole.</p>
<p>The world in which the series is set continues to amaze me with its tone and descriptions.  The bleak landscape combined with the nightmarish horrors of Red Lung makes for a spine tingling read with many nerve-wracking moments.  I found that I was far more disturbed by the behavior of the diseased humans than by the rabids that roam the areas outside the vampire cities.  Then, when you take the first glimpse of the inner workings of the vampire cities into account, the true disparities come to light.  The comparison of the two was really striking.</p>
<p>Prepare to find yourself awake at night, whether you can&#8217;t put your book down or you&#8217;re freaked out by the horrifying array of adversaries in <em>The Eternity Cure</em>.  Julie Kagawa continues to keep the horror coming with this stark postapocalyptic vampire novel.  If you enjoy vampire fiction but are looking for something with more horror than has been seen in recent years, the Blood of Eden series is worth your time.  I am confident you will enjoy <em>The Immortal Rules,</em> and once you get to <em>The Eternity Cure</em>, you really won&#8217;t know what hit you.</p>
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		<title>Dualed by Elsie Chapman</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/dualed-elsie-chapman/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/review/dualed-elsie-chapman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[3 hearts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?post_type=review&#038;p=5969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13401993.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="Dualed" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/13401993.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="Dualed" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>What is there to say about DUALED that hasn’t been said before? Let’s just be honest with ourselves – DUALED is quite possibly one of the most ridiculous books I’ve ever read when it comes to the premise. In the walled city of Kersh, a city with no entrance or exit, each person has an Alt – a clone – who they must kill when activated between the ages of 10 and 19 to prove their worth as a fighter for their city. Each child is trained in weapons, fighting, tracking, and so on to prepare them for the moment they will be activated and sent to kill their Alt or be killed trying.</p>
<p>No, this book doesn’t make much sense. It’s a book that glorifies violence to an extent, revolves around death and destruction and murder, and focuses on the point that a city deals with overcrowding and a need for soldiers by creating two of everyone and letting 12 year olds fight in gun battles on open city streets sanctioned by the government. Obviously the strengths of DUALED do not lie in its synopsis or overall plot, but what makes up for it is the tenacity of our heroine and the general fun-ness of this story. It’s a thrill ride from beginning to end that hooks you and won’t let you go.</p>
<h2><b>SILLY, BUT ENTERTAINING!</b></h2>
<p>DUALED follows West, a girl living in a world where she and her closest allies have the only normal names in the whole bunch. But that’s beside the point. West is 15, has just lost her last family member, and is alone in the world with few options. Soon she will be activated and sent to murder her Alt before her Alt murders her. Assisting her is her brother’s best friend Chord, the requisite love interest who also serves as the possessive, protective figure in her life, to the point where he stalks her under the impression of trying to save her life. It’s not cute.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i0.wp.com/media.tumblr.com/a2e3150490f1334ca3478f2af213fbd2/tumblr_inline_mhg31vcwT01qz4rgp.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>This book will not be for the reader looking for something serious. I mean, how can a book be taken seriously when the plot makes about as much sense as a pig flying in with machine guns blazing to save America? But what it makes up for poor conception is with a fun, entertaining unfolding of events. It’s quick, it’s entertaining, and it kept me glued to the page, which is something to save against many of the books out there in this same overdone subgenre. This might possibly have been the sole redeeming feature of DUALED, because other than being a whole lot of fun, there wasn’t a whole lot going for it. Besides maybe our heroine.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>WELCOME TO CRAZY CITY, POPULATION WEST</b></h2>
<p>Another redeeming feature of this story was West, our lead character and the character who leads us through the story. She’s determined to live at all costs, even becoming an assassin for hire in order to get more practice in the field of killing helpless teenagers. But that’s really beside the point. I quite enjoyed her, even if I didn’t enjoy those around her. Even if I didn’t quite understand or rationalize her decisions at times. Even if her complete rejection of assistance until the convenient climax was frustrating.</p>
<p>The characters around her rarely question the setup of their city state, and the world is rarely addressed in great detail besides emphasizing, “To live in Kersh, you must kill someone.”</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i0.wp.com/24.media.tumblr.com/ef6837727df2bf1a84d81626977f5870/tumblr_mls1s3MBbq1rredqto1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>AND THE REST ARE HERE IN THE CITY OF KERSH</b></h2>
