Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Title: Scorched
Author: Mari Mancusi
Source/Format: Won, Hardback
More Details: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Fire, September 3, 2013

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Trinity...Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...

Connor...He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb...He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed...

 Dragons and time travel...

By the end of this novel I was firmly on Team Dragon, nuff said…

Scorched by Mari Mancusi clearly ended up being my kind of book. With the concept—which combined dragons, time travel, and the warning of an impending apocalypse—it definitely made for one heck of a novel! Going into Scorched I really had no expectations beyond looking for an entertaining read, and I did enjoy it. The pacing was handled well, and right from the start I was pretty much hooked by the opening chapters. I was really interested in the concept of dragons and their role in the events hinted at throughout the book, and needless to say I got my answers and then some. One thing worth noting was the villains in Scorched. Initially, it was difficult to tell who was who, which was great, because it added some suspense to the novel. Trinity was a pretty interesting character, and overall I liked her personality. She had her reasons for being the way she was and it was easy to understand why she was protective of what family she had left. Now, Connor, his personality seemed straight forward, but as the novel progressed he changed as more of his past was revealed and he got to know Trinity better. His twin brother Caleb—a dragon sympathizer—was an alright character who had his own motivations and a desire to prove his worth. The dynamics of the relationships throughout the novel was one of the highlights for me, and I really kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to the characters at the end. The dragons were another highlight, and I enjoyed Mancusi’s take on the subject.

So yeah, this is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year. And I would consider getting the rest of the trilogy simply because more dragons, and that’s always a good thing.

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award (Take 2)

Oh man, I completely forgot to do this post. Well better late than never! I've done this tag before but I'm going to do it again because I absolutely love these questions. So, a huge thank you to Ria @Lilac Diaries for nominating me and coming up with the questions!







First the rules...

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link their website
2. Use the award logo on your post
3. Answer the 10 questions provided by the blogger who tagged you
4. Nominate 10 bloggers
5. Ask them 10 questions

What got you into reading?

It was a long time ago and it was out of necessity (for school), but then I just started to enjoy reading more and I wanted to get to as many great stories as possible.

Do you judge a book by its cover?

I like cover art but I don't judge a book based solely off of that (It could look like the prettiest thing in the world but the story might not be something I'm looking for). Usually I look at the synopsis first and consider it for a while before I even decide to read it.

What do you love the most about blogging? 

Being able to share my thoughts about books is pretty fun, plus I've discovered a lot of great novels that I wouldn't have normally picked up.

How did you come up with your blog title?

My co-blogger and I decided on the title because it sounded catchy (plus it was short and to the point).

Do you collect bookish items? Which is your favorite item, then?

Actually, I don't really collect bookish items (well besides books and bookmarks), but I do love my sketchbook with all of the quotes on it...so, uh, I guess it counts.

Have you ever wished to have a super power? What did you wish for?

If I could have any super power it would be Teleportation, because it would make moving a whole lot easier if I could just move things from point A to point B in a matter of seconds. *Sigh* Sadly, its just wishful thinking.

Which is your favorite Christmas book/novel/novella/short story?

I don't have one (yet), but I do want to read the Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Because why not? I've seen the movie(s) and really want to see how the book is.

Have you ever wished to live in a fantasy world? If yes, which one would you choose? (like Hogwarts, Austen world, The Hobbit, Alice's Wonderland, The land of OZ etc).

Well a lot of the ones I've read about make me cringe, because, you know, they're pretty terrible most of the time (but totally interesting to read about). However, I would visit the version of Wonderland from A.G. Howard's Splintered. Take into account that I said I would visit, because I certainly wouldn't live there.

Did you hear about J.K. Rowling's tweet mentioning Harry Potter's son, James's first year at Hogwarts. What do you think of it? Are you excited?

What is this? I have not heard of it! Somehow, someway I've missed that news. *quietly googles it* Oh, ok, yeah, it is pretty exciting.

'Happily ever after' exists only in books. Is it true? What do you think of it?

Who knows, but I think it could exist depending on the circumstances (I'm choosing the most optimistic answer).

So I'm just going to break rules 4 and 5. I'm not nominating any blogger specifically and I don't have any questions right now. Anyway, happy reading!

The Friday 56 (37) Scorched by Mari Mancusi

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Trinity...
Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...

Connor...
He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb...
He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed...

"Her confusion veered sharply into anger. How dare he try to play her like this? She needed to get away, call the cops, find out what was really going on."--Scorched by Mari Mancusi 



Do you have any favorite novels that feature dragons?

Release Day & Giveaway: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

I am so excited that Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this new series by Rae Carson, be sure to check out all the details below. As always, there's a giveaway at the bottom of the post.