<p>DUALED was actually better than I expected when I went in. I want to thank that forgotten blogger who urged me to read it despite the ridiculous concept. I think I was drunk at the time I started this, the power was out and my options were limited. Despite the unresolved aspects, the clinginess of the love interest, and the fact little of the world is ever really discussed, it was fun. It’s a fun novel, not a deep insightful exposition about the human psyche and the meaning of life. Don’t go into it expecting it and maybe you’ll come out at the end, amused and a bit bewildered but happy.</p>
<p><b>VERDICT: Although it makes little to no sense, DUALED is a fun thrill ride with a proactive heroine and a lot of fun. It’s fun. I’ll give it that.</b></p>
<h3>♥♥♥ &#8211; THREE HEARTS</h3>
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		<title>There Will Be Books</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/books/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/books/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2013 13:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discussion]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=5976</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/therewillbebooks.png?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="therewillbebooks" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />Books! Books, fellow bloggers, you snarky cats. All the books! I’m sorry. Here, if you have a book, and I have a book, and I have a hand. There it is, that’s a hand, you see? You watching? And my hand reaches across the room, and I start to read your book. I…read…your…book! I READ IT ALL.]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/therewillbebooks.png?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="therewillbebooks" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>My name is Megan Plainview. This is my blog, Book Brats. I’m a book blogger, you see. I also look a lot like Daniel Day-Lewis, but that is beside the point.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i2.wp.com/24.media.tumblr.com/8970bf330287c23e534e2cc6134fd671/tumblr_mlrycpIt9G1r4f9yno1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>Books! Books, fellow bloggers, you snarky cats. All the books! I’m sorry. Here, if you have a book, and I have a book, and I have a hand. There it is, that’s a hand, you see? You watching? And my hand reaches across the room, and I start to read your book. I…read…your…book! I READ IT ALL.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/eb65a3944853e6f931aaedf5d12f337b/tumblr_mlryei8lgC1r4f9yno1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>I don’t want to talk about these things. I see the worst in books. I don’t need to look past seeing them to get all I need. I’ve built up my hatreds over the years, little by little, bloggers. To have you here gives me a second breath. I can’t keep doing this on my own with these…books.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/575933bc1236e3a0ee45f7368ae6fdf8/tumblr_mj1ra86n0l1ryrjfbo1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>I’ve abandoned my books! I’ve abandoned my books! I’ve abandoned my books!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i2.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/e9ded94ad2974af711dd4379d6055d7c/tumblr_mmhb37fnZ51rz1p6so1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>You aren’t my friends. You’re just a little piece of competition. Bloggers from a basket. You’re a blogger from a basket!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/24.media.tumblr.com/622d61e6abcd01344d4e57e0617d3e70/tumblr_mme1nvgKDB1soznq4o1_500.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>Ladies and gentlemen, if you I say I’m a book blogger, you will agree.</p>
<p>There’s a whole ocean of books beneath our feet! No one can get at it except for ME!</p>
<p>You want to be a blogger? That makes you my competition.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i0.wp.com/i.imgur.com/7ZUTuCS.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
<p>I’m finished.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" alt="" src="http://i1.wp.com/25.media.tumblr.com/d9b459099bbc443f400f3f4643db7ed0/tumblr_mm09e2RFIl1qfmapxo8_250.gif" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Silent Orchids Blog Tour: Interview with Morgan Wylie</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/silent-orchids-blog-tour-interview-morgan-wylie/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/silent-orchids-blog-tour-interview-morgan-wylie/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marla</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blog tour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=5923</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/silentorchidsblogtour.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="silentorchidsblogtour" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />Welcome to today&#8217;s stop on the Silent Orchids blog tour.  We here at Book Brats are happy to welcome Morgan Wylie as she fills us in on writing, faeries, and favorite bookish spots.  Silent Orchids is an imaginative novel set in two worlds: one, the ordinary world of humans, and the other, an enchanted, struggling [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/silentorchidsblogtour.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="silentorchidsblogtour" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p><a href="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/silentorchidsblogtour.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5941" alt="silentorchidsblogtour" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/silentorchidsblogtour.jpg?resize=300%2C180" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Welcome to today&#8217;s stop on the Silent Orchids blog tour.  We here at Book Brats are happy to welcome Morgan Wylie as she fills us in on writing, faeries, and favorite bookish spots.  Silent Orchids is an imaginative novel set in two worlds: one, the ordinary world of humans, and the other, an enchanted, struggling world of faeries and other legendary beings.  We hope you enjoy today&#8217;s interview.  Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour, as well!</span></p>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://i2.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Silent-Orchids-1.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-5942 alignleft" alt="Silent Orchids (1)" src="http://i2.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Silent-Orchids-1.jpg?resize=159%2C240" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a>A dying realm.</p>
<p>The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.</p>
<p>The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?</p>
<p>Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.</p>
<p>Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.</p></blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Hi, Morgan. Welcome to Book Brats. Let&#8217;s get started.</h2>
<p>Hello and thank you so much for having me today!!</p>
<h2>How long have you been writing?</h2>
<p>I have been writing on and off especially when I was younger, but I would say I started seriously writing in 2009 when I started this series. So I guess that’s 4 years now. Time goes so fast!</p>
<h2>What inspired you to write The Age of Alandria series?</h2>
<p>I was sitting and relaxing, watching some TV (I was 7 months prego, so I was probably more like sprawling). I don’t remember what I was watching but I know a commercial came on and it had an orchid in it… probably a cialis commercial or something, lol. And, without trying to sound cliché, the story flashed before my mind’s eye. I saw it all unfold. Now granted, it has evolved quit a bit since then, but basically I started writing this story and haven’t stopped. I couldn’t get the characters out of my head.</p>
<h2>What was your favorite book or series as a teen?</h2>
<p>This is a tough one. Now I’m not admitting to age or anything, but it was awhile ago <img src='http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' data-recalc-dims="1" />  So, if it’s ok I’m going to go with when I started reading fiction again (after a phase of non-fiction) around the time Twilight became popular so I’ll just start there. I hadn’t read fiction in awhile so I read and read and I’m still reading today lol. But I would have to say one of my faves is still Harry Potter. Oh! and Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series and so many more apparently I can’t pick just one!</p>
<h2>I noticed that you live in Nashville (waves from Cookeville). What is your favorite bookish spot in the city?</h2>
<p>*Waves* Hellooooo Cookeville!! We should have coffee! Hit me up anytime you come towards Nashville.  Hmm… I enjoy going to the Wiliamson County Library, but I do a lot of my writing at a local coffee shop called The Bean and at the mighty S’bucks. I just found a new one I’m checking out though, we shall see <img src='http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' data-recalc-dims="1" /> </p>
<h2>Are there any particular pieces of folklore that inspired the world and characters you created?</h2>
<p>Good question. I was inspired by several different pieces of folklore as opposed to sticking with just one. There is some Greek mythology mainly with the Shifters and the Dryads, then there is Celtic mythology with Faeries and the Ferrishyn (which I added my own flare to), and the Elves seem to come mainly from  English and Norse mythology. Plus, add in my own imagination and it’s a party… or a war, lol.</p>
<h2>Last question. If you could be any kind of faerie, what would you be?</h2>
<p>Hmm…I would be my version of the Ferrishyn Faeries—which are the warrior faction of the Faeries in Alandria. In my world, however, there aren’t many female Ferrishyn, but they are pretty fierce!!</p>
<h2>Thanks for stopping by!</h2>
<p>Thank you!!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Bio</h2>
<p><a href="http://i0.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Morgan800x600.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-5951 alignleft" alt="Morgan800x600" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Morgan800x600.jpg?resize=240%2C180" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a>Morgan Wylie has been writing on and off throughout her growing up years, but started seriously working on her first novel in the Spring of 2009. 7 months pregnant with her first child, she didn&#8217;t start off with a lot of focused writing time. But Morgan had an epiphany, if you will, and the story flashed before her so she began to write. And she’s still writing. Her debut Young Adult fantasy, SILENT ORCHIDS, will be out this summer.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989305600/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0989305600&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=boobra0b-20" target="_blank">Buy SILENT ORCHIDS on Amazon!</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17340090-silent-orchids" target="_blank">Add SILENT ORCHIDS on Goodreads!</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<p><a id="rc-9172c116" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c116/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Check out the Rest of the Tour</h2>
<p align="center"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May 6th</span></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Mundie Moms</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.readerswonderland.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Readers Wonderland</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 7</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">RELEASE DAY LAUNCH</span></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://avasmith.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Book Nerds Anonymous</span></a><br />