About The Book:

Title: WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER

Author: Rae Carson

Pub. Date: September 22, 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 448

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research. 

Read chapter 1 of WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER annotated by Rae Carson HERE!

About Rae...

Rae Carson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. Her next book, Walk On Earth A Stranger, will be available September 22, 2015. She lives in Arizona with her husband.

Connect with the Author... 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

And now time for the giveaway. One winner will receive a set of the Girl of Fire and Thorns series (in paperback format). This giveaway is US Only and ends on September 30th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Michelle Johnson

 

Today I’m excited to welcome Michelle Johnson, author of Oleah Chronicles: Truth, to the blog. You can see the review for the book HERE. And before I get to the interview, check out the synopsis for the book below. **P.S. The ebook is currently $0.99**

About the Book 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

What would you do if everything you thought to be true in your life was a lie? Sixteen-year-old Angel Seriki must face overwhelming truths about her family when she meets Zander Black, a new student to her high school who is smart, charming and devastatingly beautiful. The revelations he uncovers to her about her family's past changes everything, and as her relationship and feelings for Zander deepen, so do the risks involved. She must now accept her fate and face the true reality of who and what she is. Even if that means giving up everything, including being human...

Goodreads     Amazon    Barnes & Noble

What is your writing process like? Do you have any specific daily goals?

While I first started writing Truth, I never really had a process or goal. I had no intention of actually doing something with my story and would occasionally add to it when I found time. It wasn't until I reunited myself with the story - after putting it on a three year hiatus - that I made the decision to finish it and share with whomever would actually want to read it. I became more diligent then, making an effort to write daily no matter how uninspired I felt for at least an hour. Once I outlined the plot, focusing on a chapter at a time seemed less overwhelming to me and helped to develop a flow that felt natural. Sure, there were countless times I would try to develop a formula for it all, but at the end of the day, you can't force what should come organically. Some days I can write pages, other days it's only a couple paragraphs that I can get through, and I'm ok with that.

The characters in Truth are awesome. So, how did you come up with them? Did you have any sources of inspiration?

Thank you so much! I was honestly terrified to release Truth, because of how much of myself the story had in it. I've always had this...obsession if you will, for lions, vampires and greek mythology. So I merged everything together letting my mind run wild in hopes that something beautiful or special could come out of it.

I actually often found myself rereading my old diaries to create the voice I wanted Angel and Julie to have. Growing up in Toronto, my social group was never segregated, my friends are all different ethnicities, and that was an important part I wanted to reflect with Angel and Julie's relationship. When I was a teen, I would talk for hours on the phone with my friends and freak out over guys I had crushes on, and I really wanted my readers to experience how much fun that can be.

If you could take a vacation and go on a writers retreat—anywhere in the world—where would you go and why?

Rome, Italy. I went there on a school trip when I was sixteen and I fell in love with it. You're eyes are constantly absorbing so much beauty with all the architecture and art there is - not to mention the food! I'm an extremely visual person, and frequently seek out different visuals or forms of art to inspire my writing. Being in Rome, I have no doubts I could recharge, and leave feeling more passionate and inspired than ever.

What is your favorite part of the Oleah Chronicles?

If I had to pick only one, I'd say it would be the scene when Angel finally gets all her answers from Zander in the park. The entire exchange between them is so emotional and electric! I was really excited to write it because it gives readers a glimpse into not only Angel's history, but Zander's past and a better understanding of who is he is what made him that way.

What’s next for you?

I'm currently working hard to finish the second book in the Oleah Chronicles series, which will be called Justice. The goal is to release it early next year then move right into the final book in the series after that. Between releases, I really want to look into book tours, that way I can get out and meet my readers! The feedback I've gotten from all of this has ignited a fire in me that I just want to spread everywhere I can! I'm really looking forward to building this story into something great.

And that's it. I hope you enjoyed the interview, and don't forget to check out Oleah Chronicles: Truth. Happy reading!

About the Author...

Throughout my childhood I was always told I had a very creative imagination. I was drawn to stories of mythical creatures and all things that would usually give my peers the heebie geebies. Shows like Tales from the Crypt Keeper and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were among some of my favourites. I developed a strong passion for design and illustration, drawing the ideas that arose in my head and finding great excitement in bringing them to life. This led me to pursue a career in graphic design and marketing so that I could always use my creativity to the fullest. I have always loved reading and the way a compelling story would allow my mind to absorb its detailed imagery. I began to use writing as a tool to bring my creative thoughts to fruition one day, which has brought me to this moment. I'm a romantic at heart and a sucker for stories about true love which is reflected in my writing and helped bring the Oleah Chronicles to life. I hope you enjoy my first book and through it you experience the eccentric vision that began in my mind so long ago.

Website     Goodreads     Twitter