<a href="http://rebeccaryneckithequestsandperils.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Rebecca Rynecki</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.reviewingwonderland.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Reviewing Wonderland</span></a><br />
<a href="http://pinkfluffyhearts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Pink Fluffy Hearts</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookscompleteme.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Books Complete Me</span></a><br />
<a href="http://briannaleereviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Brianna Lee Reviews</span></a><br />
<a href="http://booksowlsandtea.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Books, Owls &amp; Tea</span></a><br />
<a href="http://paulettespapers.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Paulette’s Papers</span></a><br />
<a href="http://photogooroo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Photogooroo</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.moosubi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Moosubi Reviews</span></a><br />
<a href="http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Books, Books, the Magical Fruit</span></a><br />
<a href="http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I Read Indie</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 8</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://verbvixen.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">VerbVixen</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 9</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://rebeccaryneckithequestsandperils.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Rebecca Rynecki</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 10</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.bookbrats.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Book Brats</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 11</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.reviewingwonderland.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Reviewing Wonderland</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 12</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://briannaleereviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Brianna Lee Reviews</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 13</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://lovinloslibros.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Lovin Los Libros</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 14</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.bookscompleteme.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Books Complete Me</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 15</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://bookshelfbanter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Bookshelf Banter/TST Podcast</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 16</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://bookandlatte.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">A Book and a Latte</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 17</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://lite-rate-ture.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Lite-Rate-Ture</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 18</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://drwrnmk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Wine, Relaxation, &amp; My Kindle</span></a></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May 19</span><sup>th</sup></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="http://moosubi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Moosubi Reviews</span></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Guest Post with Michele Lang and GIVEAWAY</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/guest-post-michele-lang-giveaway/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/guest-post-michele-lang-giveaway/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 13:00:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[feature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[giveaway]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guest post]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=5966</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/RebelAngels1.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="RebelAngels[1]" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" />Today at Book Brats, we're (belatedly) welcoming author Michele Lang! She was supposed to have stopped by in April, but thanks to the great work disaster of 2013, somehow this post was never posted! I'm an idiot, this is true. But without anymore rambling, let's get to today's special presentation, and check out the bottom of the article for a special giveaway! ]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/RebelAngels1.jpg?fit=300%2C300" class="attachment-medium wp-post-image" alt="RebelAngels[1]" style="float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;" /><p>Today at Book Brats, we&#8217;re (belatedly) welcoming author Michele Lang! She was supposed to have stopped by in April, but thanks to the great work disaster of 2013, somehow this post was never posted! I&#8217;m an idiot, this is true. But without anymore rambling, let&#8217;s get to today&#8217;s special presentation, and check out the bottom of the article for a special giveaway!</p>
<p><a href="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/RebelAngels1.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-5971 alignleft" alt="RebelAngels[1]" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/RebelAngels1.jpg?resize=159%2C240" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p>Magda Lazarus has twice come back from the dead to fight the Nazis’ devastating conquest of Poland. To prevent the Holocaust her sister has seen in terrible visions, Magda will need the Heaven Sapphire, a gem powerful enough to defeat even the demon Asmodel. With the future of all Europe in the balance, Magda and her husband, the fallen angel Raziel, begin a perilous journey to the Caucasus, the resting place of the fabled stone.</p>
<p>Surrounded by Germans, Russians, and mistrustful Azerbaijani tribesmen, Magda must summon all her magic to withstand the predations of the deadly supernatural foes. But more dangerous yet is the power of the Sapphire itself, which could stop Hitler…or destroy Magda.</p>
<p><em>Rebel Angels,</em> the climactic book of Michele Lang&#8217;s Lady Lazarus trilogy, filled with suspense, magic, and action, will have readers at the edge of their seats until the exciting conclusion.</p></blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Little Women in Hell and the Lady Lazarus trilogy</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Guest post by Michele Lang</h4>
<p>The books in my World War II urban fantasy LADY LAZARUS trilogy have many of the markers of that genre: the vamps, the werewolves, the gritty, noir-ish settings, the<br />
magically fuelled fight scenes.</p>
<p>But relationships are at the heart of these books. Not the romantic one that Magda falls into with her angel, Raziel &#8212; though I&#8217;ve lost my heart to Raziel myself &#8212; but the bonds<br />
between Magda, her little sister Gisele, and their best friend, Eva. In fact, by the second book, DARK VICTORY, I thought of the whole series as &#8220;Little Women in Hell.&#8221;</p>
<p>Little Women was one of the books I imprinted on when I was about twelve years old, and it tells the story of four sisters and their adventures growing up in New England<br />
during the Civil War. Homey, heartwarming, a little corny, and there are no Nazi werewolves or fallen angels to be found. But, still, it&#8217;s a terrific book.</p>
<p>There is no Marmee in the LADY LAZARUS books &#8212; Magda&#8217;s mother, Tekla, is dead as the story begins, and though Magda does consult her mother&#8217;s shade, she&#8217;s something of a vengeful ghost who is less than enthused by her eldest daughter&#8217;s choices. Magda, Gisele, and Eva must make their way alone in a dangerous, magical Budapest, one teeming with Nazis, magical beings, and the threat of total war.</p>
<p>Magda manages, like Jo in Little Women, to support her little family with her talents, by becoming a magical assistant to the dread Count Bathory, vampire lord of Budapest.<br />
But her unworldly little sister Gisi, prone to visions of disaster, is as homey and loving as Beth is to her harum-scarum big sister Jo. And their best friend Eva, who possesses not<br />
even a drop of magic, diverts and dazzles them with her incandescent beauty and mordant wit.</p>
<p>They need each other to survive. These three young women, so financially bereft, are rich in each other. Magic or not, their love for each other carries them through the darkest<br />
days of the war and out the other side. One of the themes in the LADY LAZARUS trilogy is that we all possess magic hidden within us. But another theme, one I didn’t<br />
find until the books were all written, is that the love between us can make us greater than we can ever become all alone. And love doesn&#8217;t have to be the romantic kind in order to<br />
bring out our greatest strengths.</p>
<p>Who gives you strength?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The LADY LAZARUS series by Michele Lang</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">ADVENTURE, ROMANCE, AND MAGIC ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR II</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Summer 1939: In Budapest, the magical city where East meets West, beautiful, young<br />
Magda Lazarus has managed to make a life for herself in a dangerous world that teeters<br />
on the edge of war. But then her sister has a terrible vision: Nazi Germany overruns all of<br />
Europe, and their family and millions of others are exterminated.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Magda, the last of a long line of witches descended from the legendary Witch of Ein<br />
Dor, must find the secret of her family&#8217;s magic. Alone, pursued by SS werewolves, a<br />
Nazi wizard, and demons, including the one that has possessed a willing Adolf Hitler,<br />
she has no choice but to summon the family&#8217;s guardian angel, the dark keeper of secrets<br />
Archangel Raziel.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">And when she stands in his celestial presence, her heart is utterly, completely lost…</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;An absolutely unique protagonist in an engaging tale set against the backdrop of<br />
the greatest clash of good and evil in human history. What&#8217;s not to love about LADY<br />
LAZARUS?&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">-Jim Butcher, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of THE DRESDEN FILES</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Michele-Lang-Author.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-5972 alignleft" alt="Michele Lang Author" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookbrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Michele-Lang-Author.jpg?resize=174%2C210" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a><strong>About Michele:</strong></p>
<p>Michele Lang writes supernatural tales: the stories of witches, lawyers, goddesses,<br />
bankers, demons, and other magical creatures hidden in plain sight. Author of the LADY<br />
LAZARUS historical fantasy series, Michele&#8217;s most recent book in the series, REBEL<br />
ANGELS, released March 2013.</p>
<p>Michele is also a lawyer who has practiced the unholy craft of litigation in both New<br />
York and Connecticut. She returned to her native New York shortly before 9/11, and now<br />
lives in a small town on the North Shore of Long Island with her husband, her sons, and a<br />
rotating menagerie of cats, hermit crabs, and butterflies.</p>
<p>Find her on the web at www.michelelang.com and on Facebook at http://<br />
www.facebook.com/michelelang</p>
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-1b7e5745" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1b7e5745/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
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		<title>Getting Over Dystopians – And Why I’m Not Looking Back</title>
		<link>http://www.bookbrats.com/dystopians-im/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bookbrats.com/dystopians-im/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discussion]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bookbrats.com/?p=5957</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[2013 so far has been a relatively meh year when it comes to reading for me. One, I’m not reading anywhere near as much as I expected to. The books I have been reading have not piqued my interest as much as I had hoped. The books coming later this year and in 2014? So far, not one has really made me raise my eyebrows and demand to read it now.]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2013 so far has been a relatively meh year when it comes to reading for me. One, I’m not reading anywhere near as much as I expected to. The books I have been reading have not piqued my interest as much as I had hoped. The books coming later this year and in 2014? So far, not one has really made me raise my eyebrows and demand to read it now, with the exception of <a href=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10281556-night-film”>NIGHT FILM</a> by Marisha Pessl, which comes out in August and I am kind of dying to read.</p>
<p>But the most striking thing about 2013 in reading for me so far has been this – I am totally over dystopian fiction. At least the dystopian fiction that the young adult publishing world keeps pushing onto us as readers.</p>
<p>Let’s get one thing straight first. Young adult dystopian is, more often than not, not really dystopian, not when you put it to the test against books like 1984, BRAVE NEW WORLD, and WE. It would fall more into a category I lovingly call, “I’m trendy, look at me, someone in marketing or sales thought that pitching me as the next DIVERGENT would deflect from the fact that the only bad government in here is that I’m an insolent sometimes horny 17 year old!” </p>
<p>Or, for our purposes, you can call it dys-nope-ian.</p>
<p><img src=http://media.tumblr.com/ded9afd68b24f08e4d5ed793a38af0f4/tumblr_inline_mmbtl5o6be1qz4rgp.gif></p>
<p>There are several prerequisites for young adult dystopian fiction, and they’re pretty silly. There must be a government, there must be some form of world building where the reader is told that this government is oppressive, there must be some sort of special girl to save the world, and there must be kissing. Lots of kissing. Actually, let me take that back. Some dystopian labels are being shelled out on books that don’t even have a government. How can a story be dystopian if there is no government? I don’t know. That, ladies and gents, is post-apocalyptic fiction. Let’s not apply the dystopian label here.</p>
<p><img src=http://25.media.tumblr.com/b471c84c965d7c23f9288c9856cc799a/tumblr_mf8n5fpnCR1rmd6uzo2_250.gif></p>
<p>Dystopian fiction – in young adult fiction, at least – has become a race to ridiculous. We are quickly running out of genuine plots, leading us to such gems as, “Having two human traits is deadly!”, “Murder your clones before they murder you!”, and “Caste system The Bachelor while rebels overtake the castle once a day!”.  Gone are truly dystopian plots where man slowly realizes that Big Brother controls his life, or that the government creates humans as slaves and workers, or people are recycled to create Soylent Green. In its place, we have a trend – girls who want to kiss boys while being oppressed by a bad government. Not a dystopian government, mind you, but just a plain old bad government. </p>
<p>Part of the fun of the traditional dystopian book was watching our hero/heroine slowly unravel the web of lies that spanned their lives. In today’s young adult dystopian, we just get to watch outlandish displays of violence and “love” with little thought given to the rest of the world. The set up we find is that girl must kill for her right to kiss. </p>
<p>Dystopian fiction has become a forgotten thing in the sea of kissing and romance and escaping because of true love, but how many 17 year olds are really going to run off and find true love with some bad boy they’ve known for a week? Umm…</p>
<p>Maybe I’m not completely over dystopian young adult fiction, but at this rate, something will truly need to surprise me to get my support. Books like Mandy Hager’s THE CROSSING blew me out of the water. But that’s one book out of countless dozens of dystopian books put out each year by countless publishers.</p>
<p><img src=http://media.tumblr.com/941c0bc3dbef9897097783016044c01b/tumblr_inline_mgfw49gA7x1ryb0hd.gif></p>
<p>Dear publishers, show me something new. And let’s actually use the word dystopian correctly. No more romances disguised with badass covers and cool synopses when all the book delivers is, “True love saves all! And science is evil!” Pweeze? Signed, Megan.</p>
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